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Forensic Scientists

Forensic Scientists. Criminalist (CSI). Analyzes, compares, identifies, & interprets physical evidence at crime scenes. Forensic Pathology. Involves the investigation of sudden, unnatural, unexplained, or violent deaths. Typically these are the medical examiners or coroners

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Forensic Scientists

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  1. Forensic Scientists

  2. Criminalist (CSI) Analyzes, compares, identifies, & interprets physical evidence at crime scenes.

  3. Forensic Pathology • Involves the investigation of sudden, unnatural, unexplained, or violent deaths. • Typically these are the medical examiners or coroners • Answer questions: who is the victim, what injuries are present, when did the injuries occur, why and how were the injuries produced, and what is the cause of death

  4. Manner of Death • Natural: 80 year old dies of congestive heart failure • Homicide: death caused by another person • Suicide: death inflicted upon self • Accidental: unintentional and without malice, group swimming and one drowns • Undetermined: absolute cause not able to be determined

  5. Cause of Death • Asphyxiation • Strangulation • Drowning • Fire victim • Exsanguination • Major blood loss • Blunt force trauma • Sharp force trauma • Chemical trauma

  6. Estimated Time of Death • Autopsy: medical dissection and examination of a body in order to determine the cause of death • Rigor Mortis: medical condition that occurs after death and results in the shortening of muscle tissue and the stiffening of body parts in the position they are in when death occurs. Occurs within 24 hours and gone within 36 hours

  7. Estimated Time of Death • Livor Mortis or lividity: medical condition that occurs after death and results in the settling of blood in areas of the body closest to the ground. Begins immediately after death and lasts for 12 hours • Algor Mortis: postmortem changes that cause a body to lose heat. Process in which the body continues to cool to room temperature. 1 – 1.5 degree/hour

  8. Evidence to be Collected at Autopsy • Victim’s clothing • Fingernail scrapings • Head and pubic hairs • Blood (for DNA typing) • Vaginal, anal, and oral swaps (sex-crimes) • Recovered bullets/knives from body • Hand swabs from shooting victims (for GSR analysis)

  9. Forensic Anthropology • Identification and examination of human skeletal remains • Trying to determine origin, sex, approximate age, race and skeletal injury • May create facial reconstruction • Identify victims of mass disaster such as plane crash

  10. Forensic Entomology • Study of insects and their relation to a criminal investigation • After decomposition begins, insects such as blow flies are the first to infest the body

  11. Forensic Psychiatry • Specialized area in which the relationship between human behavior and legal proceedings is examined • Civil cases: determine whether people are competent to make decisions about wills, refusing medical treatment, etc. • Criminal cases: determine whether people are competent to stand trial • Develop suspect’s behavior profile

  12. Forensic Odontology • Provide information about the identification of victims when the body is left in an unrecognizable state • Teeth are composed of enamel which is the hardest substance in the body • Characteristics of teeth, alignment, and overall structure of the mouth provide method for identification • Also analyze bite marks

  13. Forensic Engineering • Concerned with: • Failure analysis • Accident reconstruction • Cause and origin of fires or explosions • Answer questions such as how did an accident occur or what structural failure occurred

  14. Forensic Nurse Provides treatment for crime victims. They are especially needed in emergency rooms to gather and package criminal evidence.

  15. Forensic Toxicologist Analyses alcohol, drugs, & poisons in body fluids for the benefit of the courts.

  16. Defense Wounds #1 Defense wounds on the hand of a victim whose assailant was attacking with a knife.

  17. Defense Wound #2 Here is a typical "defense wound" on the forearm of the victim of an assault with a sharp weapon, producing the laceration.

  18. Defense Posture Scene illustrates mechanism for "defense wounds".

  19. Clay Model Used to Demonstrate Knife Wounds single edge knife wound double edge knife wound

  20. Stab Wound: Single Edge Blade Sharp edge of blade

  21. Deadly blow to head that resulted in fractured skull and bleeding.

  22. Fractured Liver: Blunt Force Injury

  23. Natural Death:*Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma of the Breast

  24. *Pathologist’s photo of embryo (ectopic pregnancy)

  25. Forensic Pathologist’s Tools of the Trade

  26. More autopsy tools…

  27. Stryker Saw:good for cutting into skull

  28. Digital Imagery Reconstruction:Use of computer superimposes photo of skull with outer skin.

  29. Facial reconstruction technique used by forensic artists.

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