Local CSI Knowledge Shared

Bryce Anderson reconstructs motor vehicle crashes by day and writes fiction at night. Investigating blood splatter, mangled metal, and broken glass.
Anderson performed research in small-arms wound ballistics for the Department of Energy for his Master of Science degree and studied motor vehicle crashes for his doctorate of philosophy degree–both in engineering from the University of Tennessee. He has worked as a self-employed forensic engineer in the field of crash reconstruction for the last twelve years. No advertisements needed, word of mouth from his satisfied clients brings in plenty of business.
Anderson taught the class: CSI for Crime Writers to a class of seasoned writers during one of the summer workshops offered by the Knoxville Writers' Guild in July 2009.
"Most of my cases are settled out of court," he said. "You do not want to go to court, believe me, bad things happen when you go to court."
The tools in Anderson's trade are a measuring tape, a camera, string, his computer, and Newton's first three laws of physics.
"I am sure you remember from your high school days," he said. Newton's three laws state:
   A body at rest remains at rest and a body in linear motion remains in motion with constant velocity until and unless an external force is applied on it.
   Force applied on a body is directly proportional to the rate of change of momentum of the body or mass times acceleration.
   Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. That is whenever a first body exerts a force F on a second body; the second body exerts a force −F on the first body. F and −F are equal in size and opposite in direction."
   "These are the basis of most things I do in my work," he said.
"I have some very expensive "toys", he teased, as he used a tiny camera and a lap top computer, "but I also use something as simple as string and a measuring tape. Do not forget the measuring tape."
   "Let's begin with the crime scene," he said.   "You must begin your novel with a murder or an explosion. Therefore, you must know that the first thing a law enforcement officer is taught to do at a crime scene is to secure the scene. That is why you see the famous yellow tape," he explained.
Looking part mad scientist and part magician, the youthful presenter dazzled the students by mixing chemicals while giving them writing tips.
"Bleach destroys DNA," he said. "That is something you need to know. You could work that into your story."
"Forget what you see on television or the movies," he advised. "In real life so much of the crime scene investigation depends on whom is dead and where they were located when they died. Some smaller counties do not have the funds to run expensive tests. Unless there is a compelling reason, things are left undone. Cost is a determining factor in most counties. If there is a choice between using one tool over the other, you can just bet the cheaper item will be used."
   Anderson said that "turf wars" often develop at a crime scene. He calls that the "alpha male battles".
   "Seasoned officers, who should know better, often walk through or park on evidence," he said.
   "Remember," he said emphatically, "when the CSI team arrives, everyone else should leave."
   Police departments and sheriffs have a CIRT," he said. "That stands for Critical Incidence Response Team. There is also an EET or Evidence Eradication Team called into all crime scenes. When those guys and gals arrive, your characters have to exit the scene or you will look dumb."
Anderson also discussed blood splatter evidence. "When the human body is damaged, fluids inside the body often spew. These fluids fall onto things and may be so small they cannot be seen."
Anderson gave two examples of how the CSI teams find blood splatter using Luminol or other chemicals.
The engineer ended the class with a video production which included actual photos he had made of crash scenes.
"These are not for the faint of heart," he said.
"Does it bother you to see death or work on cases involving death so often?" he was asked.
"It did not used to, but the older I get the more it seems to," he answered.
"I have the most trouble with viewing dead children. I think everyone in this type of career will tell you they feel that way. Kids make us the saddest."
Anderson has plans to continue his own writing career and hopes to leave the world of accident reconstruction at some point in the future.