1. What is Forensic Science?

2. Origin of the Word
Forensics derived from the Latin word forensis, meaning forum, a public place used in Roman times by senators to debate and hold judicial proceedings

3. What is forensic science?
The study and application of science to matters of law
Examines the associations between people, places, things and events involved in crimes
AKA criminalistics
The examination of physical evidence
Evidence: anything that tends to establish OR disprove a fact
Includes:
Testimony
Objects
documents

4. Forensic Science
Forensic science is the application of natural sciences to matters of the law.
In practice, forensic science draws upon physics, chemistry, biology, and other scientific principles and methods.
It is concerned with the recognition, identification, individualization, and evaluation of physical evidence.
Forensic scientists present their findings as expert witnesses in the court of law.

5. Truth vs. Myth
What do you think is realistic or unrealistic about the forensic science that is represented in the media?

6. What is the C.S.I. Effect?
A recent phenomenon, creating elevated standards and heightened expectations in the minds of jurors and others of the ability of real-life forensic science, that arose from television shows like CSI, which can distort the reality of the science.

7. The C.S.I. Effect
Crime labs are well equipped with the latest high-tech instrumentation
Crime scene investigators process the crime scene.
Crime scene investigators know and do everything.
Crimes can be solved within the hour with high-tech equipment
DNA can solve most crimes
All cases can be solved with high-tech science
Forensic science results are never wrong
Fingerprints can be checked immediately with a large computer database
Forensic science is glamorous
CSI cannot immediately begin investigating crime scene

8. Crime Scene Team
A group of professionals investigators, each trained in a variety of special disciplines.
Team Members
First Police Officer on the scene
Medics (if necessary)
Investigator(s)
Medical Examiner (if necessary)
Photographer and/or Field Evidence Technician
Lab Experts
pathologist serologist
DNA expert toxicologist
forensic odontologist forensic anthropologist
forensic psychologist forensic entomologist
firearm examiner bomb and arson expert
document and handwriting experts fingerprint expert

9. The Locard Principle
1.You are sitting at your desk. What are you in contact with? What possible transfer of material could have taken place? Make a list. How could you have prevented any transfer if you had thought about it first? What transferred material could be traced back to you directly and what units of a crime lab would be used to trace it back to you?
2. Think about when you came to school today. Did you leave any evidence that you were here other than being observed by others (eye witnesses)?
3. Is it difficult not to leave a trace? And, after the fact, is there lots to worry about from leaving evidence of your presence?
4. Do you think premeditated contact can diminish identifiable transfers? Give some examples of where destroying evidence could leave more that could identify you.

10. Forensic Scientist Job description Study evidence found at the crime
ID object, its origin, and how it got to the crime scene
Expert witness
At trial, present data, weighs evidence, gives impartial opinion in court
Researcher
Performs scientific research and trains other scientists

11. The History of Forensic Science
Sherlock Holmes: a fictional character developed by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle; used a great deal of forensic detection
Mathieu Orfila: toxicology (the detection of poisons)
Alphonse Bertillon: anthropometry (personal identification through body measurements)
Francis Galton: developed 1st fingerprint identification system
Leone Lattes: determined methods of using blood type as a means of identification
Calvin Goddard: firearms examination
Albert Osborn: document examination
Edmund Locard: Developed the 1st police lab
J. Edgar Hoover: director of the FBI: Organized the 1st FBI Crime Lab in 1932

12. Edmond Locard History Early 1900’s Forensic investigator
Believed criminal should be connected to the crime by trace evidence collected at the crime scene
“Whenever 2 objects come into contact, there is a transfer of material. The methods of detection may not be sensitive enough to demonstrate this or the decay rate may be too rapid that all evidence or transfer has vanished after a given amount of time. None the less, the transfer has taken place.”

13. Steps in Investigation
Crime Scene Investigators arrive on the scene and make sure it is secure.
They secure large areas they believe to be part of the crime scene.
This CSI will not just start collecting evidence, CSI needs search warrants. Any evidence collected without a warrant will not have value in court.

