Criminalistics - Chapter 1: Introduction

crime-scene investigation unit

dispatches specially trained personnel to the crime scene to collect and preserve physical evidence

Forensic Science

Application of science to criminal and civil laws

Mathieu Orfila

father of forensic toxicology

Alphonse Bertillon

Father of criminal identification

Francis Galton

conducted the first definitive study of fingerprints and their classification

Leone Lattes

developed a procedure to determine blood type from dried bloodstains

Calvin Goddard

used a comparison microscope to determine if a particular gun fired a bullet

Albert Osborn

developed the fundamental principles of document examination

Walter McCrone

utilized microscopy and other analytical methodologies to examine evidence

Hans Gross

wrote the first treatise describing the application of scientific principles to the field of criminal investigation

Edmond Locard

incorporated Gross' principles within a workable crime laboratory

Locard's Exchange Principle

states that when a criminal comes in contact with an object or person, a cross-transfer of evidence occurs

Increase in Crime Labs

Increase crime rate, increase use of DNA evidence, required specialized training and equipment, drug abuse, increase in securing scientifically evaluated evidence.

Number of Crime labs

approximately 411 federal, state, county, and municipal

Physical Science Unit

incorporates the principles of chemistry, physics, and geology to identify and compare physical evidence

firearms unit

investigates discharged bullets, cartridge cases, shotgun shells, and ammunition

document examination unit

Provides handwriting analysis and other reproduction processes; ink and paper analysis; forgery and authenticity. Also analyzes indentations, obliterations, erasures, and burned or charred documents.

photography unit

applies specialized photographic techniques for recording and examining physical evidence

toxicology unit

examines body fluids and organs for the presence of drugs and poisons

latent fingerprint unit

processes and examines evidence for latent fingerprints

polygraph unit

conducts polygraph or lie detector tests

voiceprint analysis unit

attempts to tie a recorded voice to a particular suspect

Frye standard

the evidence in question must be "generally accepted" by the scientific community

Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals

"The court ruled that 'general acceptance' by an expert witness is not an absolute prerequisite to the admissibility of scientific evidence." -Forensic Science, an Introduction

make sure the expert witnesses opinion is reliable and rests on a good foundation

Kumho Tire Co., Ltd. v. Carmichael

The Court unanimously ruled that the "gatekeeping" role of the trial judge applied not only to scientific testimony, but to (Allows all expert testimony).

basically making sure the expert witness knows what he's talking about and his knowledge is based on scientific theory.

Melendez-Diaz v. Massachusetts

In 2010, the U. S. Supreme court further defined the role of forensic analysts, deciding that they are "witnesses" and their reports are "testimonial"—meaning that, under the Constitution's Confrontation Clause, they must personally testify at trial unless the defendant waives his or right to cross-examine them in which of the following cases?

circumstantial evidence

evidence used to prove other evidence

Forensic Psychiatry

assess readiness for trial

Forensic Odontology

Bite Mark Impressions

Forensic Engineering

Crime Scene reconstruction

Frye v. United States (1923)

"generally accepted" by a meaningful segment of scientific community

Coppolino v. State (1968)

allow new procedures as long as based on sound scientific principles

lay witness

a witness who can truthfully and accurately testify on a fact in question without having specialized training or knowledge

The first 4 crime scene search steps

1. Aid the injured and making sure the scene is safe

2. Secure the scene

3. Preliminary Examination of the area

4. Documenting the scene

What are the four ways of documenting a crime scene?

1. Pictures/videos

2. scaling the evidence

3. Rough and Final sketches

4. Notes

What are the last 5 crime scene search steps?

5. Search for evidence

6. package the evidence

7. Collect Controls to compare with the evidence

8. Chain of Custody

9. Submit evidence

What are the 5 search patterns?

1. strip or line search

2. grid search

3. spiral search

4. wheel/ray search

5. quadrant or zone search

Mincey v. Arizona

a trial in which the verdict affirmed that search warrants must be obtained if there is reasonable time to obtain them.

Searching the scene multiple times without warrant

Michigan v. Tyler

a trial in which the verdict affirmed that a search warrant must be obtained quickly before a search can commence.

Searching the scene multiple times without warrant

Chain of Custody

Everyone that comes in contact with the evidence must document it from the time of collection to the time of trial.

Class Characteristics

Properties of evidence that can be associated only with a group and never with a single source.

ex. Tire marks, Shoe brand

Individual Characteristics

properties of evidence that can be attributed to a common source with an extremely high degree of certainty.

ex. DNA or fingerprint.

Control

Physical evidence whose orgins is known. Such as fibers or hairs from suspect that can be compared to the evidence found in the crime scene

Physical Evidence

any object that can establish that a crime has or has not been committed or can link a crime and its victim or its perpetrator

a. fixed

b. movable

c. fragile