8127/frame/fm

Source:
Based on Block, E. B., 
The Wizard of Berkeley
, Coward-McCann, New York, 1958.
8127/frame/ch02 Page 60 Friday, July 21, 2000 11:51 AM

---

The Evolution of Forensic Science
61
commenting on whether evidence and reference samples could have a com-
mon origin, and inferences about whether two items were ever in contact.
Both DeForest and Saferstein emphasize the role of physical evidence in
reconstruction as either corroborating or confuting eyewitness reports, or
providing information in the absence of any eyewitness evidence. DeForest,
Lee, and Gaensslen (1983) suggest that:
Reconstruction refers to the process of putting the “pieces” of a case or
situation together with the objective of reaching an understanding of a
sequence of past events based on the record of physical evidence that has
resulted from the events. Reconstructions are often desirable in criminal
cases in which eyewitness evidence is absent or unreliable. Identification
and individualization of physical evidence can play important roles in pro-
viding data for reconstructions in some cases.
According to Saferstein (1998):
The physical evidence left behind at a crime scene plays a crucial role in
reconstructing the events that took place surrounding the crime. Although
the evidence alone does not describe everything that happened, it can sup-
port or contradict accounts given by witnesses and/or suspects. Information
obtained from physical evidence can also generate leads and confirm the
reconstruction of a crime to a jury. The collection and documentation of
physical evidence is the foundation of a reconstruction. 
Reconstruction
supports a likely sequence of events by the observation and evaluation of
physical evidence, as well as statements made by witnesses and those