Samenvatting

The use of images is burgeoning in the criminal justice system and will continue to do so, mainly because of the introduction of the electronic file. Digital technologies and images have become more important in every phase of the system: images are collected and created to gather, analyze and present evidence. Besides mug shots and fingerprints, current images range from CCTV footage to 3D reconstructions and MRI scans. The question is whether these technological advancements and the increasing use and presence of image in the Dutch criminal justice system is revolutionary. This article discusses differences between the ‘old’ and ‘new’ images, focusing on form and content. The increase in types of formats and the highly specialized contents of today raises many empirical questions about the influence of images. Most of these questions have not been conclusively answered so far. The three most convincing findings underline the possible far-stretching, perhaps even revolutionary, consequences.