An Introduction to Forensic Science

1. An Introduction to Forensic Science Forensic Science Colleyville Heritage High School Video

2. Course Topics & Perspective • Forensic science is the application of scientific knowledge & method to questions of civil and criminal law. Review Scientific Method. • This course is a lab-based, hands-on course that will explore what forensic scientists do. You will learn modern forensic methods and use scientific methods to solve legal problems.

3. Course Topics & Perspective • Course focus is on the collection and analysis of crime scene evidence (such as serology, toxicology, entomology, odontology and trace evidence), and the • Exploration of lab analysis techniques, (such as chromatography, DNA analysis, fingerprinting, and hair and footprint analysis).

4. Professions that use Forensic Science • CriminalisticsComputer Science • Medical ScienceJurisprudence • OdontologyEntomologists • PathologyBiologists • AnthropologyChemists • PsychiatryToxicology • PhysicsBotanists • EngineerForgery/ Documents Video links click on each title

5. Course Topics & Perspective • Forensic scientists are also required to testify in court about their analysis of evidence. • To make a convincing case, you need to be able to clearly and concisely explain your results and their significance in lab reports. • Finally, mock crime scenes will be investigated and real case studies analyzed.

6. Interdisciplinary Relationships • Forensics is a diverse field, and rarely are forensic scientists “generalists” – people who specialize in all aspects of forensic science. Forget what you see on CSI. • Forensic scientists don’t wear pumps to a crime scene, they rarely interview suspects or make arrests, and they are not experts in all areas of forensic investigations. Rather, forensic experts usually specialize in one or two branches of forensic investigation.

7. Interdisciplinary Relationships • A botanist may be an expert in forensic botany. An entomologist may be an expert in forensic entomology. Chemists may specialize in forensic toxicology or arson and bomb analysis. People with expertise in physics may focus on firearms and ballistics or blood spatter analysis.

8. Forensic Science Defined: • Forensic Science (or Criminalistics) is the use of science & technology to enforce civil & criminal laws.

9. Why do we look to science for assistance in our legal system? • Increasing Crime Rates • New or Changed Laws • New Crimes • New Weapons • Response to Public Concerns • Response to Law Enforcement

10. Terrorism Forensics

11. New Weapons?

13. Applying Science to Law • Applying science to the Criminal Justice System depends on a scientist’s ability to supply accurate & objective information that reflects the events that have occurred at a crime.

14. Civil vs. Criminal Law

15. History & Development of Forensic Science

16. When in Rome… • “Forensic” comes from the Latin word “forensis” meaning forum. • During the time of the Romans, a criminal charge meant presenting the case before the public. • Both the person accused of the crime & the accuser would give speeches based on their side of the story. • The individual with the best argument would determine the outcome of the case.

17. First Known Forensic Science • 3000 BC: China - A wife poisoned her husband and burned his body. The coroner noted no ash inside his mouth and simulated the crime with dead & live pigs. The dead pig had no ash and the live pig did have ash in its mouth. The Wife confessed when shown the evidence. • Chinese first to see potential in fingerprints.

18. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle • Mystery author in late 1800’s • Popularized scientific crime-detection methods through his fictional character ‘Sherlock Holmes’.

19. Mathieu Orfila (1787-1853) • “Father of Toxicology” • Wrote about the detection of poisons & their effects on animals.

20. Alphonse Bertillon • “Father of Anthropometry” • Developed a system to distinguish one individual person from another based on certain body measurements.

21. Anthropometry

22. Francis Galton (1822-1911) • “Father of Fingerprinting” • Developed fingerprinting as a way to uniquely identify individuals.

23. James Marsh Scottish Chemist • First to introduce chemical evidence of arsenic in a body during a trial in 1839.

24. Leone Lattes (1887-1954) • “Father of Bloodstain Identification” • He developed a procedure for determining the blood type (A, B, AB, or O) of a dried blood stain.

25. Calvin Goddard (1891-1955) • “Father of Ballistics” • Developed the technique to examine bullets, using a comparison microscope, to determine whether or not a particular gun fired the bullets.

26. Albert Osborn (1858-1946) • “Father of Document Examination” • His work led to the acceptance of documents as scientific evidence by the courts.

27. Walter McCrone (1916-2002) • “Father of Microscopic Forensics” • He developed & applied his microscope techniques to examine evidence in countless court cases.

