Introduction to Forensics - Tri-City
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Transcript Introduction to Forensics - Tri-City
Course Outline
Topics to be covered
Ch 1: Introduction to Forensics
Ch 2: The Crime Scene
Ch. 9: DNA Evidence
Ch. 17: Document Examination
Ch. 15: Fingerprinting
Ch. 16: Firearms, Toolmarks, and Impressions
Ch. 10: Bloodstain Pattern Analysis
Ch. 4: Drugs
Course Requirements
Reading…a lot of reading
Vocabulary
In-class Labs
Online CSI Labs
Netflix Cases: Summarization Writings
Review Questions
Ch 1: Introduction to
Forensics
Key Terms
Forensics
Expert witness
Locard’s exchange principle
Scientific method…..yes, even in forensics
Objectives
Familiarize yourself with the various fields of
forensics
Investigate the history of forensics and scientific
advances in forensics
Examine possible career fields in forensics
Understand the role of the forensic scientist in the
criminal case.
Def. and Scope of Forensic
Science
Forensic Science is an
umbrella term that covers
a variety of professions
Forensic Science is the
application of science to
the criminal and civil
laws that are enforced by
police agencies in a
criminal justice system
11 Sections of Forensic Science
Criminalistics
Digital and Multimedia
Sciences
Engineering Science
General
Jurisprudence
Odontology
Pathology/Biology
Physical Anthropology
Psychiatry/Behavioral
Sciences
Questioned Documents
Toxicology
TV vs Real-life Forensics
Shows like CSI and NCIS have increased the
publics knowledge on Forensic Science, but has
also skewed expectations of most when it comes to
entering the field of Forensics.
In shows, one person or a small group will collect
evidence, analyze, interrogate, and testify.
In the real world, these duties are very
departmentalized and carried out by several
people in different branches.
TV vs. Real-World Forensics
On TV: Every crime scene yields tons of crucial
physical evidence and the CSI’s are solely
responsible for solving crimes.
However, most cases do not produce much
evidence and it cannot be expected that this type
of evidence is needed for a conviction
Some jurors have come believe that the prosecution
must have forensic evidence for a conviction.
This detracts from the real goal of forensics: The Search
for the Truth…….Can you handle the Truth about
Forensics?
History and Development of
Forensic Science
No one origin; history has several instances of
individuals using close observation of evidence
and applying basic scientific principles to solve
crimes.
Initially forensics was less careful and systematic.
Think Sherlock Holmes here, not Abby Scuito
Modern Forensics combines tools and skills from a
variety of disciplines and merges them together in
the search for truth.
Early Developments
Yi Yu Ji (A Collection of Criminal Cases) from 3rd
century China
Murder case: Wife killed husband and burned house
down around him
Coroner used 2 pigs experiment to prove her guilt
Burnt one pig alive and the other dead
Examined the mouth of each pig for ashes
Chinese first to recognize fingerprints were a way to
possibly ID a person.
Careful examination like this was not normal for
forensic examination of the time
Early Developments
Lack of knowledge about anatomy and pathology
limited forensics until the late 17th century.
1st notes on fingerprint characteristics: 1686 by
Marcello Magpighi (Italian professor)
Did not cite any evidence as far as using
fingerprints as a means of identification.
1st paper on this did not appear for over 100 years
Initial Scientific Advances
Advance is both anatomy and chemistry in the 18th Century led to
greater advances in forensics as well.
1775 – Carl Wilhelm Scheele devises first test for detecting
arsenic
1798 – Francois-Emmanuel Fodere writes “Treatise on Forensic
Medicine and Public Health.
1806 – Valentin Ross furthers Scheele and develops test for
detecting traces of arsenic in the stomach lining
1814 –Mathieu Orfila, the father of toxicology, publishes articles
on the detection of poisons and their effects of animals
1828 – William Nichol invents polarizing microscope
1839 – first testimony on toxicology by James Marsh
1839 - Bayard formulates procedures for detection of bodily fluids
1853 – microcrystalline test for hemoglobin
1863 – first test to detect blood
1850s and 1860s – photography helps document evidence
Late
th
19
Century Progress
By late 1800’s, knowledge from all fields of science was
being used to study crimes.
1879 – Alphonse Bertillon develops first system of
identification (anthropology and morphology info) by taking
a series of body measurements to distinguish individuals
from each other
He called his system “anthropometry”
Using for nearly 2 decades, but has since been replaced
by fingerprints
Fingerprinting became common practice in the early 1900s
Late
th
19
Century Progress
Thomas Taylor – suggests fingerprints could be
used as means of identification
Henry Faulds makes same suggestion 3 years later
Henry Galton – 1st definitive study of fingerprints
as a means of identification.
Published book “Finger Prints” in 1892 that proved
this to be true
Late
th
19
Century Progress
1893 – Hans Gross writes first comprehensive book
describing applications of science to the field of
criminal investigation.
Gross was an Austrian prosecutor and judge.
Published book “Criminal Investigation” that
detailed ways to use things like microscopy,
chemistry, physic, etc to aid in a criminal
investigation
Late
th
19
Century
Most famous figure in 19th Century Forensic
Science: Sherlock Holmes…..no he was not real!!!
