OBSERVATION SKILLS Tools of Forensic Investigators Observation Interpretation
OBSERVATION SKILLS
Tools of Forensic Investigators • Observation • Interpretation • Reporting - Must be able to identify evidence, record it and determine its significance
Observation • What a person perceives using his or her senses • We can’t pay attention to everything, so we “filter” our observations and pay attention to only what we think is important
Quick Test of Observation • Read the following: • FINISHED FILES ARE THE RESULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTIFIC STUDY COMBINED WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF YEARS • Now count the F’s in that sentence. Count only once. How many? ?
Perception • interpreting information received from the senses • This is not always accurate…our brain tends to fill in details that are not really there, but that we believe are there • We apply previous knowledge to new situations, even when it’s wrong
Eyewitness • A person who has seen someone or something and can communicate these facts
Observation by Witnesses • Perception of witnesses can be faulty even though they claim to be absolutely sure of what they saw
Factors that affect Eyewitness Observation • Emotional state • Whether they are alone or with a group of people • Number of people and/or animals in an area • Activity going on around them
The Innocence Project • Re-examined post-conviction cases using DNA evidence to provide conclusive proof of guilt or innocence • Found that in 200 cases reviewed, faulty eyewitness identification contributed to wrongful conviction 87% of the time • Eyewitness errors included mistakes describing the age and facial features of the suspect • Bias played a role in some of these errors
Fact vs Opinion • Fact – a statement or assertion of information that can be verified • Opinion – a personal belief founded on judgement rather than on direct experience or knowledge
How to be a good observer 1. Make a conscious effort to systematically examine all details of our surroundings. 2. Turn off our “filters” and collect all information, no matter how trivial it seems. 3. Do not interpret information, just gather it. 4. Write down and/or photograph as much information as possible.
Observations in Forensics • Forensic – comes from the Latin word “forensis”, which means forum • Forensic science – concerned with uncovering evidence that stands as fact - uses science to help in legal matters - uses both analytical skills and deductive reasoning
Analytical skills • the ability to identify a concept or problem, to isolate its component parts, to organize information for decision making, to establish criteria for evaluation, and to draw appropriate conclusions
Deductive Reasoning • Deriving the consequences from the facts using a series of logical steps
Role of Forensic Scientist • Find, examine and evaluate evidence from a crime scene • Act as expert witnesses for prosecution lawyers
Forensic subtypes • • • Pathology Ballistics Toxicology Textiles Blood spatter
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