Introduction toForensics

Come in and get your notebooks

out. We have notes today!

What is FORENSIC SCIENCE?

Forensics….

* Forensics is the application of science to criminal and civil law enforced by police in a criminal justice system.

* Incorporates techniques of Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Geology, Computer Tech to determine value (significance) of crime scenes or evidence.

* Forensics has extended to areas of pathology, psychology, anthropology, odontology that are used in the capacity of law enforcement.

Forensics includes the application of a broad range of science to answer questions in the legal system.

Criminalistics vs Forensics You may hear the term “criminalistics and forensics used in this class. Although there

is overlap, the two terms are in fact different.

Criminalistics focuses only on the scientific approach to examine crime scenes and evidence (Bio, Chem, Phys, Geol, etc). Forensics uses a variety of techniques and

principles to study evidence. Forensics also incorporates psychology, accounting, computer science, etc.

FORENSICS Criminalistics

Criminalistics is only a branch of Forensic

Science.

Common Branches of Forensic Science

PathologyStudies injury patterns and

determines cause of death

OdontologyUses Dental

information to identify bodies

PsychiatricStudies human

behavior

Crime SceneExamines and collects

evidence in a crime scene.

Digital MediaPhotographs physical

evidence and examines computer records

BallisticsExamines fired guns

and ammunition

ToxicologyLooks into detection

of poisons

Questioned Documents

Analyzes ink, paper, toner and

handwriting

History of ForensicsYi Yu Ji - Coroner Solved a Case using Pigs

Chinese begin use of Fingerprints for Identification

Carl Wilhem Steel – First test that detects arsenic in corpses

Mathieu Orfila – Father of toxicology. Published a book on the effects of poisons on animals. Toxicology evidence first used in 1839

Forensic Photography Introduced- Recorded inmate pictures and crime scene photos.

Alphonse Bertillon – Father of Anthropometry – Used body measurements for identification. This was replaced by fingerprints.

First Use of Forensics

1850 - 1860

1814

700

1775

1879

History of ForensicsHans Gross – wrote a book about how science can help with criminal

investigations

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle- made foresnics popular with “Sherlock Holmes” Books. First to apply “Serology” (Study of bodily fluid)

Dr. Karl Landsteiner– First to discover that blood can be seperated into 4 types – A, B, O, and AB

Albert Osborn– Document Examination

Edmond Locard – Started first crime lab in an attic. Locard Exchange Principle states when two objects interact, they is an exchange of particles. So, all criminals pick up trace particles of the surrounding areas.

1893

1910

1910

1899

1901

Locard’s Exchange Principle"Wherever he steps, whatever he touches, whatever he leaves, even unconsciously, will serve as a silent witness against him. Not only his fingerprints or his footprints, but his hair, the fibers from his clothes, the glass he breaks, the tool mark he leaves, the paint he scratches, the blood or semen he deposits or collects. All of these and more, bear mute witness against him. This is evidence that does not forget. It is not confused by the excitement of the moment. It is not absent because human witnesses are. It is factual evidence. Physical evidence cannot be wrong, it cannot perjure itself, it cannot be wholly absent. Only human failure to find it, study and understand it, can diminish its value."

Beginning of “Trace Evidence”

History of ForensicsDr. Walter C. McCrone – Pushed for microscopy in Forensics. Using

microscopes to examine trace evidence.

Calvin Goddard – Ballistics – looking at marking made by guns on bullets and bullet casings

Sir Alec Jefferies – Invented DNA profiling. Revolutionized Forensic Science. In 1986, DNA was used in court for the first time.

1937

1940

1984

Introduction to Forensics

4 Major Crime Labs

Crime Labs are centers for both forensic investigation of ongoing criminal cases and research for new techniques for the future

The Crime Lab

FBI DEA AFT USPIS

FBI DEA AFT USPIS Federal Bureau of

Investigations

Largest Crime lab in the World

Used to Train personnel

Develops newest methods of testing

Drug Enforcement Administration

Analyzes drugs that are taken in violation

of Federal laws

Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco,

and Explosives

Examines weapons and explosives

Analyzes Alcohol and Tobacco

United States Postal Inspection Service

Investigates any crime involving the post

office

Although these labs exist, many local law enforcement jurisdictions (city, county, state) run their own independent crime labs

Services of The Crime LabPhysical Evidence Analysis Evidence Collection UnitBiology / Pathology Unit Ballistics UnitDocument Examination UnitPhotography UnitToxicology UnitLatent FingerprintingPolygraphVoiceprint Analysis

Basics of Forensic Law

Methods of Crime Solving

Confessions

Eye Witness Accounts

Physical Evidence

3 main methods to solve crimes

Trained law enforcement uses proper interrogation techniques. Ensures that confessions are free from coercion.

Trained law enforcement to properly questions eye witnesses without leading them into giving information.

Trained law enforcement collects evidence and ensures it follows the proper chain of custody.

Forensic Scientists focus on Analyzing Physical Evidence.

They may be required to testify at a trail or hearing.

They may train law enforcement in the collection and preservation of physical evidence.

Suspects may confess on their own or after being interrogated. Confessions can be tricky and still need to investigated. It is important that the suspect is reliable, mentally stable, and in no way coerced or feeling threatened to make a confession.

Confession

Types of

Witnesses Expert Witness

Lay Witness

must testify on events or observations that come from personal knowledge

(must be factual, no personal opinion of witness)

will need to be educated, have experience, and training relevant to the trial.

This person may express personal opinions to significance of special findings

Collection of Physical Evidence Whenever evidence needs to be collected, trained personnel must be called to the scene.

Crime Scene Units are trained to recognize and gather evidence. If CSU’s are not available, officers or detectives collect evidence.

Some police forces do not use crime scene units – this can lead to problems later if proper collection techniques are not followed or there is an inconsistences in evidence chain of custody.