Chapter One In the Beginning
Chapter One - HWC What level of magnification is an optical microscope capable of? (Q.2) Name ONE of the THREE ways photography changed the study of criminology. (Q.3) Name ONE physical trait that Lombroso suggested characterised a criminal. (Q.7) What physical characteristic did Bertillon not believe was important (Q.11) What information does a set of dentures contain? (Q.15)
1. Where and when was the dawn of forensic science 1. Where and when was the dawn of forensic science? Who was responsible for its development and how did he work? Ancient China in the 17th century. Ti Jen-Chieh Along with a team of investigators, he studied crime scenes, examined physical evidence, as well as interviewed witnesses and suspects.
Type of Microscope Year Developed Capability 2. Complete the following chart, which outlines the development of the microscope between the 16th century and 1920. Type of Microscope Year Developed Capability 1590 --------------------------- 17th Century 1880s Stereoscopic Microscope ---------------------- Compound Microscope 2 or 3 lenses allowed for magnification of 10 times. Could examine ind. fingerprints Magnification of up to 300x. Could examine hairs, fibers, blood and match one to another. Optical Microscope 2000x magnification Double eyepiece and lens provided for 3 dimensional images. Good for soil and paint samples. Allowed one to view two samples at same time. Good for comparing marks on bullets or comparing fabric or hair samples. Comparison Microscope
3. Describe THREE ways the development of photography changed the study of criminology. Record evidence at a crime scene Details of victims and their injuries Shots of subjects arrested on suspicion
4. Why was poisoning a weapon of choice for murder until modern times 4. Why was poisoning a weapon of choice for murder until modern times? Why is it a less popular method today? Allowed “dispassionate” murders to kill without the drama and mess of other methods. Correctly chosen, poison could act slowly and produce symptoms similar to other diseases, which would not cause suspicion. Less popular today modern science has made it easier to detect.
5. Who is considered the “father of toxicology”. Why 5. Who is considered the “father of toxicology”? Why? Who else has contributed to the study of toxicology? What contributions did they make? 1814 Matthieu Orfila Wrote book called “Traite des Poisons”, which classified common poisons used by criminals. James Marsh Developed accurate method for testing for arsenic poising. Arsenic was popular because it is found naturally in the body in the stomach and liver. However, when poisoned, arsenic is found throughout the body. His test would recognize 1/15 of a milligram in a sample
6. What happened in 1835 and 1869 to make it possible for a bullet to be traced to the weapon that fired it? Henry Goddard was able to successfully trace a bullet to the weapon from which it was fired. At this time, one would often mould their own bullets. Matched the fired bullet to the mould of the butler's. Both had an imperfection. 1869, French investigator was able to analyze the chemical composition of a bullet. Could then compare that to any other bullets, which were owned by a specific suspect.
7. What was the theory behind the “criminal face” 7. What was the theory behind the “criminal face”? Who was responsible for this theory and what did it entail? A French surgeon suggested that criminality could be linked to a particular shape of skull. In 1876, Cesare Lombroso, who worked in an lunatic asylum, claimed that he had studied over 6000 criminals and that all shared specific, well defined physical traits. Popularized the idea of the “Born Criminal”. Suggested these born criminals were actually devolving rather evolving and where marked by the following characteristics. Wide jaw, forward projection of jaw, high cheekbones, flattened nose, fleshy lips, long arms, large ears, scanty beards or baldness, insensitivity to pain and “shifty eyes.”
8. What was the first lie detector test called and how did it work? Volumetric Glove Basically a latex glove, sealed at the wrist and filled with air. A tube linked the glove to a machine that would record changes to the pressure caused by the pulse in the vein of the hand. An increase in pulse, would supposedly increase the pressure in the glove. The glove was no more reliable than the “criminal face”
9. What is Phrenology? What was it supposed to reveal? Developed by Dr. Fanz Joseph Gall in 1796. Suggested that ones character or nature was determined by the shape of their cranium. Prominent bumps would reveal “quirks”. Although popular, no scientific proof to back up claims.
10. Who was Bertillon and what were his “vital measurements”? Was a clerk in a French Police Station Wanted to take detailed measurements of criminals to aid in identification. His measurements aided in hundreds of successful identifications. 11. What major error in judgment did Bertillon make? Didn’t believe fingerprints were an important category of “distinguishing marks”. When the Mona Lisa was stolen, French records didn’t have accurate fingerprint records to apprehend a suspect.
12. What was the Portrait Parlé? What was it replaced by? A system similar to Bertillonage, which used precise words to describe physical appearances. Could describe a face with reference to shape of forehead, nose, chin, ears and eyes. When describing nose, one paid attention to its profile, tip, nostrils, base and height. Used so that detectives could match verbal or written description to an actual face.