Forensic Science or Criminalistics Two words are the same/ interchangeable Definition: the application of science to
those criminal and civil laws that are enforced by police agencies in the criminal justice system
The application of science to law
History & Development Who is Sir Arthur
Conan Doyle (1859-1930)?
Author of Sherlock Holmes
Popularized scientific crime detection: serology (blood), fingerprinting, firearms, & document examination
MATHIEU ORFILA (1787-1853)
Father of Forensic Toxicology (study of drug/poison detection)First published text of poisons and their effects on animals
Marsh Apparatus: detect arsenic
ALPHONSE BERTILLON (1853-1914)
Father of criminal identificationDeveloped the science of Anthropometry—study of body measurements to identify/distinguish individuals
FRANCIS GALTON (1822-1911)
Not the 1st to use fingerprinting
1st to establish fingerprinting as a science to be used in criminal cases; he also filed them
GALTON'S OWN PRINTS
LEONE LATTES (1887-1954)
Continued the work of Dr. Karl Landsteiner, who discovered blood can be grouped into 4 categories: A, B, AB, & ODevised a simple procedure for determining the blood group of a dried blood stain & applied it to investigations
BLOOD TYPES
CALVIN GODDARD (1891-1955)US Army Colonel
Expert on firearms examination
Established the use of comparison microscope to identify bullets and the firing gun; applied his expertise to criminal cases
GODDARD EXAMINING A WEAPON
ALBERT S. OSBORN (1858-1946)Forefront of document
examinationReason for document
acceptance as scientific evidence in courts
1910-authored “Questioned Documents”
WALTER C McCRONE (1916-2002)
Worlds most profound microscopist
Educated thousands of forensic scientists world wide
Used his microscopy skills in thousands of criminal cases
.
HANS GROSS (1847-1915)Public prosecutor &
judge1st to develop and
publish a document on applying science disciplines to criminal investigations in 1893
EDMOND LOCARD (1877-1966)• Started the 1st police
laboratory in 1910• Founder and director
of the 1st Institute of Criminalistics
• Believed that when a criminal came in contact with an object or person, a cross transfer of evidence occurred
Tuesday 9-3-2013BELLRINGER/ACTIVATOR/DO NOW Take out a sheet of paper and head it Number it 1-5 BRAINSTORM: List five services provided
or jobs done in the field of Forensic Science (Hint: Think about the Forensic shows that you like to watch and our class discussions)
You only have 5 minutes…don’t waste time
SERVICES OF CRIME LABS Physical Science Unit-uses techniques of chemistry,
physics, and geology to identify & compare evidence like drugs, glass, paint, explosives, & soil
Biology Unit-identify & profile DNA, dried blood stains, and other bodily fluids. Compare hairs, fibers, and other botanical materials like plants/wood.
Firearms Unit-examine firearms, bullets, cartridge cases, shotgun shells, & all ammunition; examine clothing & other objects for gunshot residue. Approximate distances from targets. Compare tool markings.
.
SERVICES OF CRIME LABS, cont’ Document Examination Unit-determine
authenticity and/or source of typewritten & hand written documents. Analyze paper, ink, indented writing (depressions on the page under the page that was actually written on), obliterations, erasures, & burned/charred documents.
Photography Unit-examine & record physical evidence. X-ray photography to make the invisible visible. Prepare photo exhibits for courtroom presentations.
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SERVICES OF CRIME LABS, cont’
Toxicology Unit-examine bodily fluids and organs for presence/absence of drugs, poisons, and/or alcohol. Train operators, maintain, and service field instruments like the Intoxilyzer (measures alcohol consumption).Latent Finger Print Unit-examine & process evidence for finger prints. (Latent means not apparent to the eye but able to be made visible by dusting/fuming.) .
Intoxilyzer (aka breathalyzer)
SERVICES OF CRIME LABS, cont’
Polygraph (Lie detector)Unit-for investigation & interrogation; generally used by investigators not forensic scientistsVoiceprint Analysis Unit-ties a voice to a suspect using a sound spectrograph (instrument that turns speech into a visual graph called a “voice print.”) Ex. Uses: telephone threats, recorded messages, etc.
Sound Spectrograph Result
Polygraph Test
Polygraph Results
SERVICES OF CRIME LABS, cont’
Evidence Collection Unit-collect and preserve physical evidence that will be later processed in the crime lab.
6 Forensic Specialties Forensic Pathology—the investigation of sudden,
unnatural, unexplained, or violent deaths Forensic Anthropology—specialty used in
identification and examination of skeletal remains Forensic Entomology—the study of insects and their
relationship to criminal investigations Forensic Psychiatry—the examination of the
relationship between human behavior and legal proceedings
Forensic Odontology—the identification of an individual through the analysis of teeth
Forensic Engineering—analysis of structural failures, accident reconstruction, and causes/origins of fires/explosions
..