Author(s): Emma Mancuso
Mentor(s): Jessica Abbott
Institution SUU
The role of technology within law enforcement settings is growing and changing rapidly, with the implementation of three-dimensional (3D) scanning and mapping technology most recently allowing for improvements in several aspects of the investigative process. This research intends to fill a gap in the existing literature by offering a more general review of this technology’s performance in law enforcement roles with insights from experienced law enforcement professionals. This study utilizes a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative interviews and survey data to provide a more comprehensive documentation of how 3D scanning and mapping systems impact the field of forensics. It focuses on the broad enhancements to accuracy, efficiency, and the volume of data collected, provided by this technology as viewed by those who use it most in the field. This study hypothesizes that current law enforcement officials feel that implementing 3D scanning and mapping technology significantly enhances the investigative process compared to traditional forensic methods. The use of mixed methods will provide a more comprehensive understanding of how 3D scanning and mapping technology impacts the investigative process. Quantitative surveys aim to provide numerical data that can be analyzed to determine the impact that 3D scanning and mapping technology has on forensic investigations. The information gathered by surveys is important because it is quantifiable data that can be shown in graphs, tables, and charts to convey the importance of 3D scanning and mapping technology in forensic investigations. The addition of qualitative interviews will take the research to a much deeper level with more information that a survey simply cannot capture. Interviews will allow for subjects to respond with a more open-ended interpretation of the questions asked than surveys. Because this research is so heavily focused on the accuracy, efficiency, and volume of data collected by this technology, it is important to gather the most detailed analysis of the technology straight from the professionals who use it the most, instead of simply diluting their responses down to multiple choice number responses in a survey. The results of this study are anticipated to highlight how current law enforcement professionals perceive 3D scanning and mapping technology to benefit their investigations in terms of accuracy, efficiency, and volume. From this study, readers will gain a more general understanding of the benefits of 3D technology from the perspective of current law enforcement professionals, which they can implement into their own departments’ investigative practices.