Scene-of-Recovery
Definition
The location where remains are found, which may or may not be the location of the original death or primary deposition. Distinguishing the scene-of-recovery from the scene of the event is a central interpretive task in outdoor forensic investigations.
- Definition
- Location where remains are found
- May differ from
- Original scene of death or primary deposition
- Field
- Outdoor forensic investigation
- Key task
- Distinguishing recovery site from event scene
Common questions
Why does the distinction between recovery and event scene matter?+
Evidence at the recovery site, such as scattered bones moved by scavengers or water, may reflect post-depositional processes rather than the circumstances of death, so treating the recovery site as the crime scene without qualification can lead to incorrect reconstructions.
What clues suggest remains were moved after death?+
Inconsistencies between the terrain and expected drag or fall patterns, disarticulation inconsistent with local scavenger activity, or artefacts and soil evidence that do not match the surrounding environment all point toward secondary deposition.
Related terms
- Directional Scatter
- A non-random distribution pattern in which skeletal elements or other material are concentrated in a particular compass direction from the primary deposition...
- Grid-Based Collection
- A systematic search method in which the scene is divided into numbered cells, each searched and recorded in turn, with every item's...
- Primary Deposition
- The original position in which the body was placed or fell after death, before any movement by scavengers, water, or other post-depositional...
- Secondary Scatter
- The distribution of skeletal material away from the primary deposition point by post-mortem processes: scavenger activity, water transport, slope movement, or human...
- Total-Station Plotting
- The recording of three-dimensional coordinates of each item by an electronic surveying instrument (total station) before it is collected. The resulting point...