28. Hans Gross (1847-1915) • “Father of Forensic Publications” • Wrote the book on applying all the different science disciplines to the field of criminal investigation. 1893

29. Edmond Locard(1877-1966) • “Father of the Crime Lab” • In 1910, he started the 1st crime lab in an attic of a police station in Paris, France. • With few tools, he quickly became known world-wide to forensic scientists & criminal investigators & eventually founded the Institute of Criminalistics in France. • His most important contribution was the “Locard’sExchangePrinciple”

30. Locard’s Exchange Principle • “Every Contact Leaves a Trace.” • He believed that every criminal can be connected to a crime by particles carried from the crime scene. • When a criminal comes in contact with an object or person, a cross-transfer of evidence occurs.

31. J. Edgar Hoover • “Father of the FBI” - Director of Federal Bureau of Investigation during the 1930’s • Hoover's leadership spanned 48 yrs & 8 presidential administrations. His reign covered Prohibition, the Great Depression, WWII, the Korean War, the Cold War, & the Vietnam War. • He organized a national laboratory to offer forensic services to all law enforcement agencies in the U.S. • VERY CONTROVERSIAL • He exceeded & abused his authority with unjustified investigations & illegal wiretaps based on political beliefs rather than suspected criminal activity • FBI directors are now limited to 10-year terms

32. Sir Alec Jeffreys – DNA • First to develop a DNA profile (DNA fingerprint) 1984

33. Crime Labs • First ever: Edmond Locard: France 1910 • First in USA: August Vollmer: Los Angeles, California 1923. • First National USA lab: J Edgar Hoover FBI 1932

34. Services of Forensic Labs • Physical Science Unit – Chemistry, physics • Biology Unit – DNA, body fluids analysis, hair & fibers, botanical • Firearms Unit – guns, bullets, gunpowder • Documents Unit – handwriting, printed • Photography Unit – digital imaging documentation

35. Services of Forensic Labs • Toxicology Unit – drugs, poisons • Fingerprint Unit – latent fingerprints • Polygraph Unit - lie detectors • Voiceprint / sound Unit – identification • CSI – Crime Scene Investigation Unit – handles on site examination for evidence.

36. Services of Forensic Labs • Forensic Psychiatry Unit – mental evaluation / monitoring • Forensic Odontology - dental ID • Forensic Engineering – failure analysis • Forensic Computer Unit- digital analysis

37. Application of Forensic Science • Identification of Criminals or Victims • Solving Mysteries • Past crimes (unsolved or wrongfully convicted) • Cause, Location, Time of Death • Paternity cases-------- • Cyber crimes------------| • Corporate Crimes (Enron) • Voice Analysis

38. Applications of Forensic Science • Application of DNA as evidence • Prevention vs. Reaction • Catastrophes & Wars • ID remains of victims (either civilian or soldiers) • ex. Holocaust or Katrina • Military & International Forensics • Terrorism • The search for WMD’s • stockpiled or stored weapons from past wars

39. How does Forensic Science Solve Crimes? • There are 3 ways to solve crimes: • Confessions – Fess up… you did it. • Eye Witness accounts- Everyone saw you do it. Often this can be flawed. Depends upon the observational skills of the individual. We will practice this. • Analysis of Physical Evidence- DNA, fingerprints, all the other lab results.

41. Evidence Admissibility • Not all evidence can be used in a court of law: Polygraph, psychic, taro cards. • Frye vs. USA court case ruled that the evidence must come from “generally accepted” scientific principles. • Expert Witness: Federal evidence rule 702: Witness must be trained/ professional using accepted science and it is applied to this case.

42. Judging Scientific Evidence • Scientific technique has been tested. • Technique subject to peer review. • Technique’s potential rate of error. • Standards for the technique are available and have been used • Widespread acceptance by scientific community. • “Chain of Custody” rules.

43. Expert Witness • Has professional education and training in the area they testify about. • Not absolute or perfect. • Can be ignored by jury.

44. Evidence Collection • The forensic scientist must collect the evidence with accepted techniques that ensure the sample is not contaminated, mixed up, allowed to spoil, “planted” or inserted after the fact. • It is cataloged and registered with time, place, description, numbered. This is the “Chain of Custody”.

45. Final thoughts - Videos Nicole Brown Simpson Murder – 3-D animation of a famous crime. OJ Simpson – The story of a real case drama with all the areas of forensic science represented. Body Farm - Dr. Bill Bass. UT research into the decay of humans, helps determine the time of death.