FORENSICSFORENSICSChapter 1: Chapter 1:

Introduction to Introduction to Forensic ScienceForensic Science

Introduction Introduction

Laws are a necessity to regulate…Laws are a necessity to regulate… The quality of our foodThe quality of our food The potency of drugsThe potency of drugs The quality of water The quality of water The preservation of nature The preservation of nature The honesty and integrity of man.The honesty and integrity of man. Ensure the safety and security of Ensure the safety and security of

law-abiding citizens against law-abiding citizens against criminal acts.criminal acts.

What is Forensics?What is Forensics?

The application of science to criminal and The application of science to criminal and civil law that are enforced by police civil law that are enforced by police agencies in a criminal justice system.agencies in a criminal justice system.

Forensic science owes its origins to Forensic science owes its origins to individuals who developed the principles individuals who developed the principles and techniques needed to identify and and techniques needed to identify and compare physical evidence.compare physical evidence.

““Elementary, my dear Elementary, my dear Watson”Watson”

– Popular media Popular media has marginalized has marginalized and and sensationalized sensationalized the importance the importance of the scientific of the scientific process behind process behind forensic science.forensic science.

HistoryHistory Mathieu Orfila – the father of forensic Mathieu Orfila – the father of forensic

toxicology.toxicology.

Alphonse Bertillion - devised the first scientific Alphonse Bertillion - devised the first scientific system of personal identification in 1879.system of personal identification in 1879.

Francis Galton – conducted the first definitive Francis Galton – conducted the first definitive study of fingerprints and their classification.study of fingerprints and their classification.

Leone Lattes – developed a procedure to Leone Lattes – developed a procedure to determine blood type from dried blood stains.determine blood type from dried blood stains.

HistoryHistory Walter McCrone – utilized microscopy and other Walter McCrone – utilized microscopy and other

analytical methodologies to examine evidence.analytical methodologies to examine evidence.

Hans Gross – wrote the first treatise describing Hans Gross – wrote the first treatise describing the application of scientific principles to the the application of scientific principles to the field of criminal investigation.field of criminal investigation.

Edmond Locard – incorporated Gross’ principles Edmond Locard – incorporated Gross’ principles within a workable crime laboratory.within a workable crime laboratory.

Locard’s Exchange Principle – states that a Locard’s Exchange Principle – states that a cross-transfer of evidence occurs when a cross-transfer of evidence occurs when a criminal comes in contact with an object or criminal comes in contact with an object or person.person.

The Crime LabThe Crime Lab Rapid growth Rapid growth Lack of national and regional planning Lack of national and regional planning

and coordination.and coordination.

Paul Leland Kirk (1902-1970) was head Paul Leland Kirk (1902-1970) was head of first criminalistics department at the of first criminalistics department at the University of California Berkeley.University of California Berkeley.

350 public crime labs operating at four 350 public crime labs operating at four levels of government levels of government

– – federal, state, county, and municipal.federal, state, county, and municipal.

Is Forensic Science Is Forensic Science Infallible?Infallible?

http://www.nytimes.com/http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/19/us/dna-analysis-exposes-2014/05/19/us/dna-analysis-exposes-an-inexact-forensic-science.htmlan-inexact-forensic-science.html

The Crime LabThe Crime Lab Increasing numbers of crime labs Increasing numbers of crime labs

partly on the rise due to…partly on the rise due to…

– Supreme Court decisions in the 1960s Supreme Court decisions in the 1960s police to build cases on scientifically police to build cases on scientifically

evaluated evidence.evaluated evidence.

– High levels of drug abuse High levels of drug abuse crime labs unable to keep up with demands.crime labs unable to keep up with demands.

– DNA profiling technologyDNA profiling technology

Technical SupportTechnical Support

Five basic services.Five basic services.

Physical Science Unit – use of chemistry, Physical Science Unit – use of chemistry, physics, and geology to identify and compare physics, and geology to identify and compare physical evidence.physical evidence.

Biology Unit – use of biology to investigate Biology Unit – use of biology to investigate blood samples, body fluids, hair, and fiber blood samples, body fluids, hair, and fiber samples.samples.

