ABSTRACT
An important aspect of forensic work is the notes that are taken. All forensic work requires the generation of contemporaneous notes which can be requested at trial. This chapter presents information that need to be recorded before doing gait analysis for a case in forensic practice. Playing footage through frame by frame has the advantage of minimising the potential effect of the brain trying to fill in the gaps between consecutive frames of information. A reasonable time period should be left between analysing the questioned footage and analysing the reference footage to reduce the potential for any influence of observations made in the questioned footage in the reference footage. Starting the analysis of the reference footage at least on the following day from completing the analysis of the questioned footage is a good strategy. In view of the subjective nature of observational gait analysis, and the associated potential for cognitive bias, this is fertile ground for cross-examination questions in court.
