Crime Science – Caroline Springs College – Lakeview Campus Introduction Brief History of forensics Some famous scientists Mistakes that have been made Scientific open mindedness Importance of scientific discovery Locard’s Principle Disclaimer and sensitive nature of topic

Glossary Forensic – to be used in debate or for arguments (dictionary.com) Characteristics – observable facts that are unique to one person eg prints Distinguish – tell the difference between Toxicology – study of substances that can cause poisoning Suspect – a person who is considered likely to be guilty of a crime Implicate – evidence that points to a particular suspect Evidence – facts that relate to the crime Exonerate – when a suspect is shown to be not guilty of a crime

Brief History Cases throughout history have involved using clues Formalized and organised investigation is only recent (late 1800’s) Individual characteristics identified that are essential for forensics

Historical examples and dates 700sChinese used fingerprints to establish identity of documents and clay sculpture, but without any formal classification system 1248A Chinese book, Hsi Duan Yu (the washing away of wrongs), contains a description of how to distinguish drowning from strangulation

1784 In Lancaster, England, John Toms was convicted of murder on the basis of the torn edge of wad of newspaper in a pistol matching a remaining piece in his pocket 1813 Mathiew Orfila, Spain is considered the father of modern toxicology. Contributed to the development of tests for blood and is credited as the first to use a microscope to analyze blood and semen stains

1835Henry Goddard, Scotland first used bullet comparison to catch a murderer 1836James Marsh, Scotland was the first to use toxicology (arsenic detection) in a jury trial 1879Rudolph Virchow, German was one of the first to study hair

1892Juan Vucetich, Argentinean developed the fingerprint classification system. Famously used to implicate a mother in the murder of her own children using her bloody fingerprints 1910Edmund Locard, France established the first police crime laboratory 1950Max Frei-Sulzer, Swiss developed the tape lift method of collecting trace evidence

1977 FBI introduce the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS ) with the first computerized scans of fingerprints 1984(Sir) Alec Jeffreys developed the first DNA profiling test 1986The first use of DNA to solve a crime, identified Colin Pitchfork as the murderer of two young girls in the English Midlands. Significantly DNA was first used to exonerate an innocent suspect

Sometimes they get it wrong… 1894Alfred Dreyfus of France was convicted of treason based on a mistaken handwriting identification by Bertillon 1929 Sidney Harry Fox was convicted of murdering his mother on evidence from Spilsbury. Spilsbury falsely claimed there were bruises proving strangulation

Scientific Open Mindedness Never decide before the evidence is collected and analyzed Never make a statement that cannot be supported by evidence Facts, not personality, determine guilt Scientists deal in probabilities, not certainties eg. If Mr X’s gun was found at the scene, that increases the probability that he was there, but does not mean he absolutely 100% was. What other evidence would increase that probability?

Technology and research helps Advances in technology and scientific knowledge have made collection and analysis of evidence much easier and quicker Eg microscopes, computers, chemistry, physics etc

Locard’s Principle 'Wherever he steps, whatever he touches, whatever he leaves, even unconsciously, will serve as a silent witness against him. Not only his fingerprints or his footprints, but his hair, the fibers from his clothes, the glass he breaks, the tool mark he leaves, the paint he scratches, the blood or semen he deposits or collects. All of these and more, bear mute witness against him. This is evidence that does not forget. It is not confused by the excitement of the moment. It is not absent because human witnesses are. It is factual evidence. Physical evidence cannot be wrong, it cannot perjure itself, it cannot be wholly absent. Only human failure to find it, study and understand it, can diminish its value. ' -Professor Edmond Locard

Locard’s Principle Contact traces Every contact leaves a trace Can leave substances Can leave imprints Can take away stuff with you from the scene

Some of this stuff is full on… Some of the material in this class is of a violent and at times gory nature Parental permission is required