The Importance of Research Before You Analyze

Before you look at chart, you can spend a good deal of time researching and confirming the time and details of the crime.  Most importantly, you should confirm the time in multiple places, or you could be working hours on a crime chart for nothing.

Once you’ve found the right “last seen” time or time stamped record (911, Amber Alert, Text Message), you can draw a chart, but you’re research doesn’t stop there.

Each crime chart is a snapshot of a cast of characters that are potentially involved with the suspect or victim including witnesses, accomplices, point of contact or friends. The more information you have from trusted news sources, the more you can identify who’s who in the chart – which will help you piece the important parts of the crime together.

A good rule of thumb – never completely trust a time stamp – especially if the chart doesn’t seem to read correctly. In some cases, the time of the record was delayed or other circumstance that affects its validity.