Transcript Forensic Scientists

August 12, 2013
Crime-scene investigators (police)
arrive to find, collect, protect, and
transport evidence.
(More on this later!)
Crime-scene investigators (police)
arrive to find, collect, protect, and
transport evidence.
(More on this later!)
Most often, the CSI will call in various
experts to analyze different types of
evidence.
(Unlike TV where the lead
investigator does nearly everything)
A physician with special training in
pathology (disease)
Collects and analyzes evidence from
the victim’s body (living or dead) and
determines cause of death
A physician with special training in
pathology (disease)
Collects and analyzes evidence from
the victim’s body (living or dead) and
determines cause of death
Other responsibilities:
 Reviews medical history
 Reviews witness statements
 Performs autopsy
 Collects evidence (toxicology, microscopic
examination of organs, DNA analysis, etc.)
 Writes a report, include an official cause of death
 Provides testimony in criminal court
 In complicated cases, a forensic pathologist may
also be asked to examine and photograph the crime
scene himself.
Educational Requirements
4 years Medical school
4 years of post graduate work in
hospital
1 year of post graduate work in a
medical examiner’s office
Many will undertake even more
training in special areas (e.g.
toxicology, fire arms, etc.) and a few
also obtain law degrees
Salary 70K – 200K
Coroner, medical examiner,
forensic pathologist …
What’s the difference?
The person appointed by a county to
perform autopsies and determine
cause of death may be either a
medical examiner or a coroner.
The person appointed by a county to
perform autopsies and determine
cause of death may be either a
medical examiner or a coroner.
 Medical examiners MUST BE licensed
forensic pathologists
 Coroners MAY BE licensed forensic
pathologists, or they may be doctors with
a different specialty (e.g. obstetrics), or
they may not even have any medical
training at all.
 Most counties have adopted the newer
medical examiner system, but some rural
areas still employ coroners.
1) Match the name with the job
description
Show me before you move on,
then copy to your guided notes
2) Organize the jobs into groups –
form 2 different job groupings, and
jot down your results on your
white boards
-- 10 minutes --
How did you divide up the jobs
into different groups?
The forensic investigators (who study
biological evidence) typically all
require advanced degrees (MD or
PhD).
Salary: 50K – 100 K
The criminalists (who study physical
evidence) usually require a bachelor’s
degree in science, though sometimes
former police officers without formal
degrees train for these specialties.
Salary: 40K – 80K
Who can be an expert witness?
 In any case involving a death,
the forensic pathologist will
testify
 Experts in other specialties
may also be called to testify
 It is the judge who decides
who is qualified to be
considered an expert and what
evidence they are allowed to
present
 Frye vs. United States (1923)
“Frye Standard”: expert testimony
must be based on “well-recognized
scientific principle” that is
“sufficiently established” and has
obtained “general acceptance” in
the scientific community
 Daubert v. Merrell Dow
Pharmaceutical, Inc. (1993)
“Rule 702”
 Explicitly states that it is up to judge’s
discretion whether to allow testimony
 Offered judges the following guidelines
for admissible techniques and theories
 subject to testing and peer review
 standardized
 known error rates
 Attained widespread acceptance
 Daubert v. Merrell Dow
Pharmaceutical, Inc. (1993)
“Rule 702”
 Explicitly states that it is up to judge’s
are to
theallow
major
discretionWhat
whether
testimony
differences between these
 Offered judges the following guidelines
for admissiblestandards?
techniques and theories
 subject to testing and peer review
Stop & Jot
 standardized
 known error rates
 Attained widespread acceptance
 Expert witnesses are qualified before
the jury
What does this mean?
Experts testify as to their education,
experience, and other qualifications
before presenting evidence.
Because they must explain complicated
information, expert witnesses have
much greater freedom in how they
testify
What does this mean?
They can narrate and explain,
rather than just giving short
answers to questions
Read the article and
complete the worksheet.
Stop at designated
points for discussion!
CSI effect worksheet if
not completed in class
Forensic Scientist Quiz
next class!
What were our objectives,
and what did you learn?
What was our learner profile trait and
how did we demonstrate it?
How did we address our unit statement of
inquiry?
1. Identify 2 ways real
forensics differs from TV
2. Who examines blood
evidence?
3. Name one difference
between a medical
examiner and a coroner.
4. Who decides which expert
testimony is admissable?