The forensic laboratory

• Edmond Locard was responsible for the first forensic laboratory in the world

  • by 1910

• in the United States, some of the earliest labs included:

  • Los Angeles police F (1923)

  • Chicago police department (1929)

• the valentines Day massacre led to the establishment of the forensic lab fo Chicago

• Calvin Goddard analyzed crime scene bullets and cartridge cases

  • scientific crime laboratory created

• FBI lab opened in 1932, and by 1933 it was known as the technical laboratory

• firearms identification, fingerprint examination, handwriting, trace evidence, and serological testing are all now part of this laboratory

• currently, there are approximately 411 publicly funded crime laboratories within the United

• forensic crime laboratory: a scientific laboratory that examines physical evidence in criminal matters and provides reports and opinion testimony concerning such physical evidence in court law

the primary historical factors

1. Miranda filing: coming out of Miranda V.Arizona (1966), paced greater emphasis on the collection, preservation, and analysis of physical evidence

2. The introduction and proliferation of illicit drugs have been directly linked to the onslaught of crimes against property and persons

3. Another reason for the dramatic growth in the number of crime labs is due to the scientific advances and the CSI effect

Types of forensic larbratioies

• The US federal government does not have a single laboratory with unlimited jurisdiction

• Every state has developed its own crime laboratory system

• municipal county governments operate local laborites to serve their locality

• When jurisdictions have combined recourses, that creates regional laboratories

• majority of forensic labs within the United States are public

• Publicly funded labs are also making use of the private sector to meet their demands

services offered

• items examine: suspected accelerants, drugs, explosive residues, fingerprints, glass, paints, fibers, metal, biological stains, toxins, and soils

• Questioned evidence: any type of evidence or material from an unknown source

• Known evidence: any evidence that originates from a known, acknowledged, accounted source

organization of forensic laboratories

• statewide las will operate as full-service, while regional labs will only offer a limited number of forensic services

• services that are offered by full serviced laboratories include

  • firearms/ballistics

  • toxicology/ chemistry/ drug analysis

  • trace

  • biology/serology/DNA

  • Document

  • photography

  • fingerprint

  • the tack/footwear/ tool mark impressions

  • polyhrpah/voice stress analysis unit

  • crime scene field response

the

function of a criminalist

• today the nation’s crime labs employ of 13,000 full-time personnel

• laboratory staff may be required to appear in court

• criminalist is to provide investigative leads

• criminalists are not typically involved in investigatory activities

  • a criminal will have many opportunities to educate law enforcement officers, attorneys, crime scene personnel, judges, and medical personnel

  • the criminalist is responsible for education with regard to the interpretation and meaning behind the scientific conclusion to ensure the current probative value

• containing education: new technology and crime trends

requesting aid

• the district attorney of the appropriate county must be advised that an investigation is being undertaken and that the laboratory services are necessary and are requested

submitting evidence to the laboratory

• evidence is submitted d to the crime lab either by personal delivery or a via mail

  • the US postal services and other parcel carriers have specific policies when shipping evidence

  • every item shipped to the crime lab should be packaged sepatlely

• evidence submission form needed

• Accreditation: the endorsement of a forensic laboratory policies and procedures

  • sign of industry recognition and acceptance

• necessary component of establishing credibility in the court system

• some requirement include

  • develop a quality control manual

  • develop a lab testing protocol

  • develop a quality lab testing

  • develop a quality assurance manual

  • develop a program for the proficiency examination

• the American society of crime lab directors