Criminal Justice and Forensic Science Introduction Chapter 1 ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

WHAT IS FORENSIC SCIENCE? The science of associating people, places, and things involved in criminal activities – Science is the collection of systematic methodologies used to increasingly understand the physical world – Forensic, as applied to the field of forensic science, means “as applied to public or legal concerns” ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

AREAS OF FORENSIC SCIENCE Criminalistics Forensic Pathology Forensic Anthropology Forensic Odontology Forensic Engineering Toxicology Behavioral Sciences Questioned Documents ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

Criminalistics The branch of forensic science that involves collection and analysis of physical evidence generated by criminal activity – Specific examples include: drugs, firearms and toolmarks, fingerprints, blood and bodily fluids, footwear, and trace evidence ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

Forensic Pathology The science of determining the cause and manner of death in cases in which death occurred under suspicious of unknown circumstances ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

Forensic Anthropology The branch of physical anthropology that focuses on the identification of skeletal remains – Human remains are analyzed for age, sex, height, and other characteristics ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

Forensic Odontology Forensic odontology, or forensic dentistry, is used to identify human remains through comparison of bitemarks ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

Forensic Engineering A branch of engineering that focuses on failure analysis of materials and constructions that arise in the legal arena Also encompasses traffic accident reconstruction ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

Toxicology The chemical analysis of body fluids and tissues to determine if a drug or poison is present ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

Behavioral Sciences Entails the determination of a person’s competency to stand trial and to aid in one’s own defense Investigation of serial crimes by creating psychological profiles of the criminals ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

Questioned Documents A broad field of study that includes the comparison of handwritten or typewritten documents to determine their source or authenticity, examination of documents for erasures, obliterations, forgeries, alterations, charring and counterfeit currencies ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

A BIT OF FORENSIC SCIENCE HISTORY Forensic medicine was practiced in the fifth century Toxicology emerged in the mid-1800’s Advances in personal identification were made in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

A BIT OF FORENSIC SCIENCE HISTORY – Anthropometry, or Bertillonage, was a means of recording physical features of a person in such a way that they could be uniquely identified Developed by Alphonse Bertillion in France Used to track prisoners in the United States ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

A BIT OF FORENSIC SCIENCE HISTORY In 1901, Sir Edward Henry developed a fingerprint classification system still in use today The study of blood and bodily fluids also began around 1900 DNA technology was introduced in 1984 by Sir Alec Jeffries Comparison microscopy emerged in the twentieth century ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

FORENSIC SCIENCE LABORATORY ORGANIZATION AND SERVICES Organization of forensic laboratories varies by jurisdiction, agency, and history ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

Forensic Science Laboratory Administration – Private Forensic Science Laboratories Often perform only one or two examinations Allow persons accused of crimes access to forensic science services – Public Forensic Science Laboratories Administered and financed by various government agencies ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

Forensic Science Laboratory Administration Federal Government Forensic Science Laboratories – The Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (BATF) ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

Forensic Science Laboratory Administration Federal Government Forensic Science Laboratories – The Department of the Treasury Secret Service Internal Revenue Service – The Department of the Interior U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – The U.S. Postal Service Postal Service – Additional Federal Laboratories Department of Defense’s Army Criminal Investigation Division Laboratory Navy Drug Laboratories Air Force Drug Laboratory ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

State and Local Forensic Science Laboratories – State labs arise from one of two sources: law enforcement or health departments and other scientific agencies – Most states also have one or more forensic laboratories operated by a local government (i.e. county police, sheriff, city police) Jurisdictional laboratories arise due to societal needs ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

Forensic Science Laboratory Services Laboratories offer varying levels of service – Headquarters laboratory is typically “full service” ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

STANDARD LABORATORY SERVICES – Evidence Intake All forensic science laboratories have a system for receiving evidence – One or more employees assigned to this unit – Evidence is stored in a secured area ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

Evidence Intake contd Evidence is delivered to the laboratory, contents are described on a form, and a unique laboratory identification number is assigned to the case and each item of evidence – Chain of Custody: documentation of the location of evidence from the time it is obtained to the time it is presented in court Electronic systems are often used to track evidence through the laboratory ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

STANDARD LABORATORY SERVICES – Analytical Sections Evidence is assigned to forensic scientists for analysis in a logical order – Analytical Sections include: Photography, Biology/DNA, Chemistry/Illicit Drugs, Firearms and Toolmarks, Footwear and Tire Treads, Friction Ridge Analysis (Fingerprints), Questioned Documents, Toxicology, and Trace Evidence ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

OTHER LABORATORY SERVICES – Specialized areas of analysis include: polygraph, voiceprint and speaker identification, bloodstain pattern analysis, entomology, odontology and anthropology ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

Administrative Issues with Forensic Science Laboratories Accountability – No mandatory accreditation process for forensic science laboratories in the United States – American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors (ASCLD) provides accreditation services for public and private laboratories worldwide Does not evaluate competence of forensic scientists – American Society for Testing and Materials, International (ASTM) publishes voluntary, consensus standards – International Organization for Standardization (ISO) ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

Administrative Issues with Forensic Science Laboratories Access to Laboratory Services – Few public forensic science laboratories grant access to accused persons – Criminal defendants may use a private laboratory Costs are high – Public defenders’ offices may not be able to pay for the analyses of evidence ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

THE FORENSIC CHEMIST Duties include performing scientific analysis of evidence and offering expert testimony in legal proceedings ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

Education and Training of Forensic Scientists – Understand methods and requirements of good science – Must have knowledge of specific techniques used in particular disciplines – Be familiar with the rules of evidence and court procedures – Knowledge, skills, and aptitudes are gained through education, training and experience ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

Education and Training of Forensic Scientists Education – 40+ undergraduate programs offer a bachelor’s degree with some level of forensic emphasis – 12 graduate level programs offer degrees (MA, MS, PhD) in forensic science » Bachelor’s degree in science is required » Programs focus on the application of science to forensic work and aspects of law, criminal investigation, and the criminal justice process » Research component is also required – Educational programs are not designed to directly prepare graduates for immediate work on cases ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

Education and Training of Forensic Scientists Formal Training – New scientists receive formal training once hired by a forensic science laboratory » Hired as a specialist in one or a group of related areas » Encompasses a period of apprenticeship with an experienced scientist » Time of training varies with discipline and laboratory » Training usually involves mock case work and assisting in real cases » May end with proficiency testing and mock trials ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

Education and Training of Forensic Scientists On-the-Job Training: Experience – Once working on cases a forensic scientist learns to be effective » Manage time and resources » Deal with pressures of testifying in court » Handle other participants in the legal system ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

Analysis of Evidence – In addition to routine scientific analysis of evidence by the forensic scientist, many factors affect how evidence is analyzed Chain of custody Turnaround time Preservation and spoilage Sampling Reports ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

EXPERT TESTIMONY – Forensic Scientists must be able to convey findings in a court of law ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

CHAPTER SUMMARY An expert possesses a combination of knowledge, skills, and abilities in a particular area Forensic Science is a wide ranging field Occupies a unique niche between law enforcement and the courts ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.