Chapter One

1
Chapter One

• Introduction

2
Objective One

• Define forensic science or criminalistics.

3
Definition of Forensic Science

• Forensic science is the application of science to
  those criminal and civil laws that are enforced
  by police agencies in a criminal justice system.

4
Definition of Criminalistics

• For many, the term criminalistics seems more
  descriptive for describing the services of a
  crime laboratory.

5
Objective Two

• Recall the major contributors to the development
  of forensic science.

6
Mathieu Orfila (1787-1853)

• Father of Forensic Toxicology
• In 1814 published first scientific treatise on
  the detection of poisons and their effects on
  animals.

7
Alphonse Bertillon (1853-1914)

• Developed the science of anthropometry, a
  systematic procedure of taking a series of body
  measurements as a means of distinguishing one
  individual from another.

8
Francis Galton (1822-1911)

• The first definitive study of fingerprints and
  developed a methodology of classifying them for
  filing.
• In 1892 published a book entitled Finger Prints.

9
Leone Lattes (1887-1954)

• In 1915, he devised a relatively simple procedure
  for determining the blood group of a dried
  bloodstain, a technique that he immediately
  applied to criminal investigation.
• Still used today.

10
Calvin Goddard (1891-1955)

• U.S. Army colonel, who refined the techniques of
  using the comparison microscope to determine
  whether or not a particular gun has fired a
  bullet with one that has been test-fired from the
  suspects gun.

11
Albert S. Osborn (1858-1946)

• Developed the fundamental principles of document
  examination that was responsible for the
  acceptance of documents as scientific evidence by
  the courts.

12
Hans Gross (1847-1915)

• In 1893 published the first treatise describing
  the application of scientific disciplines to the
  field of criminal investigation.

13
Edmond Locard (1877-1966)

• Persuaded the police department in Lyons France
  to give him two attic rooms and two assistants to
  start a police laboratory.

14
Objectives Three

• Give examples of typical crime labs as they exist
  on the national, state and local levels of
  governments in the U.S.

15
Examples

• Largest National FBI Crime Lab
• Oldest Los Angeles Police Dept.
• Michigan State Police Crime Lab in Lansing

16
Objective Four

• Describe the services of a typical comprehensive
  crime laboratory in the criminal justice system

17
Physical Sciences Unit

• Applies principles and techniques of chemistry,
  physics and geology to identification and
  comparison of crime-scene evidence.

18
Physical Science Unit cont.

• Analyze drugs, glass, paint, explosives, soil,
  and a variety of trace evidence.

19
Biology Unit

• Staffed with biologists and biochemists.
• Identification and DNA profiling of dried
  bloodstains and other body fluids, the comparison
  of hairs and fibers, and identification and
  comparison of botanical materials such as wood
  and plants.

20
Firearms Unit

• Examination of firearms, discharged bullets,
  cartridge cases, shotgun shells, and ammunition
  of all types.
• Garments are examined for firearm residues and
  distance from a target a weapon was fired.

21
Document Examination Unit

• The handwriting and typewriting on questioned
  documents are studied to ascertain authenticity
  and/or source.
• Analysis of paper, ink, and impression on paper
  are studied.

22
Photography Unit

• Exams and records physical evidence using digital
  imaging, infrared, ultraviolet, and X-ray
  photography to make invisible information visible
  to the naked eye.

23
Optional Services Provided by Full-Service Crime
Laboratories
24
Toxicology Unit

• Body fluids and organs are examined to determine
  the presence or absence of drugs and poisons.

25
Latent Fingerprint Unit

• Responsible for processing and examining
  fingerprints.

26
Polygraph Unit

• Functions are handled by people trained in the
  techniques of criminal investigation, polygraph,
  and interrogation.

27
Voiceprint Analysis Unit

• Uses sound spectrographs to transform speech into
  a visual graphic display called a voiceprint.

28
Evidence Collection Unit

• This unit dispatches specially trained personnel
  (civilian and/or police) to the crime scene to
  collect and preserve physical evidence that will
  later be processed at the crime lab.

29
Objective Five

• Explain the different approaches espoused by the
  Frye and Daubert decisions to the admissibility
  of scientific evidence in courtroom.

30
The Fyre v. United States

• See page 12
• To meet the Frye standard, the court must decide
  if the questioned procedure, technique, and
  principles are generally accepted by a
  meaningful segment of the relevant scientific
  community.

31
Daubert v. Merrill Dow Pharmaceutical, Inc.

• The Supreme Court advocates in Daubert is that
  trial judges must assume the ultimate
  responsibility for acting as a gatekeeper in
  judging the admissibility and reliability of
  scientific evidence presented in their courts.

32
Court Guidelines Related Daubert

• 1. Whether the scientific technique or theory can
  be (and has been) tested.
• 2. Whether the technique or theory has been
  subject to peer review and publication.

33
More Guidelines

• 3. The techniques potential rate of error.
• 4. Existence and maintenance of standards
  controlling the techniques operation.
• 5. Whether the scientific theory or method has
  attracted widespread acceptance within a relevant
  scientific community.

34
Objective Six

• Explain the role and responsibilities of the
  expert witness.

35
Expert Witness

• The expert witness is called upon to evaluate
  evidence that the court lacks the expertise to
  do.
• This expert will then express an opinion as to
  the significance of the findings.

36
Objective Seven

• Review the proper collection and packaging of
  common types of physical evidence as described in
  Appendix I

37
This Will Be A Lab Experience
38
Objective Eight

• Introduce the student to other areas of forensic
  science that require expertise in a specialized
  area.

39
Other Area of Forensic Science

• Forensic Pathologists
• Forensic Anthropology
• Forensic Entomology
• Forensic Psychiatry
• Forensic Odontology
• Forensic Engineering

40
Special Readings/Assignment

• Detection of Curare in the Jacalevich Murder
  Trial. Pages 25-32
• Review Questions Pages 22-24 1-30.