Myths of Crime Scene Forensics

• There are many popular Television programs that are based on Crime Scene Forensics.

• Don’t be fooled however, solving crimes is not as easy as it looks!

• Shoot outs, high heels, and instant data base searches make for great television, but “real life” forensics is a much different story.

Television CSI’s

Realities of Crime Scene Investigation

• Law Enforcement Officers work endless hours, sorting through evidence, eye witness testimonies, and interviews in hopes of gaining knowledge that can put offenders behind bars.

• This is not easy work!

Real Life CSI’s

Famous FictionalCrime Scene Investigators

Sherlock Holmes

Batman

CSI Gil Grissom

Dr. Temperance ‘Bones' Brennan

Modern Forensics

• Forensics is a broad range of subspecialties which use techniques adapted from the natural sciences to obtain criminal or other legal evidence. (wikipedia)

• Modern forensics has benefited greatly from advances in technology. Here are some examples!

Fingerprinting• Everyone who has fingers has

fingerprints. A fingerprint is an impression or picture of the ridges, loops, and other friction ridges found on your digits.

• Historically, fingerprint analysis has been done with ink impressions that are compared by experts.

• Technology has now allowed for electronic scans of these impressions which are then catalogued in databases stored on computers.

Ballistics• Ballistics is the science of

mechanics that deals with the flight, behavior, and effects of projectiles, especially bullets.

• In the field of forensic science, forensic ballistics is the science of analyzing firearm usage in crimes.

(wikipedia)• Like all pitchers in baseball have

unique throwing motions, all guns have unique firing characteristics.

• No two guns will fire a bullet the same, and no two guns will leave the same evidence either!

DNA Database• DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) is defined

as a molecule that carries the key genetic instructions for living organisms including humans.

(astrazeneca.com)

• A national DNA database is a government database of DNA profiles which can be used by law enforcement agencies to identify suspects of crimes.

• DNA profiling (also called DNA testing, DNA typing, or genetic fingerprinting) is a technique employed by forensic scientists to assist in the identification of individuals on the basis of their respective DNA profiles.

(wikipedia)

Forensic Sculpting

• Forensic Sculpting allows law enforcement agencies to put faces to victims of crime.

• Traditional methods include sketches and clay sculptures.

• Modern technology has advanced to the point where 3-dimensional images can be created on computers.

• Click Here for Video

Your Project

• Using the new program “Comic Life”, you are going to create a one or two page comic book presentation detailing the basic facts and history of a branch of forensic crime fighting!

• Finger Printing• Ballistics• DNA Database• Forensic Sculpting

Must Haves!

• Your comic project must have the following

1. When your topic was created/invented.

2. Who created/invented your topic.

3. Practical uses of your topic.

4. Two cool facts about your topic.

5. Pictures of your topic

• This has been a Ben Hill Production © Unauthorized usage of my Power Point will lead to a Disturbance in the Force!

• benhill@staff.ednet.ns.ca