1. Forensic Science

2. Forensic Science
The application of science to criminal and civil laws that are enforced by police agencies in a criminal justice system.

3. Forensic Science relies on the scientist’s ability to supply accurate and objective information that reflects the events that have occurred at a crime

4. History & Development of
Forensic Science

5. Origins of Forensic Science are owed to those who:
Developed the principles and techniques needed to identify or compare physical evidence
Recognized the necessity to merging these principles into a coherent discipline that could be practically applied to a criminal justice system

6. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Fictional Character of Sherlock Holmes utilized the newly developing principles of serology, fingerprinting, firearm identification, and
questioned document examination long before their value was recognized and accepted by real-life criminal investigators.

7. Mathiew Orfila ( )
Forensic Toxicology
Alphonse Bertillion ( )
Developed the first scientific system of personal identification known as Anthropometry

8. Anthropometry
A systematic procedure of taking a series of body measurements as a means of distinguishing individuals. This method was considered to be the most accurate until it was replaced by fingerprinting.

14. Information Sheet

15. Francis Galton ( )
Did the first definitive study of fingerprints.

16. Dr. Karl Landsteiner (1868-1943)
In the early 1900’s he discovered that human blood can be grouped into different categories of A, AB, B, and O.

17. Leone Lattes ( )
Developed a procedure for determining the blood group of a dried blood stain. This method is still used today.

18. Calvin Goddard ( )
Utilized the comparison microscope to analyze bullets

19. Albert S. Osborn ( )
Developed the fundamental principles of document examination
Evidence from the Charles Lindbergh kidnapping case

20. Hans Gross ( )
Wrote the first treatise describing the application of scientific disciplines to the field of criminal investigation. He developed the principles of criminal investigation and coined the term “Criminalistics”.

21. Edmond Locard ( )
Developed the first police crime lab in Lyons, France.
Also developed: Locard’s Exchange Principle

22. Locard's Exchange Principle
States: When a criminal comes in contact with an object or person, a cross-transfer of evidence occurs.

23. August Vollmer ( )
Set up the oldest forensic lab in the U.S. with the Los Angles Police Department in the mid 1920’s

24. In the 1930’s, under the direction of J
In the 1930’s, under the direction of J. Edgar Hoover, the FBI organized a national lab that offered forensic services to all law enforcement agencies.

25. 1972 – The California Dept. of Justice established a network of state-operated crime labs which became a model system of integrated forensic labs consisting of regional and satellite facilities.

26. 1900’s Britain's Home Office reorganized the national system of regional labs and instituted a system whereby police agencies were charged a fee for services. This was done in order to make the whole system more efficient.

27. The Organization
of a
Crime Laboratory

28. At present there are approximately 320 public crime labs operating at various levels of government. This represents a threefold increase since 1966.
Reasons for this increase are as follows:

29. 1960’s Supreme Court decisions helped place greater emphasis on scientifically evaluated evidence for a successful prosecution of a criminal case.

30. Confessions used as a routine investigative tool has declined due to the Miranda Law.

31. An increase in the crime rate

32. Increase in drug-related arrests:
All seizures of illicit drugs must be sent to a forensic lab for confirmatory chemical analysis before the case can be adjudicated in court. This demand has probably been the single most important factor to the proliferation of crime labs in the U.S.

33. The Four Major
Federal Crime Labs
Will provide its expertise to any local agency that requests assistance in relevant investigative matters.

34. The Federal Bureau of Investigation
Associated with the Dept. of Justice – Has the largest crime lab in the world.

35. Analyzes drugs seized in violation of federal laws regulating the production, sale, and transportation of drugs.

36. Associated with the Dept
Associated with the Dept. of Treasury – Analyzes alcoholic beverages and documents relating to tax law enforcement, as well as examining weapons, explosive devices, and related evidence.

37. Crime Lab
Deals with criminal investigations relating to the postal service, i.e. letter bombs, questioned documents, etc.

38. Services of the Crime Lab
Can vary in different communities due to:
Variations in local laws.
Different capabilities and functions of the organization to which the lab is attached.
Budgetary and staffing limitations

39. Full-service Crime Lab
Basic Services
of the
Full-service Crime Lab

40. This unit will examine drugs, glass, paint, explosives, and soil.
Physical Science Unit
Applies principles and techniques of chemistry, physics, and geology to the identification and comparison of crime-scene evidence.
This unit will examine drugs, glass, paint, explosives, and soil.

41. Biology Unit
Identifies and types dried bloodstains and other bodily fluids, compare hairs and fibers, and will identify and compare botanical materials such as wood and plant products.

