Prev Next

How Crime-scene Clean-up Works

Lots More Information

Author's Note: How Crime-scene Clean-up Works

This is my second go at How Crime-scene Clean-up Works. The first, I wrote in 2006, with hours and hours of research but without the benefit of an interview. This one, I was lucky enough to be handed an industry contact by my editor, and after communicating with Andrew Whitmarsh, the insight was invaluable. I asked him both business-related and personal questions, and his responses to the latter took me aback. You hear a lot out there these days about the "commercialization of death." And no doubt there are those working in the CTS decon business who see it as a money-making endeavor and nothing more; but any illusions I had of some industrywide callousness in the face of human tragedy were disabused. Mr. Whitmarsh related observations that were sensitive and certainly attached. It would be a mistake, then, to think the decision earn a living cleaning up after tragedy implies a callousness toward it, and many of the additions in this version are intended to reflect that.

Related Articles

More Great Links