Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1 1 x All rights Reserved South-Western / Cengage Learning © 2012, 2009

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1 2 Chapter 1 Observation Skills By the end of this chapter you will be able to: o Define observation and describe what changes occur in the brain o Describe examples of factors influencing eyewitness accounts of events o Compare the reliability of eyewitness testimony with what actually happened

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1 3 Chapter 1 Observation Skills By the end of this chapter you will be able to: o Relate observation skills to their use in forensic science o Define forensic science o Practice and improve your observation skills

Spot the Differences Dinner Time February 2 nd, 2016 Week 1 - Tuesday Source:

Find the 6 differences between the two pictures. Answers: Fish gill, tree stump, cat’s foot, dog’s mouth, bird’s beak, dog’s ear

Observations o Pay attention to the following video. Pay attention to the following video. o s/15.html s/15.html Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1 6

7 Introduction The forensic examiner must be able to 1. find—identify the evidence 2. document—record the evidence 3. interpret—accurately determine the significance of the evidence

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1 8 What Is Observation? Our brains can filter out information. Point out some of the details in this photo.

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1 9 What Is Observation? How information is processed in the brain

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1 10 What Is Observation? Our brains fill in gaps in our perception o In order to make sense of what we perceive, our brains often enrich with detail what we see, taste, hear, smell, or feel o After an event, we can believe things were part of the background even though they were not

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1 11 What Is Observation? Our brains apply previous knowledge to new situations What assumptions can you make about this scene? How might those assumptions be wrong?

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1 12 Observations by Witnesses Observations are affected by: o Their emotional states o Whether they were alone, part of a group, or near others o What type of and how much activity was going on around them

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1 13 Eyewitness Accounts o Crime-scene reports often vary, due to: level of interest stress concentration amount and kind of distractions present prejudices personal beliefs motives any lapse in time since the event

Conclusion: Card Trick o JM JM Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1 14

Case #1: The Accident February 3 rd, 2016 Week 1 - Wednesday T. Trimpe

There was nothing Leon, the driver, could do about the impending crash of the car he was driving. Leon knew the car would be completely demolished in the crash. After the crash Leon didn’t have a scratch on him. How can that be?

Leon was driving a remote control car. or He was playing a video game.

Answer the following questions o What is qualitative vs. quantitative data? o What are the steps of the scientific method? Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1 18

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1 19 The Innocence Project o Barry C. Scheck and Peter J. Neufeld Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, o Beginning in 1992, used DNA to examine post-conviction cases o Faulty eyewitness identifications accounted for up to 87% of the wrongful convictions

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1 20 How to be a Good Observer Observe systematically o Start at one part of a crime scene and run your eyes slowly over every space o Look carefully at details of each piece of evidence o Do not assume you will remember everything

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1 21 How to be a Good Observer Turn off filters o Consciously pay attention to all details o Do not pay attention to just what you think is important o All details are potentially important

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1 22 How to be a Good Observer Collect Information first, interpret data later o Look for patterns and make connections o More information yields better interpretations o Prejudices exist everywhere— eyewitness accounts your own thinking processes

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1 23 How to be a Good Observer Documentation, Documentation, Documentation o Write down and photograph as much information as possible o Be aware that memory is faulty o Remember that our brains tend to fill in gaps in our perceptions

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1 24 Observations in Forensics o Study situations o Find clues in ordinary details o Work backwards from the evidence to what led up to the crime o Be patient o Practice

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter Summary.... o The environment and our natural sensory filters affect our ability to observe o Eyewitness reports can be correct, faulty, or a little of both o Acquiring good observation skills takes practice and training

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter Summary o Forensic scientists: Find and Document Evidence Evaluate and Interpret Provide expert testimony to courts

Spot the Differences Happy Birthday February 4 th, 2016 Week 1 - Thursday Source:

Find the 6 differences between the two pictures. Answers: Tail feathers, flame, monkey’s tail, lion’s mane, cake tray, frosting

Conclusion Questions: OBSERVATION ACTIVITY Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1 29

Conclusion Questions: OBSERVATION ACTIVITY Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1 30

Conclusion Questions: OBSERVATION ACTIVITY Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1 31

Trivia Set #1 February 8 th, 2016 Week 1 - Friday T. Trimpe

1. Ted Bundy was an American serial killer who was convicted on the basis of which type of forensic evidence? A. Bite marks C. DNA fingerprinting B. Latent fingerprints D. Ballistics 2. The time of death can be calculated by various means. One is rigor mortis, Latin for 'the stiffness of death'. Another indication is livor mortis or lividity. What does this term refer to? A. Cloudiness in the eyes B. Gravitational pooling of blood C. Degree of digestion of stomach contents D. Relaxation of muscles following to rigor mortis 3. When attempting to identify a skeleton, craniofacial morphology (the structure and form of the skull and face) is the best indicator of race. One group of human beings has a unique, rounded jaw bone which is called a 'rocker jaw'. This is a characteristic of which ethnic group? A. Australian Aborigines C. African Americans B. Chinese D. Hawaiians

1.Ted Bundy was an American serial killer who was convicted on the basis of which type of forensic evidence? A. Bite marks Although he denied being the killer, Bundy made the mistake of biting one of his victims. So although he lied through his teeth, his teeth marks didn’t lie! 2. The time of death can be calculated by various means. One is rigor mortis, Latin for 'the stiffness of death'. Another indication is livor mortis or lividity. What does this term refer to? B. Gravitational pooling of blood Livor is Latin for 'a black and blue spot' and refers to the discoloration of the skin in the lowest part of a cadaver resulting from the gravitational pooling of blood. 3. When attempting to identify a skeleton, craniofacial morphology (the structure and form of the skull and face) is the best indicator of race. One group of human beings has a unique, rounded jaw bone which is called a 'rocker jaw'. This is a characteristic of which ethnic group? D. Hawaiians - The 'rocker jaw' is so called because it will rock back and forth like a rocking chair if gently pushed.

DO NOW: o What are some factors that can influence someone's observations? o What do you think are the two most important senses we use when making observations? o Should we rely on these two only? Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1 35

o Hae Min Lee-Adnan Syed’s ex girlfriend who disappeared in 1999 o Rabia Chaudry- Defense attorney, friend of Adnan’s, believes he is innocent o Saad- Rabia’s younger brother and Adnan’s best friend o Jay- Friend of Adnan’s (since middle school), sells weed, his story with the police changed several times o Asia-an alibi who went to school with Adnan 36