CHAPTER 1 Observational Skills

INTRODUCTION  One of the most important tools of the forensic investigator is the ability to observe, interpret, and report observations clearly.  The trained investigator collects all available evidence, without making judgments about its potential importance.

WHAT IS OBSERVATION?  Every single moment, we gather information about our surroundings through our senses  We are not aware of all the information our senses gather simply because we can’t pay attention to everything at once!  Paying attention to the details of your surroundings requires a conscious effort.

WHAT IS OBSERVATION?  Filtering information, filling in gaps, and applying previous knowledge to new situations are all useful traits……………understanding our limitations is important in forensic science.  Criminal investigations depend on the observation skills of all parties involved – police, investigators, forensic scientist and witnesses.

WHAT IS OBSERVATION?  Our perception is limited, the way we view our surroundings may not accurately reflect what is really there.  EX – we will fill in a missing word in a sentence - creamy pink dessert is perceived to be strawberry flavor even though it tastes vanilla

HOW INFORMATION IS PROCESSED IN THE BRAIN Information from our sensesWhat we pay attention toPerceptionShort-term memoryLong-term memory

OBSERVATIONS BY WITNESSES  One key component of ANY crime investigation is the observations made by witnesses.  Not surprisingly, the perceptions of witnesses can be faulty (even though the witness is convinced of what he/she saw)

OBSERVATIONS BY WITNESSES/ EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS  What influences our observations/eyewitness accounts:  Emotional state (happy, sad, upset)  Anxiety (fear)  Whether you are alone or in a group  Number of people and/or animals in the area  What type of activity is going on around you  How much activity is going on around you  A person’s mannerisms (walk, stand, look, hand gestures)  Familiarity with the scene (home, school, favorite restaurant)

THE INNOCENCE PROJECT  Created in 1992  Purpose: to reexamine post-conviction cases (individuals convicted and in prison) using DNA evidence to provide conclusive proof of guilt or innocence  Evaluated 200 wrongful convictions in the US, found that 87% of the cases resulted from flawed eyewitness testimony.

THE INNOCENCE PROJECT Gary Dotson Incident Date: 7/9/77 Jurisdiction: IL Charge: Aggravated Kidnapping, Rape Conviction: Aggravated Kidnapping, Rape Sentence: Years Year of Conviction: 1979 Exoneration Date: 8/14/89 Sentence Served: 10 Years Real perpetrator found? Not Yet Contributing Causes: Eyewitness Misidentification, Unvalidated or Improper Forensic Science Compensation? Yes (60,000 by Illinois Court; 17,000 from book written by victim)

HOW TO BE A GOOD OBSERVER  1. we are not naturally inclined to pay attention to all of the details of our surroundings – make a conscious effort to examine our environment systematically  2. we are naturally inclined to filter out unimportant information – consciously decide to observe everything, no matter how small, how familiar, our emotions, previous experiences

HOW TO BE A GOOD OBSERVER  3. we are naturally inclined to interpret what we see, to look for patterns and make connections – gather all available information and do not jump to conclusions  4. we know are memories are faulty – write down and photograph as much as possible

OBSERVATIONS IN FORENSICS  2,000 years ago, crimes were solved by debate.  Today, debating and arguing are NOT forensic science.  Forensic science is strictly concerned with uncovering evidence that stands as fact and reporting this to investigators and possibly to the courts.  Lawyers partake in the more debate and try to convince the jury by constructing a plausible story around these facts.

WHAT DOES A FORENSIC SCIENTIST DO?  Find, examine, and evaluate evidence from a crime scene and provide expert testimony to courts