Unit IUnit I: Introduction to : Introduction to Forensic ScienceForensic Science

Topic: Topic: Observation Observation SkillsSkills

Unit I Vocabulary ListUnit I Vocabulary List

•Forensic ScienceForensic Science•Analytical skillsAnalytical skills•Deductive reasoningDeductive reasoning•EyewitnessEyewitness•FactFact

•LogicalLogical•ObservationObservation•OpinionOpinion•PerceptionPerception

What is Forensic What is Forensic Science?Science?

Forensic Science is the application of science to law.

What are laws?The rules created by the government of a society to protect the rights of its citizens.

What is crime?An offense to the law.

IntroductionIntroductionOne of the most important tools of the forensic investigator is the ability to observe, interpret, and report observations clearly.

What skills are necessary What skills are necessary for a forensic scientist to for a forensic scientist to thoroughly investigate a thoroughly investigate a

crime?crime?

What skills are necessary What skills are necessary for a forensic scientist to for a forensic scientist to thoroughly investigate a thoroughly investigate a

crime?crime?Forensic investigators recognize, document, collect, and organize evidence left at the scene of a crime. But realize that many factors affect observation skills such as emotion, perception and recall skills in obtaining eyewitness accounts.

What skills are necessary What skills are necessary for a forensic scientist to for a forensic scientist to thoroughly investigate a thoroughly investigate a

crime?crime?

Activity: How Observant Are You?

Video QuestionsVideo Questions1. Number of vehicles next to driver at the start?2. Color of the first vehicle which driver passed?3. Did the driver cross a bus stop/ rain shelter?4. Was it raining?5. No. of buses the driver passed on the other side?6. How many vehicles passed the driver?7. The color of flowers growing in the center of the

road?8. Was there a green colored truck in the video?9. Number of people in the crosswalk?

10. Gender of the person/people in crosswalk? 

How Good are Your How Good are Your Observation Skills?Observation Skills?

1. Number of vehicles next to driver at the start? Two2. Color of the first vehicle which driver passed? Silver3. Did the driver cross a bus stop/ rain shelter? Yes, 24. Was it raining? No5. No. of buses the driver passed on the other side? Three6. How many vehicles passed the driver? Two7. The color of flowers growing in the center of the road?

White8. Was there a green colored truck in the video? Yes9. Number of people in the crosswalk? Two

10. Gender of the person/people in crosswalk? Two males

The Average Observation Skill Score is 60%

• Observation:

A basic and important tool of a forensic investigator is the ability to observe, interpret, and report observations.

What skills are necessary for a forensic scientist to thoroughly investigate a crime?

• Observation

oYou must be able to use your five senses.

oWe are constantly collecting information through sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch.

What skills are necessary for a forensic scientist to thoroughly investigate a crime?

• Observation

oBrain filteringoFiltering is an unconscious process

that helps the brain deal with all the stimuli and information that bombards it.

oSensory overloadoFilling in gaps

What skills are necessary for a forensic scientist to thoroughly investigate a crime?

How do forensic scientists use How do forensic scientists use

observation, analytical skills and observation, analytical skills and

deductive reasoning to solve deductive reasoning to solve

cases?cases?

• Accurate observations help them to recognize vital physical evidence.

• Analytical skills help them to interpret results of data collected from an organized investigation.

• Deductive reasoning skills help them to draw logical conclusions after analyzing all data.

What influence does a person’s What influence does a person’s

point of view have on their point of view have on their

perception?perception?

Everything!Everything!

•The point of view of a person plays a big role in their perception of events. •People are influenced by the environmental factors such as the amount of light, temperature, wind, precipitation, objects that might block their view, and distractors.•People are influenced by their ownphysical disposition such as their health,clarity of vision and hearing, age, gender,and race.•People are influenced by other peoplearound them and what they may say.

What influence does a What influence does a person’s point of view person’s point of view

have on their perception?have on their perception?• Witness and eyewitness accounts

o Many things influence a witness and, therefore, impact his or her recollection and account of the situation.

• Perception• Factors affecting observational skills

What influence does a person’s What influence does a person’s

point of view have on their point of view have on their

perception?perception?• The Innocence Project

o Studies conducted by the project have found that faulty eyewitness identifications have contributed to up to 87 percent of wrongful convictions.

Fact vs. OpinionFact vs. Opinion• A statement of fact expresses only what

actually happened, or what could be proven by objective data.

• A statement of opinion expresses an attitude toward something – it makes a judgment, view, or conclusion, or gives an opinion that cannot be proven true or false.

Fact vs. OpinionFact vs. OpinionExample of a fact in science: •The Periodic Table of Elements is a tabular arrangement of the chemical elements according to atomic number as based on the periodic law.• A crime scene is a place where an actual crime has occurred.

Example of an opinion in science: •I think that the vinegar and baking soda looks really cool when added together.•A crime occurred here because there is blood on the floor.

Fact or Opinion?Fact or Opinion?1.1. A maggot might be: 2.1 cm long, with two long A maggot might be: 2.1 cm long, with two long

black hooks on the anterior end, and a posterior black hooks on the anterior end, and a posterior end wider than the anterior end. That’s gross!end wider than the anterior end. That’s gross!

2.2. The victim was walking alone at night and made The victim was walking alone at night and made herself a target because of what she was herself a target because of what she was wearing.wearing.

3.3. Women are more likely to be victims.Women are more likely to be victims.

Fact or Opinion?Fact or Opinion?4.4. A male is more likely to commit a violent A male is more likely to commit a violent

crime.crime.

5.5. That boy was running from the crime scene That boy was running from the crime scene because he did it.because he did it.

6.6. Young people who are involved in Young people who are involved in afterschool programs are least likely to afterschool programs are least likely to commit a crime.commit a crime.

7.7. The black lady must have started the fight The black lady must have started the fight because they are hot headed.because they are hot headed.

Fact or Opinion?Fact or Opinion?AnswersAnswers

1. Opinion: Maggots come in many sizes, an although you may can prove that one maggot is that specific size, it is an opinion that maggots are “gross.”

2. Opinion: Although it may be proven that the victim was walking alone, the victim becoming a target based on what the victim was wearing cannot be proven.

3. Fact: This statement can possibly be proven with statistical data.4. Fact: This statement can possibly be proven with statistical data.5. Opinion: Although it can be proven that the boy was running, a

conclusion was drawn with no information to support it.6. Fact: This statement cab possibly be proven with statistical data.7. Opinion: This statement is based upon personal opinion and draws

a conclusion based upon a personal bias.

Providing Expert Providing Expert TestimonyTestimony

Forensic scientist may be required to Forensic scientist may be required to testify about their methods and testify about their methods and conclusions at a trail or hearing.conclusions at a trail or hearing.

Expert witness Expert witness – an individual who the – an individual who the court determines to possess knowledge court determines to possess knowledge relevant to the trial that is not expected relevant to the trial that is not expected of the average layperson.of the average layperson.

Expert WitnessesExpert Witnesses• As a forensic scientist one must be impartial, and

only draw conclusions based on what the evidence shows.

• A forensic scientist might be asked if other scenarios are possible, and even if other scenarios are as strongly supported by the evidence as the scientist's opinion, the expert must admit it when other scenarios are possible.

What strategies can a What strategies can a person use to improve person use to improve

their observation their observation skills?skills?

• Practicing good observation skills

oBasic TipsoObservational aids