Firearms Unit investigates discharged bullets, Firearms Unit investigates discharged bullets, cartridge cases, shotgun shells, and cartridge cases, shotgun shells, and ammunition.ammunition.

Technical SupportTechnical Support

Document Unit analyzes handwriting Document Unit analyzes handwriting and questioned-document issues.and questioned-document issues.

Photographic Unit applies specialized Photographic Unit applies specialized photographic techniques for photographic techniques for examining and recording physical examining and recording physical evidence.evidence.

DO NOW Blood TypingDO NOW Blood Typing Which blood type is the universal Which blood type is the universal

donor?donor?

Which blood type is the universal Which blood type is the universal recipient?recipient?

Justify your answers… WHY?Justify your answers… WHY?

(Here is a little bit of Biology!)(Here is a little bit of Biology!)

Blood TypesBlood Types

O+ is most common blood type.

O is the universal donor.AB is the universal recipient.

Optional Tech ServicesOptional Tech Services

Toxicology Unit examines body fluids and Toxicology Unit examines body fluids and organs for the presence of drugs and poisons.organs for the presence of drugs and poisons.

Latent Fingerprint Unit Latent Fingerprint Unit

Polygraph Unit Polygraph Unit

Voiceprint Analysis Unit analyze voice patterns.Voiceprint Analysis Unit analyze voice patterns.

Evidence Collection Unit specially trained Evidence Collection Unit specially trained individuals collect and preserve physical individuals collect and preserve physical evidence.evidence.

Special Forensic ServicesSpecial Forensic Services

Forensic Entomology is the study of insects and Forensic Entomology is the study of insects and their relation to a criminal investigation often their relation to a criminal investigation often to estimate time of death.to estimate time of death.

Forensic Psychiatry involves the relationship Forensic Psychiatry involves the relationship between human behavior and legal between human behavior and legal proceedings.proceedings.

Forensic Odontology involves the use of teeth Forensic Odontology involves the use of teeth and bite marks to assist in identifying a victim and bite marks to assist in identifying a victim in an unrecognizable state.in an unrecognizable state.

Special Forensic ServicesSpecial Forensic Services

Forensic Engineering involves failure Forensic Engineering involves failure analysis, accident reconstruction, analysis, accident reconstruction, and the causes and origins of fires and the causes and origins of fires and explosions.and explosions.

Forensic Computer Science involves Forensic Computer Science involves the examination of digital evidence.the examination of digital evidence.

Special Forensic ServicesSpecial Forensic Services

Forensic Pathology involves the Forensic Pathology involves the investigation of unnatural, unexplained, or investigation of unnatural, unexplained, or violent deaths.violent deaths.

Medical examiners or coroners Medical examiners or coroners determine determine the cause of death.the cause of death.

Autopsy or medical dissection and Autopsy or medical dissection and examination of a body.examination of a body.

Skills of a Forensic ScientistSkills of a Forensic Scientist Apply principles and techniques of physical Apply principles and techniques of physical

and natural sciences.and natural sciences.

Analyze various types of evidence.Analyze various types of evidence.

Provide expert court testimony.Provide expert court testimony.

Skills of a Forensic ScientistSkills of a Forensic Scientist

Expert witness – determined by the court to Expert witness – determined by the court to possess knowledge relevant to a trial that is possess knowledge relevant to a trial that is not expected of the average person.not expected of the average person.

Evaluates evidence based on training and Evaluates evidence based on training and experience that the court lacks the expertise to do.experience that the court lacks the expertise to do.

Provides an expert opinion as to the significance of Provides an expert opinion as to the significance of findings.findings.

Assist in the training of law enforcement in the Assist in the training of law enforcement in the proper recognition, collection, and preservation of proper recognition, collection, and preservation of physical evidence.physical evidence.

Stages of DeathStages of Death

RIGOR mortis results in the shortening of RIGOR mortis results in the shortening of

muscle tissue and stiffening of body muscle tissue and stiffening of body parts parts

in the position at death.in the position at death. Occurs within first 24 hours and disappears Occurs within first 24 hours and disappears

within 36 hours.within 36 hours.

