Forensics Unit 2

I'll provide a comprehensive overview of forensics topics for your exam, breaking down each key area systematically:

## Types of Evidence

### Class Evidence

- Characteristics shared by a group of sources

- Examples:

- Blood type

- Tire tracks

- Shoe prints

- Fibers

- Paint samples

- Provides general information but cannot uniquely identify a specific source

### Individual Evidence

- Unique to a specific source

- Can be definitively linked to one individual or object

- Examples:

- Fingerprints

- DNA

- Ballistic markings on bullets

- Specific tool marks

- Specific handwriting characteristics

## Evidence Collection

### Collection Principles

- Preserve chain of custody

- Document everything

- Use proper protective equipment

- Prevent cross-contamination

- Collect, package, and label evidence carefully

- Photograph and document scene before collecting

### Collection Methods

- Careful handling with sterile tools

- Use appropriate containers (paper bags for dry evidence, sealed plastic for wet)

- Wear gloves and change between evidence collection

- Use tweezers, swabs, evidence collection kits

## Admissibility of Evidence

### 4th Amendment Considerations

- Protects against unreasonable searches and seizures

- Requires probable cause

- Warrants typically needed for searches

- Exceptions include:

- Consent searches

- Plain view doctrine

- Exigent circumstances

### Landmark Cases

#### Mincy v. State (1978)

- Addressed warrantless arrests and subsequent searches

- Established that probable cause alone doesn't automatically justify a search

- Emphasized the need for specific judicial oversight

#### Tyler v. State

- Likely refers to a case about evidence collection procedures

- Typically discusses proper protocols for collecting and preserving evidence

## Processing a Crime Scene

### Evidence Teams

- Lead investigator

- Crime scene technicians

- Forensic photographers

- Evidence collectors

- Forensic specialists (DNA, ballistics, etc.)

### Search Patterns

- Grid search

- Spiral search

- Linear/strip search

- Zone search

- Quadrant search

### Types of Crime Scenes

- Indoor vs. outdoor

- Active vs. passive

- Primary vs. secondary scenes

- Complex vs. simple scenes

## Crime Reconstruction Examples

### JFK Assassination

- Forensic analysis of:

- Bullet trajectories

- Ballistic evidence

- Autopsy reports

- Eyewitness testimony

- Forensic pathology

- Used to understand shooting sequence and potential shooter locations

### Lindbergh Kidnapping

- Early forensic techniques

- Handwriting analysis

- Trace evidence collection

- Ransom note examination

- Wood and ladder evidence analysis

### Pan Am Flight 103 (Lockerbie Bombing)

- Explosive residue analysis

- Debris field reconstruction

- Fragment identification

- Chemical trace evidence

- International forensic collaboration

- Satellite and communication evidence

## Key Forensic Principles

- Scientific method application

- Objective evidence interpretation

- Preservation of evidence integrity

- Detailed documentation

- Multi-disciplinary approach

## Recommended Study Strategies

- Understand broad concepts

- Know specific legal precedents

- Practice evidence identification

- Learn proper collection techniques

- Study landmark forensic cases

- Understand the scientific reasoning behind forensic methods

Remember that forensic science is a complex field combining law, science, and investigative techniques. Attention to detail, systematic approach, and scientific rigor are crucial.

Would you like me to elaborate on any of these topics or provide more specific details about forensic investigation techniques?