WHAT IS FORENSIC SCIENCE WHAT IS FORENSIC SCIENCE

WHAT IS FORENSIC SCIENCE?

WHAT IS FORENSIC SCIENCE? Forensic Science is the application of science to those criminal and civil laws that are enforced by police agencies in a criminal justice system. §

Forensic Science Law Scienc e

LAW ASPECTS OF FORENSIC SCIENCE q. Lawyers q. Police Officers q. Detectives q. FBI Agents q. ATF q. DEA q. SBI q. CCBI

SCIENCE ASPECTS OF FORENSIC SCIENCE q. Chemist v Toxicology q. Biology v. Serololgy v. DNA v. Body Prints v. Time of Death q. Physics v. Ballistics v. Tool Marks q. Medical v. Medical Examiner v. Pathologist q. Geology v. Soil v. Water Diodes v. Soil Layers

HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF FORENSIC SCIENCE

MATHIEU ORFILA (1787 - 1853) §Considered to be the father of forensic toxicology §Toxicology deals with the study of the adverse effects of chemicals on living things.

ALPHONSE BERTILLON (18531914) §Developed anthropometry. §Anthropometry is a systematic procedure for taking body measurements for the purposes of personal identification. §Known as the Father of Criminal Identification.

FRANCIS GALTON (1822 -1914) §First to determine that fingerprints could be used for identification.

LEONE LATTES (1887 – 1954) §Developed a technique to determine blood type(A, B, AB or O) from a dried blood stain.

CALVIN GODDARD (18911955) §Developed the comparison microscope. §A comparison microscope is used to examine side by side samples. §The comparison microscope is mainly used to analyze bullets, bullet casings and bullet shells.

ALBERT S. OSBORN (1858 – 1946) §Developed the fundamental principles of document examination. §His work included the identification of handwriting, typewriting, paper, and ink.

WALTER C MCCRONE (1916 – 2002) §A prominent microscopist §Determined Turin Shroud was a medieval painting.

HANS GROSS (1847 – 1915) §Father of Criminalistics §First Institute of Criminology

EDMOND LOCARD (18771966) §Referred to as the “Sherlock Holmes of France” §Studied alongside Bertillon. §Developed the science of poroscopy, the study of fingerprint pores and the impressions left by these pores.

J. EDGAR HOOVER (18951972) §First director of the FBI

AUGUST VOLLMER §Father of Law Enforcement §Developed Crime Lab Model

PAUL KIRK (1902 - 1970) §Scientific Process of crime scence investigation §Known for his work with blood splatter patterns §The Fugitive – Sam Sheppard case

EVIDENCE AND COLLECTION OF EVIDENCE

ORDER OF PROCESSING A CRIME SCENE 1. Secure the scene ØRopes, Barricades, Tape and Guards 2. Lead Investigator evaluates the scene. Ø Overview the scene ØDevelop strategy to document and collect evidence ØDetermine search method to be used. 3. Record the scene ØPhotographs ØSketches – to scale, labels…. . ØNotes – descriptions of evidence and locations

EVIDENCE AND COLLECTION OF EVIDENCE 4. Search for evidence ØSpiral, Grid, Line or Quadrant ØVehicle – outside, under, inside 5. Collect and package evidence. ØPrevents any changes between scene and lab ØSeparate containers for different items or items collected from different locations ØCaution with airtight containers – samples grow mold ØMaintain chain of custody

THE PURPOSE OF FORENSIC SCIENCE q. The purpose of forensic science is to uncover evidence that stands as fact. q. Uses science to help in legal matters, such as crimes. q. The job of the forensic scientist is to…. 1. Collect and examine physical evidence 2. Report this to investigators and possibly later in court

THE JOB/ROLE OF A FORENSIC SCIENTIST q. The job of the forensic scientist is to…. 1. Collect and examine physical evidence 2. Report this to investigators and possibly later in court

WHERE DOES THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD FIT? q. Deductive reasoning

CRIME LABS q. August Vollmer established the first crime lab in 1924 in Los Angeles. q. The FBI did not set up their own crime lab until 1932.

MAJOR COMPONENTS OF A CRIME LAB q. Physical Science Unit q. Applies principles and techniques of chemistry, physics and geology to the identifications and comparison of crime-scene evidence. q. Staffed by scientists that have an expertise in the use of chemical tests and modern analytical instrumentation for the examination of items such as drugs, glass, paint, explosives and soil. q. This unit could be further subdivided into drug identification, soil and mineral analyses and examination of a variety of trace physical evidence.

q. Biology Unit q. Staffed by biologists and biochemists who work with: 1. identification and DNA profiling of dried blood stains and other body fluids, 2. Comparison of hairs and fibers 3. Identification of botanical materials such as wood and plants

q. Firearms Unit q. Examine firearms, discharged bullets, cartridge cases, shotgun shells and ammunition of all types. q. Examine garments and other objects in order to detect discharge residues q. Approximate the distance from a target at which a weapon is fired q. Comparisons are also made to tool marks.

Document Examination Unit q. Study the handwriting and typewriting on questioned documents to determine authenticity and/or source. q. Analysis of paper and ink, indented writings, obliterations, erasures and burned or charred documents.