Created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Popularized scientific crime-detection methods
First published novel in 1887
th
20
Century Breakthroughs
The sciences went into hyper-speed as far as
advancements go.
1901 – Karl Landsteiner discovers blood types
1915 – Italian professor Leone Lattes creates test to
identify blood type from dried stains.
1910’s – Albert S. Osborn conducts
groundbreaking work on document examination
and published Questioned Documents, which is still
used for reference today.
th
20
Century: Locard
Edmond Locard – early 1900’s
Applied scientific method to forensics and created
a workable crime lab in the attic of Lyons PD.
He became world famous and founded/directed
the Institute of Criminalistics at Univ. of Lyons
Locard exchange principle – when two objects
come into contact with one another, there is
exchange of materials between them.
th
20
Century: Microscopy
Microscope became widely used in 20th Century
forensics.
Dr. Walter C. McCrone – world’s preeminent
microscopist – leading figure
Leading instructor of microscopy applied to
forensics.
Taught techniques and analysis of evidence
Col. Calvin Goddard
Comparison microscope – firearms examination
Comp. microscope still used to this day
Assignment
Read Chapter 1, pages 3-10
Do Review Questions 11-15
Due next class
Modern Scientific Advances
Mid- 20th Century: The Computer!!!!!
The computer has allowed for huge advances in
the field of forensics, as well as all other sciences.
Advanced techniques for analyzing evidence were
created.
They were easier to perform, faster, and more
accurante than earlier tests.
Ex: chromatography, spectrophotometry, and gel
electrophoresis…..we cover these later.
Modern Advances - DNA
The most important advancement was the
discovery of DNA and sequencing of DNA in the
late 20th Century and early 21st Century.
DNA profiling – developed by Sir Alec Jeffreys in
1984.
It was first used in 1986 (that’s the year I was born) to
solve a murder of two young English girls.
This also was the first time DNA typing was used to
prove innocence in a case.
DNA is arguably the most powerful tool in forensics. It
can prove guilt to an accuracy of 99.9%
Modern Advances - Databases
Creation of computerized databases has allowed
physical evidence to be shared worldwide
Databases for fingerprints, DNA, firearms
markings, and spent shell casings are now in use.
This has made evidence analysis easier:
Scan the evidence into the database
Search for a match
This can narrow down lists of suspects quickly
The Modern Crime Lab
Services:
Physical science unit
Biology unit
Firearms unit
Document examination unit
Photography unit
Toxicology
Latent fingerprints
Polygraph
Voiceprint analysis
CSI unit
Crime Lab Services
Physical Science
Apply chemistry,
physics, and geology
Examine glass,
chemicals, paints,
explosives, soil
Perform
Drug ID
Soil/Mineral Analysis
Biology
Biology and
biochemistry
Perform
DNA profiling
Blood typing
Hair/Fiber analysis
Bodily fluids
Wood/plant material
analysis
Crime Lab Services
Firearms unit
Examine firearms,
discharged bullets,
spend shell casings,
ammunition, etc
GSR analysis
Comparison
microscope – used to
do side-by-side
analysis of bullets
Document Examination
Examine handwriting
and typewriting
Determine source
and/or authenticity
Ink/paper analysis
Indentions, erasures,
obliterations, and
burned and charred
documents
Crime Lab Services
Photography
Take crime scene
photos to document
physical evidence
Digital imaging,
Infrared, UV, X-ray
photography as well
Prepares photographic
exhibits for courtroom
presentations
Toxicology
Sub-unit of biology
Examine bodily fluids
and organs for the
presence or absence
of drugs or poisons.
Often work in
collaboration with
coroner.
Some toxicology done
in the field: intoxilzyer
– presence of alcohol
Crime Lab Services
Latent Fingerprints
Collect fingerprints
Scan them into IAFIS –
Integrated Automated
Fingerprint
Identification System
Polygraph
Administer “Lie
detector tests”
More a tool of the
criminal investigator
than the forensic
scientist but early on
was also used by crime
labs.
Crime Lab Services
Voiceprint Analysis
Crime-scene Investigation
Identify/match telephone
voices to people.
Evidence Collection at
the Crime Scene.
Used in threats and taperecorded messages.
Collect Evidence
Use tool called sound
spectrograph to create a
visual graph of people’s
voices.
Based off the premise
each person’s speech
pattern is unique to the
person
Preserve/Bag/Label
Physical Evidence that
will later be examined in
the crime lab.
Other Services
Forensic psychiatry
Determining if defendant is mentally fit to stand trial
Evaluate psychological disorders
Profiling
Forensic odontology
Forensic engineering
Dental evidence – reconstruction, identification
Bite mark analysis
Accident reconstruction, failure analysis, origins of fire/explosions
Determine if something was an accident or a crime
Forensic computer/digital analysis
“hackers” – analysis/obtain evidence from computers and media
devices
Assignment
Read pg. 11-15
Review Questions 17-19, 25-27
Anyone who has not gotten their video form signed
you need to do so; we start “NOVA: Forensics on
Trial” tomorrow