Crime and Evidence

Research into Crime and Evidence

To start i looked back at my work from International markets and Contexts as i reduced work on crime for that module. When i look back i found this exhibition about crime evidence.

(This information below is from international Markets and Context )
(Jackson, 2016)

The use of photography as factual evidence in the courtroom became an essential tool in the service of justice from the late 1800s. Over the following century however, the reliability of photographic ‘facts’ were ardently debated, sometimes legitimately contested and often contradicted.

The exhibition presents eleven case studies spanning the period from the invention of ‘metric’ photography of crime scenes in the 19th century to the reconstruction of a drone attack in Pakistan in 2012 using digital and satellite technologies. These offer an analysis of the historical and geopolitical contexts in which the images appeared, as well as their purpose, production process and dissemination.

BURDEN OF PROOF: THE CONSTRUCTION OF VISUAL EVIDENCE

(This information below is from international Markets and Context )

(Jackson, 2016)

As my work is related to crime i thought also David Goldbatt would be a good reference as well.

David Goldbatt-Ex Offenders 

(Goldbatt, D n.d.)

these photographs and the stories of the people within them. Most were trying, often in desperately difficult circumstances, to go straight. Hence why he called them ex-offenders.he paid each of these subjects about 80 Euros and they have signed a release giving him permission to publish and exhibit the photographs and their life stories. he told  each subject that the exhibition might, at some later stage in life, damage them, and I proceed only if they fully understand what they are doing and agree to doing it.he wouldn't take any money for these images he wanted all proceeds to be given to organisations dealing with the education and rehabilitation of prisoners. I think he felt he owed them a lot more then 80 euros because this work has there faces and their stories with it forever and as they help him i wants to hep them.

Paul Seawright- Sectarian Murders 

                 (Paul Seawright, 2017)

(Paul Seawright, 2017)

Paul Seawright's body of work Sectarian Murder revisited the sites of sectarian attacks during the 1970’s close to where Seawright grew up in Belfast. The sectarian attacks in Ireland.Sectarian is a form of communal violence caused by different sects of one particular mode of i religion within a community. In Ireland the two sects of Christianity, Catholicism and Protestant are the case of these murders.The above images show the crime scene where these incidents took place. The texts are from newspaper reports at the time and document the murders of innocent civilians, killed for their percieved religion. However to avoid prejudice Seawright made the decision to remove the part of the newspaper text that refers to the faith of the victim meaning if the victim was Protestant or Catholic background. Removing this information makes anyone who looks at this body of work view this image in the same way. If the faith of the victim was left in the text anyone who isn't member of that sects of religion may have a prejudicial option on that religion and could view the body of work in a negative way. The body of work is created from images taken in different ways, The images are not taken in same style which i think makes the image more interesting as having the whole body of work photographed in the same way wouldn't reflect the subject matter. What i mean by this is that each victim was different therefore i think that is why Paul Seawright created his work like this.

Currently in Negotiated Major Projects i am also looking at crime so i looked at other crime and evidence practitioners that could help me with my portfolio.Henry Iddon's work A place to go is about crime but without the text would be considered to be a landscape image which is a style i like and could use in my portfolio.

( the information below is from Negotiated Major Project. ) (Jackson, 2017)

Henry Iddon - A place to go

(Iddon,H 2017)

Iddon’s body of ‘A Place To Go’  at first appears to be just images of mountainous landscape in the  United Kingdom. But Iddon wanted to show “the infinite power and scale of the natural environment dwarfs humanity.” (Iddon,H 2017) This was achieved through a series of large format photographs of upland landscapes in the United Kingdom where there was  fatal tragedies. The body of work is documentation of crime scenes which at first no one would assume without the statement below that these images had nothing to do with deaths but each upland landscape featured in the series was the place were a death happened. 

Unlike Olmos the deaths were not victims of murders the deaths most of the deaths were unfortunate accidents. The image above the victim died what he loved which was climbing. Mr Willamson (the deceased) tried to tackle a course which unfortunately was to dangerous and took his life. Iddon”s original idea of wanting to show “the infinite power and scale of the natural environment dwarfs humanity.” (Iddon,H 2017) rings true with this body of work because the victims who have lost their lives wanted to push themselves to the limit to beat the might mountain to prove that they are stronger. Unfortunately by doing this they lost their lives but I don’t feel sadness when looking at this body of work which I  did with Olmos work as the victims were brutally attacked whereas the victims  on iddon’s work died chasing a passion and dream so I feel disappointed for the victims that didn't achieve their dream but not sad as they died doing what they loved. Also Iddon has a religious stance on his body of work as “Moses said he spoke to God from on the mountain and saw the promised land. Mountains in many cultures, are where gods and humans meet” (Iddon,H 2017)  This spiritual stance in this body of work could be considered to be the truth as the victims died trying to achieve their dreams.

Headlines of crimes 

The headlines below are headlines i am considering look at to create work out of.I want to look at different crimes to show a range of crime stories in my work.  I want to look at the sites at where crimes have happened  and maybe create work out of that.After looking at Paul Seawright work about documenting scenes of IRA attacks above i would like to create work in a similar style to this by including text with my images.Also Henry Iddon style of work interests me as the image would read differently without text it would be seen as a well exposed mountainous landscape image.But with text it explains what has happened at this place. The headlines below are from local crimes which is what i want to focus on. I could look in the future to expand this work at national crimes but due time constraints and being able to find the locations  i want to look at local crimes.

The five child victims of the Moors Murderers (Sky News, 2017)

Moors Murderers Ian Brady and Myra Hindley could reveal burial site of last missing victim's body (Anon, 2017) 

ROCHDALE GROOMING SCANDAL (Manchester Evening News, 2017)

SEX BEASTS CAGED 

What happened to the Rochdale grooming gang and how many men were convicted in the child sex abuse scandal? 

(Anon, 2017)

Lindsay Rimer death: Second man arrested by police  (Anon, 2017)

Fresh DNA clue to murder of Lindsay Jo 22 years on: New evidence sent for testing in bid to find who killed schoolgirl that vanished as she went to buy cornflakes 

The Moors Murders 

Below is a map of where the four of five bodies where found. The map  shows that most of the bodies where found in one area which means I could try and take images of where the bodies where found.However Saddleworth moor is massive  it is 400 m above sea level even if found a rough location of where the bodies were found i wouldn't be entirely sure if what i would photograph would be the true spot where the bodies where found, Also on this map there is only 3 bodies positions are on the map the other one is a estimated where Keith Bennett is buried but he has never been found so i coojldnt know for sure if this map is correct. If i want to create a document of what happened i need to stick to facts. therefore i could take two shots of the moors at different points and if i have text explain four bodies have been found and one still to be found.

(Daily Star, n.d.)

Three girls May 2017

On BBC One there was Powerful drama based on the experiences of three of the vulnerable young girls who were groomed, sexually abused and trafficked by British Pakistani men in Rochdale. This program is about the Rochdale sex scandal i have looked at.Certain  name  of the takeaways and names of people were changed but apart from that everything else was true to the actual event. The even had the original radio interviews and court transcript feature in the program .I watched this series and it was really hard to watch as the three poor young girls were being abused and the authorities did nothing about it.The sexual health team who saw the girls regularly reported the issues and nothing was done about it. After watching  this i was glad i created work about it as i have shown the two takeaways where this happened and hopefully due tot he program more people will know about this crime.

(The Mirror, 2017)