When should a rough sketch of a crime scene be drawn?

A rough sketch of a crime scene should be drawn at the scene itself because it captures the immediate layout, positions of evidence, and physical details critical to understanding the context of the incident. Creating this sketch on-site allows the investigator to accurately represent distances, locations, and relationships between various items of evidence and other relevant features in the environment.

This on-the-spot documentation ensures that the physical evidence is recorded in a manner that reflects its actual state at the time of discovery, which is vital for effective analysis and for any subsequent legal proceedings. Sketches made later or in a different location may miss nuances, details, and spatial relationships that could alter the understanding of the crime scene.