14. Basic Crime Scene Run Through
They will complete an initial walk through and get a feel for the crime scene
They will make some initial theories and make notes of potential evidence.
CSI will document scene by taking photographs and drawing sketches during second walk through. Nothing is touched.

15. Crime Scene Search Patterns
TWO of FOUR PATTERNS
Spiral
Grid

16. Crime Scene Search Patterns
TWO of FOUR PATTERNS
Strip or Line
Quadrant or Zone

17. After these steps have been completed, evidence can now be collected, tagged, logged, and packaged so it may be sent to be analyzed.
Evidence is analyzed in a crime labs.

18. Difference Types of Evidence
Physical
Behavioral
Testimonial
Documentary

19. PHYSICAL EVIDENCE Physical evidence is any tangible article, small or large, which tends to prove or disprove a point in question. It may be used to: 1.  Reconstruct the crime 2.  Identify the participants 3.  Confirm or discredit an alibi

20. Types of Physical Evidence
Transient Evidence
Pattern Evidence
Conditional
Transfer Evidence
Associative Evidenc

21. Types of Evidence Class evidence
physical evidence that belongs to a group of people or objects
- Identifying fabric as denim, or identifying a substance is blood, tire tracks
Individual evidence
physical evidence that can be linked to a specific person
- DNA test, fingerprints, distinct hand writing, voice analysis.

22. Physical Evidence
Transient Evidence--temporary; easily changed or lost; usually observed by the first officer at the scene
Odor--putrefaction, perfume, gasoline, urine, burning, explosives, cigarette or cigar smoke
Temperature--of room, car hood, coffee, water in a bathtub; cadaver
Imprints and indentations--footprints; teeth marks in perishable foods; tire marks on certain surfaces
Markings

23. Physical Evidence
Pattern and Impression: includes any markings produced when one object comes into contact with another object. It also includes pattern analysis, such as is used when evaluating handwriting, typewriting, and writing instruments.
Bloodstains
Firearms and Toolmarks
Latent Prints/Tenprints
Ondontology (Bitemarks)
Questioned Documents
Shoeprints and Tire Treads

24. Physical Evidence
Transfer Evidence- Generally produced by physical contact of persons, objects, or between persons or objects
Ex. Blood, semen, hair, clothing fibers

25. Conditional Evidence
Conditional Evidence--produced by a specific event or action; a type of physical evidence that usually describes the scene and condition of the scene.
Light--headlight; lighting conditions
Smoke--color, direction of travel, density, odor
Fire--color and direction of the flames, speed of spread, temperature and condition of fire

26. Conditional Evidence (cont.)
Location--of injuries or wounds; of bloodstains; of the victims vehicle;of weapons or cartridge cases; of broken glass, etc.
Vehicles--doors locked or unlocked, windows opened or closed; radio off or on (station); odometer mileage
Body--position; types of wounds
Scene--condition of furniture, doors and windows; any disturbance or signs of a struggle.

27. Physical Evidence Associative Evidence
—items that may associate a victim or suspect with a scene or each other; ie, personal belongings

28. Nature of Evidence: Biological
Blood
Semen
Saliva
Sweat/Tears
Hair
Bone
Tissues
Urine
Feces
Animal Material
Insects
Bacterial/Fungal

29. Nature of Evidence: Chemical
Fibers
Glass
Soil
Gunpowder
Metal
Mineral
Narcotics
Drugs
Paper
Ink
Cosmetics
Paint
Plastic
Lubricants
Fertilizer

30. Nature of Evidence: Miscellaneous
Voice analysis
Polygraph
Photography
Stress evaluation
Pyscholinguistic analysis
Vehicle identification

31. Once Evidence is Collected
Many different specialist analyze evidence and forward the information to the lead investigator.
What kind of analysis can we do??