NC State Crime Lab

The "Reel" CSI

- Forensic scientist collects evidence at the scene

- examines evidence at the lab (different types of examinations)

- what's seen in films/tv shows

The Real CSI

- Law enforcement delivers evidence to the lab that crime scene personnel collect

- forensic scientists specialize in areas of expertise

- examinations are time-consuming

Laboratory Analysis

Raleigh Lab (Drug Chemistry, Toxicology, Latent Evidence), Triad Regional Lab, Western Regional Lab

Drug Chemistry

Analysis of drug evidence

- pharmaceutical and street (cocaine, meth, fentanyl)

- assists with the investigation of meth labs

Analysis of Drug Evidence

Color tests, Marquis Test - indication of what drug may contain

- purple: opiates (heroin)

- orange: amphetamines

GC/MS & FT-IR - instruments used to confirm the presence of drugs

Clandestine Labs

Meth labs

Toxicology

study of poisonous substances and their effects upon body parts

- blood and urine analysis determines presence of alcohol, prescription drugs, and illicit drugs

latent evidence

Evidence of relevance to a criminal investigation that is not readily seen by the unaided eye

- footprints

- footwear and tire tread impressions

- fingerprints of deceased

- identifying victims of mass disasters

Hands in Cans

Identification of Unknown Persons

- Post-mortem identification using hands removed from the deceased

firearms

bullets, cartridge cases, shotgun shells

- firearm functions and malfunctions

- serial number restorations

Digital Evidence

Evidence consisting of information stored or transmitted in electronic form

- video analysis/audio analysis

Forensic Biology

the application of biology to law enforcement

Body Fluid Identification

Presumptive and confirmatory tests

- blood and semen tests

Sources of DNA

- blood stains

- semen stains

- chewing gum

- stamps/envelopes

- condoms

- teeth

- tissue

- bone

- sweaty clothes

- hair

- saliva

- touch DNA

- fingernail scrapings

DNA Analysis

The testing of DNA samples that exists on the evidence collected from a crime scene

- extraction

- quantitation

- amplification

- capillary electrophoresis

- data interpretation

What can DNA do for you?

- tell you if the DNA profile came from a male or female

- tell you if it matches a submitted comparison sample and give statistical frequencies with that match

- run unknowns

What DNA cannot do for you

- tell you when DNA was deposited on a piece of evidence

- tell you if it was a consensual act

DNA Database Section

CODIS - DNA profiles from casework evidence, offenders, and suspects

Sample Collection

Samples of blood, urine, and tissues are collected and sent away for additional testing to help determine identity and/or cause of death

- collected by law enforcement upon qualifying arrest conviction

- sent to NC State Crime Lab for processing and database entry

Trace Evidence

small but measurable amounts of physical or biological material found at a crime scene

- comparative disciplines: hair, fiber, tape, paint, glass, physical

- identification disciplines

Hair Analysis

Determine animal species (human, deer, rabbit)

- identify body area of origin (head, pubic, etc.)

- classify ancestry (European, Asian, African)

- compare questioned head and pubic hair to known hair samples

- evaluate for future DNA analysis

Fiber Analysis

A method of identifying and examining fibers used by law enforcement agencies around the world to procure evidence during an investigation

- identify fiber type (natural and synthetic)

- compare questioned fibers with fibers from known sources

Tape Analysis

identify type (duct, electrical, paper, etc.)

- compare Q & K: physical fit and analysis

Paint

determine layer structure, texture, physical properties, chemical composition

- PDQ database

Glass Analysis

Look for possible physical fit

- compare glass collected from suspect to glass at scene

Gunshot Residue Analysis

examine for characteristic particles of gunshot residue

- contains Ba, Sb, and Pb

determine if an individual:

- fired a weapon, was in the presence of a weapon

Headlight filament Analysis

determine if a filament was on or off at the time of an impact