42. Firearms Unit
Tests firearms, discharged bullets, cartridge cases, shotgun shells, and ammunition.
Garments and other objects are examined in order to detect firearm discharge residues, approximate discharge distance. Also does tool mark comparisons.

43. Document Examination Unit
Studies handwriting and typewriting on questioned documents in order to ascertain authenticity and/or source.
This unit also analyzes indented writing, obliterations, erasures, and burned or charred documents.

44. Optional Crime Lab Services

45. Toxicology Unit
Associated with medical examiner or coroner’s office. Examines body fluids and organs for the presence or absence of drugs and poison.

46. Latent Fingerprint Unit
Processes and examines evidence for latent fingerprints.

47. Trained personnel utilize the polygraph or lie detector.
Polygraph Unit
Trained personnel utilize the polygraph or lie detector.

48. Voiceprint Analysis Unit
Analyses telephoned and tape-recorded messages with instruments that transform speech into visual graphic displays called voiceprints.

49. Evidence Collection Unit
Specialized units that collect evidence at crime scenes in order to keep the evidence in its best condition for forensic analysis at the lab.

50. Other Forensic Science Services

51. Forensic Pathology
Involves the investigation of sudden, unnatural, unexplained, or violent deaths by the medical examiner or coroner.

52. The forensic pathologist must answer the following questions:
Who is the victim?
What injuries are present?
When did the injuries occur?
Why and how were the injuries produced?

53. There are five categories for manner of death:
If cause or manner of death can not be determined by observation, then an autopsy is preformed.
There are five categories for manner of death:
Natural
Suicide
Homicide
Accident
Undetermined

54. In addition to determining the manner of death the pathologist also needs to determine the Time of death.
WHY?

55. Stages of decomposition are used in order to help determine the time of death.
Rigor mortis
Occurs immediately following death, the muscles relax and then become rigid without shortening. Manifests within the first 24 hours and disappears within 36 hours after death.

56. Algor mortis
A process in which the body temperature continually cools after death until it reaches ambient room or environment temperature. The rate of cooling is influenced by environmental factors.

57. Livor mortis
Blood settles in parts of the body closest to the ground. Skin will appear dark blue or purple in these areas. No discoloration in areas constricted by clothes, etc. This process will continue for up to 12 hrs. after death. This evidence can be used to determine if the body was moved after death.

58. Another method used to determine the time of death is measuring the potassium levels in the eye’s ocular fluid (vitreous humor).
This method is somewhat more reliable than the others mentioned so far, but there is NO method that is yet 100% accurate.

59. Additional information, obtained during an autopsy, can be used to help determine the time of death such as; the amount and degree of digestion of food in the stomach.

60. Additional
Forensic Sciences

61. Forensic Anthropology
Identification and examination of human skeletal remains can reveal their origin, sex, approximate age, race, and skeletal injury. Can assist in facial reconstruction and identification of victims of mass disaster.

63. Forensic Entomology
Insects are used to estimate the time of death. Each species of carrion fly or beetle has a life cycle that is very precise. Some environmental conditions such as temperature, weather, and climate may influence the developmental rate of the larvae.

65. Forensic Odontology
The characteristics of teeth, their alignment, and the overall structure of the mouth provide individual evidence for identifying a specific person. Utilizes dental records such as X-rays, dental casts, and even photographs of a persons smile are used to make comparisons between a set of dental remains and a suspected victim.

67. Forensic Psychiatry
Deals with human behavior and legal proceedings i.e. is the individual competent to stand trial, make decisions, etc. Also will assist the police in developing a behavior profile of a serial criminal.

68. Forensic Engineering
Concerned with failure analysis, accident reconstruction, and causes and origins of fires or explosions.

69. The Function of the Forensic Scientist
Provide expert testimony at a trial. Be skilled in applying the principles and techniques of the physical and natural sciences to the analysis of the many types of evidence that may be recovered during crime investigation.

70. The forensic scientist should not be an advocate of either party – they are only an advocate of the
Truth

71. Forensic Scientists should provide training to law enforcement personnel in the proper recognition, collection, and preservation of physical evidence
Excellent lab work has no value if the relevant evidence is not properly recognized, collected and correctly preserved at the site of the crime.

72. Therefore -
It is best to familiarize all field officers with crime lab services and capabilities by providing periodic lectures, lab tours, and dissemination of manuals prepared by the lab staff that outline the proper methods for collection and submission of physical evidence to the lab.

73. Due to the general increase in crime, and the shortage of police officers, some municipalities use trained civilian “Evidence Technicians” who remain on 24 hour call.