Why are witnesses separated as quickly as possible at a crime scene?

Witnesses are separated as quickly as possible at a crime scene primarily to avoid matching stories. When witnesses are together, they may inadvertently influence each other's recollections of events, leading to a homogenization of their accounts. This can compromise the reliability of the information gathered. By separating witnesses, investigators can obtain more independent and potentially accurate statements about what they observed, which is crucial for reconstructing the events of the crime. This practice helps ensure that the accounts provided are based on personal observations rather than shared or adjusted narratives, which can be essential in an investigation.