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SCIENCE
INTRODUCTION
Crime Scene
Investigation
Forensic Science
Definition: The application of scientific technology to
supply accurate and objective information reflecting
the events that occurred at a crime.
What does a Forensic Scientist DO???
1. Analyze physical evidence
2. Provide Expert Testimony
3. Provide training in the recognition, collection and
preservation of physical evidence
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Complex Reasoning
In Forensic Science
Deductive (reasoning from
the general to the particular)
and
Inductive Reasoning
(reasoning from detailed
facts to general principles)
Classifying
Comparing and Contrasting
Problem Solving
Analyzing Perspectives
Constructing Support
Error Analysis
CORPUS DELICTI
You must prove:
Source of Evidence
Body
Primary and/or Secondary Crime Scene
Suspect(s)
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Forensic Pathology
Investigation of sudden unnatural, unexplained
or violent deaths
Answer the questions:
Who is the victim?
What are the injuries, when did they occur, and how
were they produced?
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INVESTIGATORS
The wise forensic investigator will always
remember that he must bring all of his life
experiences and logic to find the truth. This
means common sense, informed intuition, and
the courage to see things as they are. Then he
must speak honestly about what it adds up to.
Dr. Henry Lee
Chief Emeritus for Scientific Services and the former Commissioner of Public Safety for
the state of Connecticut
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First Officer
at the Scene
A
Take notes
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Eye Witness
Perception is reality.
As a result an eye witness may
not be the best source of
crime scene information.
A police composite may be
developed from the witness
testimony by a computer
program or forensic artist.
FacesCompositeProgram
byInterQuest
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Crime Scene
Search Patterns
TWOofFOURPATTERNS
Spiral
Grid
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Crime Scene
Search Patterns
TWOofFOURPATTERNS
Strip or Line
Quadrant or Zone
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Crime Scene
Sketch
Date:August14,2001
Time:11:35
Criminalist:AnnWilson
Location:4358RockledgeDr
St.Louis,Mo.
A.Couch/sofa
B.Femalebody
C.Knife
D.OverturnedLamp
E.Chairs
F.Table
G.Fireplace
E
E
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AZIMUTH
Determines:
Direction
Distance
Elevation
TRIANGULATION
MeasurefromAtoB
andthentothe
evidenceina
triangularshape.
Coordinate or
Grid Mapping
Setanorth/south
linefromadatum
pointestablished
byaGPS.
Makeitaperfectsquare(4x
4)byshootingthehypotenuse
andsettinginstakeseveryfoot
ormeter.
Measureandmap
thelocationofeach
pieceofevidence.
Thencollect
evidenceandplace
incontainersby
grid.
Baseline Mapping
Set a north/south line from
the furthest most points
of the crime scene. Then
measure each piece of
evidence from that
baseline. Evidence will
need a numerical
measurement where the
piece begins, ends and in
the middle.
Evidence
Baseline
Suspended Polar
Coordinate
Measure and map each
layer of evidence as
you move down the
hole. Use the
compass readings
from the top to
measure degrees and
a tank dipping line to
measure depth.
MAPPING
TECHNOLOGY
The latest technology
includes this Nikon
Tsunami with computer.
The exact location of all
crime evidence can be
determined and directly
loaded into a computer
to produce a crime scene
map. Cost = $35,000
for the set.
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Physical Evidence
Transient Evidence--temporary;
Biological Evidence
Blood
Semen
Saliva
Sweat/Tears
Hair
Bone
Tissues
Urine
Feces
Animal Material
Insects
Bacterial/Fungal
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Chemical Evidence
Fibers
Glass
Soil
Gunpowder
Metal
Mineral
Narcotics
Drugs
Paper
Ink
Cosmetics
Paint
Plastic
Lubricants
Fertilizer
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Physical (impression)
Fingerprints
Footprints
Shoe prints
Handwriting
Firearms
Printing
Number restoration
Tire marks
Tool marks
Typewriting
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Miscellaneous
Laundry marks
Voice analysis
Polygraph
Photography
Stress evaluation
Pyscholinguistic analysis
Vehicle identification
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Evidence
Characteristics
Class--common to a group of objects or persons
Individual--can be identified with a particular person or
source.
ABOBloodTyping
BloodDNATyping
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Medical Examiner vs
the Coroner
A medical examiner is a medical doctor, usually a
pathologist and is appointed by the governing body of
the area. There are 7 medical examiners in the state of
Missouri and 400 forensic pathologists throughout the
U.S.
A coroner is an elected official who usually has no
special medical training. In four states the coroner is a
medical doctor.
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Medical Examiners
Responsibilities
Identify the deceased
Establish the time and date of death
Determine a medical cause of death--the injury or disease that resulted in
the person dying
Natural
Accidental
Suicide
Homicide
Undetermined
THE BODY
Rigor Mortis
Temperature Stiffness
ofbody
ofbody
TimeSince
Death
Warm
Notstiff
Notdeadmorethan3hrs
Warm
Stiff
Deadbetween3and8hrs
Cold
Stiff
Dead8to36hours
Cold
Notstiff
Deadmorethan36hours
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THE BODY
Livor Mortis
Livor mortis is the settling of the blood, causing the skin to
change colors.
Lividity indicates the position of the body after death. When
lividity becomes fixed, then the distribution of the lividity
pattern will not change even if the bodys position is
altered.
Lividity usually becomes fixed between 10 and 15 hours after
death.
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THE BODY
Algor Mortis
Algor mortis is body temperature.
Average human body temperature: 98.6 F (37 C)
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Appearance
Periphery
blood drying
30 min to 2 hrs
Blue-green discoloration of skin
Right
slippage
Absence of smell from bones
24 hours
36 hours
36 to 48 hours
4 to7 days
more than 1 year
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Appearance
Cornea
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THEREFORE,
One can die of a massive hemorrhage (the
mechanismofdeath)duetoafall(causeofdeath)asa
resultofbeingpushed(homicide),jumping(suicide),
falling (accident), or not being able to tell which
(undetermined).Allofwhicharemannersofdeath.
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CRIME
WhyDidIt
Happened?
What
Happened?
CrimeScene
EvidenceCollection
Witness,Suspectand
MotiveDevelopment
PostScene
EvidenceProcessing
InvestigativeStage
Profiling
Means
Motive
Opportunity
WhoDid
It?
=
Identification
andArrestof
Suspect
Cause,manner,time
ofdeath
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Forensic Investigations
Include some or all of these seven major activities
Recognition--ability to distinguish important
evidence from unrelated material
Pattern recognition
Physical property observation
Information analysis
Field-testing
Investigations (cont)
Identification--use of scientific testing
Physical properties
Chemical properties
Morphological (structural) properties
Biological properties
Immunological properties
Investigations (cont.)
Individualization--demonstrating that the sample is
unique, even among members of the same class .
Interpretation--gives meaning to all the information
Reconstruction--reconstructs the case events
Inductive and deductive logic
Statistical data
Pattern analysis
Results of laboratory analysis
Lee, Dr. Henry. Famous Crimes. Southington:Strong Books, 2001
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Just A Thought
Its not what you know
that hurts you, its what
you think you know
and its not so
. . . . .Mark Twain
Howdoesthisapplytoforensic
scienceandcrimeinvestigations?
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