LIVOR mortis results in the settling of LIVOR mortis results in the settling of blood in areas of body closest to the blood in areas of body closest to the ground.ground.Begins immediately on death up to 12 hours Begins immediately on death up to 12 hours after death. after death.

Special Forensic ServicesSpecial Forensic Services

ALGOR mortis results in loss of body ALGOR mortis results in loss of body heat.heat.

General rule – begins an hour after General rule – begins an hour after death.death.

Body loses heat at a rate of 1 to Body loses heat at a rate of 1 to 1.5 1.5 degrees F per hour until degrees F per hour until body reaches body reaches environmental environmental temperature.temperature.

Stages of DeathStages of Death

Forensics at WorkForensics at Work

http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3527744.htm

FRYE vs. the United FRYE vs. the United States 1923States 1923

Defendant was convicted of Second Defendant was convicted of Second Degree Murder.Degree Murder.

An early form of a Polygraph test was An early form of a Polygraph test was used by prosecution as key evidence used by prosecution as key evidence in the case.in the case.

Systolic Blood Pressure Deception TestSystolic Blood Pressure Deception Test

Scientific experiments have demonstrated that Scientific experiments have demonstrated that fear, rage, and pain always produce a rise of fear, rage, and pain always produce a rise of systolic blood pressure.systolic blood pressure.

Conscious deception or falsehood, concealment of Conscious deception or falsehood, concealment of facts, or guilt of crime, accompanied by fear of facts, or guilt of crime, accompanied by fear of detection.detection.

Indicates the struggle going on in the subject's Indicates the struggle going on in the subject's mind between fear and attempted control of that mind between fear and attempted control of that fear under examination.fear under examination.

THE RULINGTHE RULING

Expert testimony deduced from a well-Expert testimony deduced from a well-recognized scientific principle or recognized scientific principle or discovery.discovery.

Deduction made must be sufficiently Deduction made must be sufficiently established to have gained general established to have gained general acceptance in the particular field in which acceptance in the particular field in which it belongs.it belongs.

The The Frye Frye StandardStandard The Frye v. the United The Frye v. the United

States decision set the States decision set the guidelines for guidelines for determining admissibility determining admissibility of scientific evidence of scientific evidence into the courtroom.into the courtroom.

To meet the Frye To meet the Frye Standard, evidence in Standard, evidence in question must be question must be “generally accepted” by “generally accepted” by the scientific community.the scientific community.

Frye Frye Not AbsoluteNot Absolute

1993 case of 1993 case of Daubert v. Merrell Dow Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceutical, Inc.Pharmaceutical, Inc.

U.S. Supreme Court asserted that U.S. Supreme Court asserted that Frye Frye Standard is not an absolute prerequisite Standard is not an absolute prerequisite to the admissibility of scientific evidence.to the admissibility of scientific evidence.

Trial judges are ultimately responsible as Trial judges are ultimately responsible as “gatekeepers” for the admissibility and “gatekeepers” for the admissibility and validity of scientific evidence presented validity of scientific evidence presented in their courts as well as expert in their courts as well as expert testimony.testimony.

TheThe DaubertDaubert CriteriaCriteria In In DaubertDaubert, Supreme Court offered guidelines , Supreme Court offered guidelines

as to how a judge can gauge scientific evidence.as to how a judge can gauge scientific evidence. 1. Whether the scientific technique or theory 1. Whether the scientific technique or theory

can be (and has been) tested.can be (and has been) tested. 2. Whether the technique or theory has been 2. Whether the technique or theory has been

subject to peer review and publication.subject to peer review and publication. 3. The technique’s potential rate of error.3. The technique’s potential rate of error. 4. Existence and maintenance of standards 4. Existence and maintenance of standards

controlling the technique’s operation.controlling the technique’s operation. 5. Widespread acceptance of scientific theory or 5. Widespread acceptance of scientific theory or

method within a relevant scientific community.method within a relevant scientific community.

Unsolved Crimes Unsolved Crimes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s27fxRk9dpE

InvestigationInvestigation

What the following video clip?What the following video clip?

Pay close attention to the piece of Pay close attention to the piece of evidence in question. evidence in question.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVrUbkHJuHY