Forensic Science - Chapters 1-4

Doyle, Sherlock Holmes

_____ popularized scientific crime detection methods through his fictional character ______ _______

Mathieu Orfila

father of toxicology, published the detection of poisons and their effects on animals

Alphonse Bertillon

father of criminal identification, devised first system of identification, anthropology

Francis Galton

father of fingerprinting, conducted first definitive study of fingerprint and made methodology for classification. Published book with first statistical proof supporting uniqueness.

Leone Lattes

father of bloodstain identification, developed procedure for determining blood type of dried blood.

Calvin Goddard

father of ballistics, developed technique to examine bullets using a comparison microscope - determines whether a certain gun fired the bullets.

Albert Osborn

father of document examination, developed fundamental principles and responsible for acceptance of documents as scientific evidence in court.

Walter McCrone

father of microscopic forensics, utilized microscope and other methodologies to examine evidence, educated thousands of forensic scientists in application of microscopic techniques

Edmond Locard

father of the crime lab, founded Institute of Criminalistics at Uni. of Lyons (leading center for study/research in forensic science), “—— Exchange Principle”

J. Edgar Hoover

father of the FBI, director in 1930s, organized national laboratory to offer forensic services to all law enforcement, lead to opening of FBI’s Forensic Science Research and Training center

Federal Bureau of Investigation

largest crime lab in the world

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

analyze drugs seized in violation of federal laws regulating production, sale, and transportation.

Bureau of ATF and Explosives

analyze alcoholic beverages and documents relating to alcohol and firearms excise tax law enforcement and examine weapons, explosive devices and related evidence

US Postal Inspection Service

deals with criminal investigations relating to the postal service

Frye vs. The United States 

decision set guidelines for determining the admissibility of scientific evidence in the court room

Frye Standard

procedure, technique, or principle in question must be “generally accepted” by the scientific community in that subject

Federal Rules of Evidence

governs the admissibility of all evidence including expert testimony

Daubert vs. Merrell Dow Pharmaceutical, Inc.

US supreme court asserted that the Frye Standard was not an absolute prerequisite; trial judges were ultimately responsible

Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System

national fingerprint and criminal history system maintained by the FBI; integrated into Next-Generation System

Automated Fingerprint Identification System

in each state, linked to FBI’s NGI

The Combined DNA Index System

enables federal, state, and local crime labs to electronically exchange DNA profiles

National Integrated Ballistics Information Network

allows firearm analysts to acquire, digitalize, and compare markings made by a firearm on bullets and cartridge casings recovered

Internal Forensic Automotive Paint Data Query

database contains chemical and color information pertaining to original automotive paints

SICAR (shoeprint image capture and retrieval)

shoeprint database