1. Unit I: Introduction to Forensic Science Topic: Observation Skills

2. Unit I Vocabulary List Forensic Science Analytical skills
Deductive reasoning
Eyewitness
Fact
Logical
Observation
Opinion
Perception

3. Forensic Science is the application of science to law.
True
False
Countdown 15

4. What is Forensic Science?
Forensic Science is the application of science to law.
What are laws?
The rules created by the government of a society to protect the rights of its citizens.
What is crime?
An offense to the law.

5. Introduction
One of the most important tools of the forensic investigator is the ability to observe, interpret, and report observations clearly.
Reference materials from Forensic Science an Introduction Richard Saferstein chapter 1

6. What skills are necessary for a forensic scientist to thoroughly investigate a crime?
Reference materials from Forensic Science an Introduction Richard Saferstein chapter 1

7. What skills are necessary for a forensic scientist to thoroughly investigate a crime?
Forensic investigators recognize, document, collect, and organize evidence left at the scene of a crime. But realize that many factors affect observation skills such as emotion, perception and recall skills in obtaining eyewitness accounts.
Reference materials from Forensic Science an Introduction Richard Saferstein chapter 1

8. Activity: How Observant Are You?
What skills are necessary for a forensic scientist to thoroughly investigate a crime?
Activity: How Observant Are You?
Reference materials from Forensic Science an Introduction Richard Saferstein chapter 1

10. Video Questions Number of vehicles next to driver at the start?
Color of the first vehicle which driver passed?
Did the driver cross a bus stop/ rain shelter?
Was it raining?
No. of buses the driver passed on the other side?
How many vehicles passed the driver?
The color of flowers growing in the center of the road?
Was there a green colored truck in the video?
Number of people in the crosswalk?
Gender of the person/people in crosswalk? 

11. How Good are Your Observation Skills?
Number of vehicles next to driver at the start? Two
Color of the first vehicle which driver passed? Silver
Did the driver cross a bus stop/ rain shelter? Yes, 2
Was it raining? No
No. of buses the driver passed on the other side? Three
How many vehicles passed the driver? Two
The color of flowers growing in the center of the road? White
Was there a green colored truck in the video? Yes
Number of people in the crosswalk? Two
Gender of the person/people in crosswalk? Two males
The Average Observation Skill Score is 60%

12. What skills are necessary for a forensic scientist to thoroughly investigate a crime?
Observation:
A basic and important tool of a forensic investigator is the ability to observe, interpret, and report observations.
Reference materials from Forensic Science an Introduction Richard Saferstein chapter 1

13. What skills are necessary for a forensic scientist to thoroughly investigate a crime?
Observation
You must be able to use your five senses.
We are constantly collecting information through sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch.
Reference materials from Forensic Science an Introduction Richard Saferstein chapter 1

14. What skills are necessary for a forensic scientist to thoroughly investigate a crime?
Observation
Brain filtering
Filtering is an unconscious process that helps the brain deal with all the stimuli and information that bombards it.
Sensory overload
Filling in gaps
Reference materials from Forensic Science an Introduction Richard Saferstein chapter 1

15. How do forensic scientists use observation, analytical skills and deductive reasoning to solve cases?
Accurate observations help them to recognize vital physical evidence.
Analytical skills help them to interpret results of data collected from an organized investigation.
Deductive reasoning skills help them to draw logical conclusions after analyzing all data.
Reference materials from Forensic Science an Introduction Richard Saferstein chapter 1

16. What influence does a person’s point of view have on their perception?
Everything!
The point of view of a person plays a big role in their perception of events.
People are influenced by the environmental factors such as the amount of light, temperature, wind, precipitation, objects that might block their view, and distractors.
People are influenced by their own
physical disposition such as their health,
clarity of vision and hearing, age, gender,
and race.
People are influenced by other people
around them and what they may say.
Reference materials from Forensic Science an Introduction Richard Saferstein chapter 1

17. What influence does a person’s point of view have on their perception?
Witness and eyewitness accounts
Many things influence a witness and, therefore, impact his or her recollection and account of the situation.
Perception
Factors affecting observational skills
Reference materials from Forensic Science an Introduction Richard Saferstein chapter 1

18. What influence does a person’s point of view have on their perception?
The Innocence Project
Studies conducted by the project have found that faulty eyewitness identifications have contributed to up to 87 percent of wrongful convictions.
Reference materials from Forensic Science an Introduction Richard Saferstein chapter 1

19. Fact vs. Opinion
A statement of fact expresses only what actually happened, or what could be proven by objective data.
A statement of opinion expresses an attitude toward something – it makes a judgment, view, or conclusion, or gives an opinion that cannot be proven true or false.

20. Fact vs. Opinion Example of a fact in science:
The Periodic Table of Elements is a tabular arrangement of the chemical elements according to atomic number as based on the periodic law.
A crime scene is a place where an actual crime has occurred.
Example of an opinion in science:
I think that the vinegar and baking soda looks really cool when added together.
A crime occurred here because there is blood on the floor.

21. Fact or Opinion?
A maggot might be: 2.1 cm long, with two long black hooks on the anterior end, and a posterior end wider than the anterior end. That’s gross!
The victim was walking alone at night and made herself a target because of what she was wearing.
Women are more likely to be victims.

22. Fact or Opinion? A male is more likely to commit a violent crime.
That boy was running from the crime scene because he did it.
Young people who are involved in afterschool programs are least likely to commit a crime.
The black lady must have started the fight because they are hot headed.

23. Fact or Opinion? Answers
Opinion: Maggots come in many sizes, an although you may can prove that one maggot is that specific size, it is an opinion that maggots are “gross.”
Opinion: Although it may be proven that the victim was walking alone, the victim becoming a target based on what the victim was wearing cannot be proven.
Fact: This statement can possibly be proven with statistical data.
Opinion: Although it can be proven that the boy was running, a conclusion was drawn with no information to support it.
Fact: This statement cab possibly be proven with statistical data.
Opinion: This statement is based upon personal opinion and draws a conclusion based upon a personal bias.

24. Providing Expert Testimony
Forensic scientist may be required to testify about their methods and conclusions at a trail or hearing. Expert witness – an individual who the court determines to possess knowledge relevant to the trial that is not expected of the average layperson.
Reference materials from Forensic Science an Introduction Richard Saferstein chapter 1

25. Expert Witnesses
As a forensic scientist one must be impartial, and only draw conclusions based on what the evidence shows.
A forensic scientist might be asked if other scenarios are possible, and even if other scenarios are as strongly supported by the evidence as the scientist's opinion, the expert must admit it when other scenarios are possible.

26. What strategies can a person use to improve their observation skills?
Practicing good observation skills
Basic Tips
Observational aids
Reference materials from Forensic Science an Introduction Richard Saferstein chapter 1