Forensics Mr. J. Levasseur

Lecture #1: Forensic Science Forensic Science is the application of science to law. Often used synonymously with criminalistics. They are concerned with a scientific process in which the recognition, identification, reconstruction, individualization, and evaluation of physical evidence and how it relates to the legal matters.

Lecture #1: Forensic Science Different types of forensics: Pathology (forensic medicine) – cause and circumstances of a person’s death. Forensic ontology (Dentistry) – identification of people based on bite marks and teeth characteristics Forensic Toxicology – role toxic agents or drugs had on the death. Forensic Anthropology – the identification of a person by their skeletal remains.

Lecture #1: Forensics Science The Scientific Method To form a hypothesis, evidence is collected. Inductive and deductive reasoning are used. After many observations have been made, a conclusion is made. As more evidence is presented a theory may be developed based on scientific facts.

Lecture #1: Forensic Science The forensic scientist must do the following with the physical evidence. Observe Collect Evaluate Interpret

Lecture #1: Forensic Science This can provide a lot of information including the following: Link the suspect to the victim Link a person to the crime scene Support or disprove a testimony Identification of a suspect Information that provides other leads Info about corpus delicti (body of evidence concerned with the crime) Information about the modus operandi (characteristic way a criminal operates)

Lecture #1: Forensic Science Your work along with the work of other forensic scientists is to compare collected samples (from the crime scene) with samples from known origin. There are four possible conclusions: The samples match in all ways The properties of the samples do not match The samples share general characteristics Insufficient information

Lecture #1: Forensic Science If the samples do not match; It can show innocence, that the investigation is moving in an unproductive path, or that the initial theories are wrong. When comparisons show a match, one can conclude a range of things based on the evidence. More evidence may be needed before any conclusions can be drawn.

Lecture #1: Forensic Science DEDUCTIVE REASONING More general to more specific, Top-down approach. Theory Hypothesis Observations Confirmation

Lecture #1: Forensic Science INDUCTIVE REASONING Start with more specific observations and move to broader generalizations, bottom-up approach Tentative Hypothesis Theory Pattern Observation