Crime Scene Mapping using Differential GPS and Geospatial Techniques for Simulated Outdoor Crime Scenes

Abstract

Outdoor crime scene management is difficult to accomplish, especially when the crime transpired in a big area, uneven space, or an area with a lack of reference points. It is important to visualize the location of the evidence to get an idea of how the crime took place and in what manner. In this research, two simulated outdoor crime scenes were cre-ated, where both manual tape measurement and Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) unit were applied to see if the differential GPS offers an accurate and reliable alternative for mapping the scene over the baseline method. A Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to derive a map of the simulated outdoor scenes. The result indicates that the DGPS unit provides a consistent reading when compared to manual tape measurement, giving an average reading difference of 0.06 cm and 0.13 cm. The study concluded that the DGPS unit can be a viable alternative for mapping outdoor crime scenes.