Analysis of the Accuracy of Crime Scene Mapping Using 3D Laser Scanners

The use of a 3D scanner at the crime scene i.e. the use of its measurements and the final spatial documentation of the crime scene, must meet the conditions of reliability and accuracy. Acquisition of spatial data can be important from the point of view of investigating and verifying hypotheses. Verification can be subjected to either the mutual location of the elements within the scene or their mutual distance. To test the accuracy of measurements on 3D scans a series of measurements was made at the actual scene, and then the same measurements were made in 3D scans. In the research, we considered that the accuracy of a crime scene mapping, depends on the surface characteristics. The measuring noise also increases with the distance from the scanner. The scanning density, as well can significantly limit the actual accuracy of the point measurement. Measuring distances based on indicating a point by the user is also characterized by an error resulting from the operator’s competences, as well as the ambiguity of the position the characteristic point. It cannot be clearly stated what the real accuracy of mapping, with a 3D scanner, of a crime scene is.