Macintosh Plus

The FBI’s November Artifact of the Month is a Macintosh Plus that FBI Laboratory professionals used to create crime scene drawings.

FBI Laboratory professionals used to create crime scene drawings on the Macintosh Plus computer. (Select image to view high-res.)

Pictured is a Macintosh Plus circa 1986. This computer was one of the first models with a graphical user interface (GUI). FBI Laboratory professionals used it to create crime scene drawings.

In 1986, a Macintosh Plus cost $2,599. It came with 1 to 4 megabytes of RAM and a 3.5-inch floppy disk drive, and it weighed 16.5 pounds. The computer’s GUI contributed to its popularity in art, design, and education settings—and, of course, at the FBI Laboratory.

Since the days of cassette tapes and floppy disks, the FBI Laboratory has continued to leverage new technology to protect the country. The FBI’s scientific and technical photographers and visual information specialists use computer aided design, 3D modeling, computer animation functionality, and more every day to support investigations.