FORENSIC SCIENCE

1. FORENSIC SCIENCE History & Scope 2. Forensic Science o science occupies unique role in criminal justice system  based on scientist’s ability to supply accurate and objective info that reflects the events that have occurred at a crime scene o forensic science in broadest definition is application of science to law 3. FORENSIC SCIENCE o is the application of science to the criminal and civil laws that are enforced by police agencies in a criminal justice system 4. History – Early Developments o China – 3 rd century  A Collection of Criminal Cases  outlined use of experimentation to defy claim of woman saying husband died in accidental fire  first to recognize potential of fingerprints for identification 5. Initial Scientific Developments o between 1775 and 1806 many advances in detecting various poisons o Mathieu Orfila (1814)  published first scientific treatise on detection of poisons and their effects on animals  established forensic toxicology as a legitimate scientific endeavor  Orfila now recognized as “father of forensic toxicology” 6. Late 19 th Century Progress o officials beginning to apply knowledge from many scientific disciplines to study of crime o Alphonse Bertillon (1879)  anthropometry – systematic procedure that involved taking a series of body measurements to establish identity  (replaced by fingerprints in early 1900’s)  “father of criminal identification” 7. Late 19 th Century Progress o Francis Henry Galton (1892)  first definitive study of fingerprints  developed methodology of classifying them for filing  published Finger Prints containing statistical proof supporting uniqueness of fingerprints as personal identification 8. Late 19 th Century Progress o Hans Gross (1893)  studied and developed principles of criminal investigation  Criminal Investigation  detailed assistance investigators could expect from fields of microscopy, chemistry, physics, mineralogy, zoology, botany, anthropometry, and fingerprinting 9. Late 19 th Century Progress o Sherlock Holmes  although fictional, author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had considerable influence on popularizing scientific crime detection methods  first to apply serology, fingerprinting, firearms identification, and questioned document examination  long before these were valued and accepted by real life criminal investigators 10. 20 th Century Breakthroughs o Dr. Karl Lansteiner (1901)  discovered blood can be grouped into categories o Dr. Leone Lattes (1915)  developed simple procedure for determining blood group of a dried blood stain 11. 20 th Century Breakthroughs o Edmond Locard  took Gross’ principles and demonstrated how they could be incorporated into a workable crime laboratory  1910 – persuaded Lyons police dept. to give him 2 attic rooms and 2 assistants to start a police laboratory  eventually became founder and director of the Institute of Criminalistics at the University of Lyons 12. 20 th Century Breakthroughs o Edmond Locard  Locard’s Exchange Principle  when two objects come into contact with each other, a cross transfer of materials occurs  therefore, every criminal can be connected to the crime  however, we may not have the technology to see, collect or process all the materials that have transferred 13. 20 th Century Breakthroughs o Dr. Walter C. McCrone  world’s preeminent microscopist  applied microscopy to analytical problems o Colonel Calvin Goddard  refined techniques of firearms examination by using comparison microscope 14. Modern Scientific Advances o Sir Alec Jeffreys (1984)  developed first DNA profiling test as a method of personal identification  can be used to prove either guilt or innocence 15. Modern Scientific Advances o Computerized Databases  compare evidence at a scene to thousands of pieces of similar information  used for fingerprints (AFIS), markings on bullets and shell casings, and DNA 16. Scope of Forensic Science o Crime Laboratories  vary by country  usu. at least one dedicated facility offering forensic science services  in US- many local, regional and state labs  FBI runs a national lab in Virginia 17. Scope of Forensic Science  basic units of a “full service” lab  physical science - applies principles of chemistry, physics and geology to evidence  biology – DNA, bloodstains, hair & fibers, botanical materials  firearms – examines firearms and ammunition, clothing and other objects for gun shot residue  document examination – handwriting, typewriting, paper, ink  photography – examines and records the physical evidence, preps exhibits for courtrooms 18. Scope of Forensic Science  additional services/units  toxicology – examines body fluids and organs to determine presence or absence of drugs and poisons  latent fingerprint – visualizes the “invisible” prints not seen by the naked eye, records  polygraph – lie detector, staffed more by criminal investigator  voiceprint analysis – uses spectrograph to create visual display from speech, used for identification  crime scene investigation – evidence collection unit 19. Scope of Forensic Science  specialized services/units  forensic psychiatry – examines relationship between human behavior and legal proceedings  forensic odontology – identify victims through dental evidence if body is left in unrecognizable state, bite mark analysis  forensic engineering – concerned with failure analysis, accident reconstruction, causes and origins of fires and explosions  forensic computer and digital analysis – identifying, collecting, preserving and examining info from digital devices