Criminalistics ch 1

Forensic Science

application of science → technology and knowledge, closely merges with civil and criminal law

Mathieu Orfila

father of toxicology, first treatise on poisons and effects on animals

Alphone Bertillon

first personal identification system, anthropometry: body measurements

Francis Galton

first defensive study of classifying and filing fingerprints

Calvin Goddard

Ex-Colonel who established comparison microscope for bullet identification

Walter Mccrone

analytical technology, worlds preeminent microscopist

Albert S Osborn

fundamental principles of questioned documents

Hans Gross

first treatise of application of scientific disciplines to field of criminal investigations

Edmond Locard

exchange principle: when a human comes in contact with another human/object, a cross transfer of materials occur (dust particles)

LAPD

founded in 1923 by August Volmer, oldest forensic lab

DNA profiling

become a dominant factor in the workings and capabilities of modern crime labs

analyzed casework DNA > 57,000

untested convicted offender samples < 500,000 → logged in combined DNA index system

FBI

maintains largest crime lab in world

drug enforcement admin lab: drugs seized in violation of law, production, sale, and transportation

bureau of alc, tobacco, guns: analyzes those related to gun control act 1968 and organized crime control act 1970

defensive forensic center: crime investigation across military services

Reason for local labs

limitation in local laws, different capabilities and functions, budget and staff limitations

spectrograph

transforms speech into visual display

digital imaging/infrared

x-ray, ultraviolet, makes photo and video evidence visible to naked eye

scientific method

ensures careful, systematic collection, organization, and analysis of information

hypothesis- particular questions to be examined

Frye vs US

when a scientific principle crosses the line between experimental and demonstrable stages. Evidential force of principal must be recognized

Rule 702

“expert witness” - witness of skill, knowledge, experience, etc. may testify to assist as a scientific opinion if 1, testimony is based upon sufficient facts/data, 2, if testimony is product of reliable principles, 3, witness has applied principles reliably to case

Confrontation 6th amendment clause

gives a criminal defendant the right to face and cross-examine the witnesses testifying against them

forensic psychiatry

relationship between human behavior and legal proceedings is examined f

forensic odontology

identify victims left in unrecognizable states

teeth alignment, bite marks - 1975

forensic engineer

failure analysis, accident reconstruction, causes of fire/explosions