1. Locard’s Exchange Principle

2. Chapter 1 Unit #1 Notes Packet Forensic Science  The study and application of science to matters of law.

3. Chapter 1 Unit #1 Notes Packet Criminalistics Criminalistics  the scientific examination of physical evidence for legal purposes.

4. Chapter 1 Unit #1 Notes Packet Edmond Locard Edmond Locard (1877-1966)  Considered the father of criminalistics  Built the world’s first forensic laboratory in France in 1910

5. Chapter 1 Locard Exchange Principle Unit #1 Notes Packet  Whenever two objects come into contact, there is always a transfer of material. The methods of detection may not be sensitive enough to demonstrate this, or the decay rate may be so rapid that all evidence of transfer has vanished after a given time. Nonetheless, the transfer has taken place

6. Chapter 1 The Case of Emile Gourbin  In 1912 Emile Gourbin was a bank clerk in Lyons, France. He came under suspicion of murdering, by strangulation, his girl friend, Marie Latelle. Gourbin was arrested but produced what appeared to be an air-tight alibi. Locard went to Gourbin’s cell and removed scrapings from under his fingernails. These scrapings contained tissue that might have come from Marie’s neck, but this was not provable. Locard noticed that the tissue was coated with a pink dust, which he identified as rice starch. On the particles he found bismuth, magnesium stearate, zinc oxide, and a reddish iron oxide pigment, Venetian red. Examination of the face powder used by Marie revealed that a powder prepared for her by a Lyons druggist was similar in composition. In these days of mass-produced face powder, this evidence would have far less significance. However, in 1912, because of the special preparation, it led to the confession of Gourbin. Unit #1 Notes Packet