FOR 101 - Chapter 1: Intro to Forensic Science

What is forensic science?

The application of science to criminal and civil laws

• enforced by police agencies

What does forensic science include?

• Criminalistics

  • crime scene analysis

• Digital/Multimedia Sciences

• Engineering Sciences

• General

• Jurisprudence

• Odontology (dental)

• Pathology/Biology

• Physical Anthropology

• Behavioral Science

• Questioned Documents

  • handwriting analysis

  • legitimate vs forged

  • Toxicology

Orfilia’s Contribution to Forensic Science

1814 - detection of poisons

Nichol’s Contribution to Forensic Science

1928 - polarizing microscope

Bertillon’s Contribution to Forensic Science

1879 - anthropometry

Taylor, Faulds, Galton’s Contribution to Forensic Science

1800s+ - fingerprints

Gross’ Contribution to Forensic Science

1893 - criminal investigation text

Lattes’ Contribution to Forensic Science

1915 - blood type grouping for ID

Osborn’s Contribution to Forensic Science

1920 - questioned document study

Locard’s Contribution to Forensic Science

1910 - exchange principle

Locard’s Exchange Principle

When two objects come into contact with each other, a cross-transfer of materials occurs

• the suspect has left some indicator of their presence and taken something from the location

• investigators must make sure they do not cross-transfer when at the scene

Jefferys’ Modern Contribution to Forensic Science

1984 - DNA profiling test

• much more precise analysis of DNA at the crime scene

Advancements in Databases

• computerized

  • IAFIS (fingerprints)

  • NGI (Next Generation Identification)

  • CODIS (Combined DNA Index System)

  • NIBIN

  • PDQ

Vollmer and the University of California

• 1930s Crime Lab

• Institute for Criminology and Criminalistics

  • important for training/education rather than the professional connections that often leads to corruption

Hoover’s National Laboratory

• 1932

• at the FBI

How are Forensic Laboratories Organized?

Left to federal, state, and local law enforcement

Basic Crime Laboratory Services

• physical science unit

• biology unit

• firearms unit

• documentation examination unit

• photography unit

Optional Crime Laboratory Services

• toxicology

• latent fingerprint

• polygraph

• voiceprint analysis

• crime-scene investigation

Other Crime Laboratory Services

• forensic psychiatry/psychology

  • Competency

  • Insanity

  • Risk assessment

  • Evaluations of scenes/perpetrators

• forensic odontology

• forensic engineering

  • crime scene reconstruction

    • recalls

  • making tech that other forensic scientists use

• forensic computer and digital analysis

  • phishing

  • phone tracking

Functions of a Forensic Scientist

• analysis of physical evidence

  • importance

  • admissibility

    • 4th amendment

  • chain of custody

• providing expert testimony

  • ability to talk to normal people (so jury can understand)

• providing training for police and other CJ professionals

  • proper evidence collection and handling