FORENSICS Ethical considerations and application of Science 7-9 concepts

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS A forensic scientist must always be: Impartial Accurate Thorough Truthful “Answers to ethical questions are not straightforward. In giving information, always base it from the evidence as the evidence never lies.”

ASSESSING THE SCENE Preserving the scene Recording the scene “Use of PROTECTIVE SUIT and maintaining a CAP.” “Photograph everything [the scene, the evidence (before and after taking it out)] and use SCALE.”

PHYSICAL EVIDENCE Bloodstain Fingerprints Handwriting Hair Body fluids Paint “Body fluids and others can be explored in the simulation. Our FOCUS is on BLOODSTAIN and FINGERPRINTS.”

BLOODSTAIN Bloodstain Pattern Analysis : is the examination of the shapes, locations, and distribution of patterns of bloodstains, in order to provide an interpretation of the physical events that gave rise to their origin. The following Information may be obtained from a proper Bloodstain Pattern Analysis: 1. Distance from the blood source to the target, 2. Direction of travel and impact angles, 3. Nature of the force used to cause the bloodshed, 4. The object used to cause the bloodshed, 5. Sequencing of multiple bloodshed events, 6. Interpretation of contact or transfer patterns When properly documented, bloodstain patterns found at the crime scene, or on a particular person's clothing, can be used to: 1. Confirm or refute the position of a victim, witness, suspect, or defendant, 2. Determine if there is evidence of a struggle, or if the assault is "one sided"

FLIGHT CHARACTERISTICS Blood will not break up unless it is acted upon by force. The force must be great enough to overcome the surface tension of the blood. Blood forms a spherical shape (perfect circular shape) almost immediately upon separating from the blood source. The spherical shape is caused by the surface tension of the blood. Surface Tension causes the blood drop to pull itself in; both horizontally and vertically. The blood drop will settle into a spherical shape, as a result of the surface tension. The surface tension will maintain the sphere shape of the blood drop until it impacts with the surface.

FINGER PRINTS [PATTERNS]

QUESTION “A bloodstain and fingerprints are found in the crime scene. Based on other evidences the wounded suspect, at large at present, is one of the identical twins. Which evidence would determine who among the twins was in the scene when the crime was committed?”

VIDEO CLIP 1 Aside from the patterns discussed earlier, what are some other terms used in fingerprinting? What do they mean?

VIDEO CLIP 2 Outline the complicated process in determining the APPROXIMATE location of the victim when the crime was committed.