Transcript Crime Laboratories

Crime Laboratories
& Functions of the Forensic Scientist
History of Crime Labs in United States
 1923 (oldest) University Institute for Criminology and Criminalistics at Univ. of California
 1932 FBI Laboratory- forensic services to law enforcement agencies, currently worlds
largest forensic laboratory
 1981- FBI Forensic Science Research and Training Center
 Local law enforcement jurisdictions have independent crime labs
 Approx 400 Crime Labs in United States overall
Rapid Growth of Crime Laboratories
 Greater demand of scientific evidence
 Confessions have decreased due to requirement to tell suspects their constitutional rights
 New technology
 Increase In crime rates
 Drug related arrests- chemical analysis must be done on all drug seizures
before adjudication
 DNA profiling- blood, semen, hair, saliva, etc
4 Major Federal Crime Laboratories
 FBI Forensic Science Crime Laboratory- Quantico, Virginia; largest crime laboratory
 Drug Enforcement Administration Laboratories- investigates drug seizures
 Laboratories of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives- investigates
alcohol, documents, firearms, weapons, explosives, etc
 US Postal Inspection Service Laboratories- crime investigations dealing with postal service
Functions of the Forensic Scientist
 Analyze Physical Evidence
 Present evidence findings to jury
Analyzing Physical Evidence
 Scientific Method – A process that uses strict guidelines to ensure careful and systematic
collection, organization, and analysis of information.
 1. QUESTION to investigate
 2. HYPOTHESIS- a reasonable explanation proposed to answer a question
 3. PROCEDURE – testing your hypothesis through experimentation.
 4. DATA – recording the results
 5. CONCLUSION – analyzing the results
 Unbiased Scientific Approach - Cannot ignore contrary evidence
Determining Admissibility of Evidence
 Frye v. United States - For evidence to be admissible in court, the procedure technique or
principles must be “generally accepted” by the scientific community.
 Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, inc. “general acceptance is not an absolute
prerequisite”. Rule 702 from the Federal Rules of Evidence assigns the trial judge the task
of ensuring an experts testimony rests on a reliable foundation and is relevant to the case.
The trial judge is a “gate keeper”
 Kumho Tire Co., Ltd. V. Carmichael – the “gatekeeping role” applies to expert scientific
testimony AND any other expert testimony.
 Coppolino v. State - shows wide discretion of what can be admitted for evidence
CASE FILES: Dr. Coppolino’s Deadly House Calls
 Shows wide discretion given to trial judges
 It was questioned if the results of a new
procedure could be admitted as
evidence EVEN THOUGH they had not
been widely accepted in the scientific
community
 Trial judge allowed evidence to be
admissible which led to Dr. Coppolino
being convicted of 2nd degree murder.
Providing Expert Testimony
 Expert Witness – An individual whom the court determines to possess knowledge relevant
to the trial that is not expected of the average layperson.
 An expert witness may be asked questions to demonstrate competence.
 Expert witness defends own techniques and conclusions of analysis.
 Cannot be biased in any way
 Melendez-Diaz v. Massachusetts & Crawford v. Washington – requires the expert witness
to be present in the courtroom to allow for cross examination and for the suspect to
confront the witness testifying against him/her (cannot just use affidavit or recorded
statement).
Crime Lab Units
Choose one of the following units for your activity.
 Physical Science Unit – Chemistry, Physics and Geology to compare crime scene
evidence
 Biology Unit- biologists and biochemists examine DNA profiling
 Firearms Unit- analyzes firearms, bullets cartridge cases, shells, ammunitions, etc
 Document Examination Unit- examines handwriting and typewriting, paper, ink,
and indented writing
 Photography Unit- uses photographic techniques to record physical evidence
Optional Services of Crime Laboratories
You can also choose from these units
 Toxicology Unit- analyzes body fluids and organs to check for drugs and poisons
 Latent Fingerprint Unit- processes latent fingerprints
 Polygraph Unit- lie detectors
 Voiceprint Analysis Unit- uses telephoned threats and taped messages to link
voice to suspect
 Crime Scene Investigation Unit- concerned with collection of evidence from
crime scene to take to laboratories
Other Forensic Science Services
You can also choose one of these units!!
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Forensic Psychiatry-typically determine if defendant is competent to stand trial
Forensic Odontology- use dental evidence to identify victim
Forensic Engineering- accident reconstruction, causes of explosions, etc
Forensic Computer and Digital Analysis-analyzing information from computers
Forensic Pathology - Studies the causes and effects of diseases. Determines the cause
of
death by examining a corpse.
 Forensic Anthropology - Examination of human skeletal remains to determine the
identity of unidentified remains.
 Forensic Entomology
– use of insects and arthropod relatives that inhavbt decomposing
remains to aid legal investigations.
Crime Lab Activity
 Follow directions found on your table tent.
Physical Science Unit
Biology Unit
Firearms Unit
Document Examination Unit
Photography Unit
Toxicology Unit
Fingerprint Unit
Polygraph Unit
Voiceprint Analysis Unit
Forensic Odontology
Forensic Engineering
Crime-Scene Investigation Unit
Forensic Psychiatry
Forensic Computer and Digital Analysis
Forensic Pathology
Forensic Anthropology
Forensic Entomology
This PowerPoint will be on my website
http://www.humbleisd.net/Domain/9329