1. Forensic Science

2. What is forensic science?
Stems from the latin word forum
It applies to anything that relates to law
It is the application of scientific disciplines to the law

3. Was someone stealing the trees?
What did the investigator notice that helped him solve the crime?
How did the landowner help in the investigation?

4. Was someone stealing the trees?
What did the investigator notice that helped him solve the crime?
How did the landowner help in the investigation?

5. What do investigators need to do?
1. Find – identify evidence
2. Document – record the evidence
3. Interpret – determine the importance of the evidence

6. Role of Investigators
One of the most important roles of the forensic investigator is to observe, interpret, and report their observations ACCURATELY and CLEARLY.

7. Role of Investigators
The trained investigator collects ALL available evidence, WITHOUT making judgements about its potential importance.
Determining which evidence is significant requires the ability to recreate the series of events preceding the crime.

8. Role of Investigators
Forensic investigators know that the suspect ALWAYS takes with them part of the crime scene, as well as, leaves behind part of themselves, EVERY TIME.

9. What is observation?
An observation is something that a person perceives using 1 or more of his or her 5 senses
We are always making observations: sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell
However, we cannot pay attention to everything all at once, but instead to things that are likely to be important

10. Problem with observations
Perception is faulty – how we interpret information received from the senses is not always accurate and does not always reflect reality
We fill in information that isn’t there
Ex: Creamy pink dessert – what flavor might you expect? Why do you expect that flavor?

11. Can you say the color not the word?
Blue
Red
Orange
Black
Yellow
Green
Purple
Pink

12. Faulty Perception
The word/color test is an example of left brain/right brain conflict.
Right brain wants to say the color
Left brain insists on saying the word

13. Eyewitnesses
Can be a useful tool in aiding investigators with crime scene analysis
Eyewitness accounts vary considerably from one person to another
They are not considered very reliable
Many things influence a witness, and impact his or her recollection and account of the situation
Focus and concentration
Emotional state of the witness
Stress and Fear

14. Eyewitnesses Reasons crime scene reports vary: Level of interest
Stress
Concentration
Amount and kind of distractions present
Prejudices
Personal beliefs and experiences
Motives
Any lapse in time since the event

15. Observation vs. Inference
Making Observations
Using the 5 senses: sight, taste, hearing, touch, smell
Making Inferences
A logical interpretation based on observations or prior knowledge

16. What can you infer about this picture?
Inference Picture

17. Problems with eyewitnesses
People are likely to view the same scene in different ways depending on their positions, line of sight, familiarity with the area, and other factors can interfere with a person’s ability to remember details.

18. Memory Challenge: You will have 30 seconds to view the next screen
Try to memorize all 20 items you see
You are NOT allowed to write anything down
You CANNOT talk to anyone else

20. What do you remember?
You have 2 minutes to list as many of the items as you can.
- You may write them down now

21. How did you do. All 20 – Awesome
How did you do? All 20 – Awesome! – Great – Pretty swell 5-9 Could be better 4 or less – Wake Up

22. The Innocence Project
“Eyewitness misidentification is the single greatest cause of wrongful convictions nationwide, playing a role in more than 75% of convictions overturned through DNA testing.”

23. Eyewitness Test
Eyewitness Test
eyewitness test 2