Photography Unit q. Examine and record physical evidence q. Digital imaging, infrared, ultraviolet and X-ray photography may be used to make invisible information visible to the naked eye. q. Aids in the preparation of photographic exhibits for courtroom presentation.

OPTIONAL SERVICES PROVIDED BY CRIME LABS

TOXICOLOGY UNIT q. Body fluids and organs are examined to determine presence or absence of drugs and poisons. q. Field units such as a Intoxilyzer are used to determine the alcoholic consumption of individuals. This section is often responsible for training operators as well as maintaining and servicing these instruments

LATENT PRINT UNIT q. Responds to the scene of the crime and collects, preserves, processes and examines physical evidence for the presence of footwear and tire impressions, fingerprints, palm prints, foot prints and physically match them.

POLYGRAPH UNIT q. Polygraph = Lie detector q. Seen more as a tool for a criminal investigator. A few remain in the crime lab.

VOICEPRINT ANALYSIS UNIT q. These individuals tie the voice of a particular suspect to telephoned threats or tape-recorded messages. q. Sound spectrograph is used. This transforms speech into a visual graphic display called a voiceprint.

THE FUNCTIONS OF A FORENSIC SCIENTIST

ANALYSIS OF PHYSICAL EVIDENCE q. Must be a skilled scientist q. Procedures and techniques must rest on a firm scientific foundation while satisfying the criteria of admissibility that have been established by the courts.

PROVISION OF EXPERT TESTIMONY q. May be asked to serve as an expert witness. q. Courts rely on training and years of experience as a measurement of the knowledge and ability of the expert. q. Opposing attorney must be given the opportunity to cross-examine the expert witness and point out weakness in background and knowledge prior to the judge rules on a witness’s qualifications. q. Must remain impartial and an advocate of the truth.

PROPER TRAINING q. Every individual involved in field collection must be trained in the area of proper-evidence collection. q. Proper tools and supplies must be made available for the proper collection and packaging of evidence for future scientific examination.

OTHER FORENSIC SCIENCE SERVICES

FORENSIC PATHOLOGY q. Involves investigation of sudden, unnatural, unexplained, or violent deaths q. Take on the role as a medical examiner or coroner

PRIMARY ROLE OF A MEDICAL EXAMINER q. Answer the following questions? q. So that the cause of death can be determined. q. Who is the victim? q. If the cause of death q. What injuries are present? can not be determined, q. When did the injuries an autopsy is performed. occur? q. Why and how were the injuries produced?

CLASSIFICATION OF MANNER OF DEATH q. Natural q. Homicide q. Suicide q. Accident q. Undetermined

TIME OF DEATH DETERMINATION q. The following are used to determine the time of death: q. Rigor mortis q. Livor mortis q. Body Temperature q. Eye Appearance q. Stomach Contents

RIGOR MORTIS q. Immediately following death, the muscles relax and then become rigid without shortening the muscle. q. Appears within the first 24 hours and disappears within 36 hours

LIVOR MORTIS q. Blood settles in the parts of the body closest to the ground. q. Due to the heart no longer pumping q. Skin will appear dark blue or purple in color q. This condition begins immediately and continues for up to 12 hours after death.

BODY TEMPERATURE q. Algor mortis – process in which the body temperature continually cools after death until it reaches the ambient or room temperature. q. Rate of heat loss is influenced by location and size of the body, victim’s clothing and weather conditions. q. General rule = body begins losing heat at a rate of 1 to 1 ½ degrees Fareinheit per hour until it reaches the temp of the environment.

EYE APPEARANCE q. Determining potassium levels in the ocular fluid (vitreous humor) q. After death, cells within the inner surface of the eye release potassium into the ocular fluid. q. Analysis of the amount of potassium at various intervals after death allows a rate of potassium release to be established. This rate allows the approximate time of death to be determined.

EYE STRUCTURE

STOMACH CONTENTS q. Amount of food in the stomach can help to estimate when a person’s last meal was eaten.

FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY q. Deals primarily with the identification and examination of human skeletal remains. q. Skeletal remains can last decades and even sometimes centuries.

FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY q. Examination of bones can reveal: q. Origin q. Sex q. Approximate age q. Race q. Skeletal injury

FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY q. May also be useful in creating facial reconstructions.

FORENSIC ENTOMOLOGY q. Deals with the study of insects and their relation to criminal investigation. q. Used to estimate the time of death when the circumstances surrounding the crime are unknown. q. After decomposition begins, blow flies are the first insect to infest the body.

FORENSIC ENTOMOLOGY q. Life cycles are influenced by environmental factors such as geographical location, climate and weather conditions.

FORENSIC PSYCHIATRY Criminal Cases q. Evaluate behavioral disorders and determine whether people are competent to stand trial. Civil Cases q. Determine whether people are competent to make decisions about preparing wills, settling property or refusing medical treatment.

FORENSIC ODONTOLOGY q. Provide information about the identification of victims when the body is left in an unrecognizable state. q. Use teeth structure to compare to dental records to identify a person. q. May also analyze bite marks. q. Many assault cases involve bite marks left on the victim.

FORENSIC ENGINEERING q. Concerned with the failure analysis, accident reconstruction and causes and origins of fires or explosions. q. Questions they answer: q. How did an accident or structural failure occur? q. Were the parties involved responsible? If so, how were they responsible?