Facilitating access to scene photographs and CCTV footage for relatives bereaved after violent death

Abstract

Family members bereaved after a violent death may be prevented from seeing visual images such as photographs of the body or closed circuit television footage of the person at the scene of death taken as part of the investigation. However, there is little information on the helpfulness or otherwise of supported exposure to such, often graphic, visual evidentiary material contained in police reports. We draw on a case study approach to explore the lived experience of two bereaved family members and the practice experience of the social work authors to understand the meanings of seeing these visual images. These lived-practice experiences suggest that seeing such visual images, in the context of support, may provide a deeper understanding of the death event and facilitate a sense of peace for bereaved relatives. This paper contributes an insight into the meanings and benefits as well as the practice challenges of viewing such material which, it is argued, are differently experienced from seeing the body itself. Recommendations for practice are discussed, alongside suggestions for future research in representative samples.

Keywords:

• Photographs
• CCTV footage
• death
• grief
• coroner
• social work

Acknowledgements

This project was supported through the Australian Government's Collaborative Research Networks (CRN) program, administered by the University of Notre Dame, Australia. We also acknowledge and thank the valued contribution of lived experience in crafting this paper and thank ‘Clare’ for allowing her experience to be shared. 