What Is Reconstruction?
Crime scene reconstruction uses physical evidence, scientific analysis, and logical reasoning to determine the sequence of events before, during, and after a crime. Unlike investigation (who did it?), reconstruction answers how and in what order events occurred. The process follows the scientific method: observe evidence, form hypotheses about what happened, test hypotheses against all available evidence, and reach conclusions supported by the evidence while acknowledging alternative explanations. A reconstruction integrates findings from multiple forensic disciplines—bloodstain patterns, ballistics, DNA, trace evidence, digital evidence, and pathology—into a unified narrative. The reconstruction must be internally consistent: no conclusion should contradict another, and every piece of evidence should fit the proposed sequence.