first crime lab in US: LAPD (1928)
2nd crime lab in US: Northwestern University (became Chicago PD lab)
Calvin Goddard: at Northwestern University, created comparison microscope
2 most important identification techniques: fingerprints and DNA
latent prints vs. latent fingerprints: latent print can be anything (including palms and feet), but latent fingerprint, is specifically fingers
latent: not visible with naked eye
ways to make latent prints visible: alternate light source, chemicals, powders, cyanoacrylate fuming
cyanoacrylate fuming: superglue, preserves and visualizes print
what to use cyanoacrylate fuming on: prints on hard nonporous surfaces
12 steps of processing a crime scene: preparation, approach, secure/protect scene, preliminary survey, evaluate physical evidence possibilities, narrative description, photographs, sketch, detailed search, record/collect evidence, final survey, release scene
CODIS: Combined DNA Index System
how many labs contribute to CODIS: about 200
cases CODIS has helped solve: over 500 thousand
types of prints in CODIS: prints left at scene, people arrested, known offenders
levels of CODIS: local, state, national
wrongfully convicted individuals exonerated with DNA: over 300 in US
TEDAC: Terrorist Explosive Device Analytical Center
what does TEDAC do: analyze IEDs and compare them/identify people responsible for them
IED: improvised explosive devices
Sir Alec Jeffreys: genetic scientist
biological identification technique before DNA: blood typing
Frye case: science needs to be generally accepted
Daubert case: needs validation, peer review, standards, error rate, and widespread acceptance
6 positions at a crime scene: team leader, photographer, sketch preparer, evidence custodian, evidence recovery, specialist
disciplines: impression evidence, biological evidence, trace evidence, chemical evidence
specialists not found in most labs: entomology, anthropology, odontology, graphics
chain of custody: for each individual piece of evidence, start with who took it from the scene until court (absolutely no gaps)
administrative report: done by team leader, includes all the information
forensic vacuum: for trace evidence, use different ones in different locations to separate what was found where
Lisk/Silva cases: hairs and fibers connected each other and suspect
Locard’s Exchange Principle: anything that comes in contact with something leaves something and picks something up
microbial forensics: used in anthrax case in 2001
evidence packaging: initial on tape/package, information on package (person, date, case, etc)
electrostatic dust print lifter: lifts dust prints
2 people should be present for: collection of drugs/valuables
known standards: collect from suspect, victim, scene
Lattes: developed procedure to determine blood group
Landsteiner: ABO blood typing system
Galton: fingerprints
Goddard: comparison microscopy in ballistics
Orfila: father of forensic toxicology
Bertillon: 22 measurements for identification
Jeffreys: DNA profiling