 Early Chinese history indicates that forensic science was utilized to determine whether the burning death of a male was murder or accidental. It was determined to be murder. The local doctor did an experiment to determine so. Burned two hogs (one alive and one dead to determine relationship)  Chinese were among the first to recognize the potential of fingerprints to identification of individuals

 1775 Carle Wilhelm Scheele devised an experiment to detect Arsenic poisoning in corpses  1798 Francois Emmanual Fodure wrote “Treatise on Fornesic Medicine and Public Health” created a better understanding of human anatomy  1806 Valentin Ross perfected the chemical process developed by Scheele to detect Arsenic  1814 Mathieu Orfila considered father of modern toxicology. Published text about the detection and effects of various types of poison on animals

 1839 The first trial to admit toxicology evidence into court  The process of photography begins to emerge  1879 Alphonse Bertillon developed system for measuring a body to aid in identification (Anthropometry)  1887 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle writes Sherlock Holmes – used scientific method to solve crimes  1892 Fingerprints were validated as a means to the identification of individuals

 1901 Blood typing developed and perfected  1910 Document examination was perfected (handwriting, print,etc) ◦ Edmund Locard develop the principle of Cross Transfer (still huge concept today). The Locard Principle states that when 2 materials come in contact with each other there is a transfer of materials between the two materials  1920’s Colonel Calvin Goddard developed ballistic (firearm) comparisons  1980’s Alec Jefferies developed the first DNA profiling test  1990-present Computerized data bases of information (fingerprints, ballistics, crime records)reduces the time to work a case.

 Oldest crime lab in the US was created by the LAPD in 1923  National Crime Lab was created by the FBI in 1932 by J Edgar Hoover.  National Crime Lab is the largest in the world. Works not only cases for United States but also internationally

 Services offered by a crime lab ◦ Toxicology (body chemistry) ◦ Ballistic Testing ◦ Document Examination (handwriting analysis, paper analysis, forgary) ◦ Photography ◦ Voiceprint Analysis ◦ DNA profiling and sequencing ◦ CSI investigations (collects and process evidence at crime scene ◦ Forensic Odontology (denistry and bite marks) ◦ Agronomy (soil/ geology analysis)