CriminalisticsCriminalistics

An Introduction to An Introduction to

Forensic ScienceForensic Science

Why do we look to Why do we look to science for assistance in science for assistance in our legal system?our legal system?

• Increasing Increasing CrimeCrime Rates Rates• New or Changed New or Changed LawsLaws• New CrimesNew Crimes• New New WeaponsWeapons (*see next (*see next

slide)slide)

New Weapons?New Weapons?

Applying Science to Applying Science to LawLaw

Applying science to the Applying science to the Criminal Justice System Criminal Justice System depends on a scientist’s depends on a scientist’s ability to supply ability to supply accurateaccurate & & objectiveobjective information that information that reflects the events that have reflects the events that have occurred at a crime. occurred at a crime.

Forensic Science Forensic Science defined:defined: Forensic Science (or Forensic Science (or

Criminalistics) Criminalistics) is the use of is the use of science & technology to science & technology to enforce civil & criminal lawsenforce civil & criminal laws

It is vague & hard to define It is vague & hard to define b/c it includes so many b/c it includes so many other areas of scienceother areas of science

Civil vs. Criminal LawCivil vs. Criminal LawCIVIL LAW CRIMINAL LAW

filed by a private party.o a corporationo an individual person

Penalty: a guilty defendant pays the plaintiff for losses caused by their actions.

o no incarceration

filed by the government

Penalty: a guilty defendant is punished by

o incarceration (in jail/prison)o fine paid to the gov’to execution (death penalty)

Crimes are divided into 2 classes: o misdemeanors - less than 1 year incarcerationo felonies - sentence of 1+ year

History & Development of History & Development of Forensic ScienceForensic Science

When in Rome…When in Rome… ““Forensic” comes from the Forensic” comes from the LatinLatin word word

““forensisforensis” meaning of the forum ” meaning of the forum During the time of the During the time of the RomansRomans, a , a

criminal charge meant presenting the criminal charge meant presenting the case before the publiccase before the public

Both the person accused of the crime Both the person accused of the crime & the accuser would give speeches & the accuser would give speeches based on their side of the storybased on their side of the story

The individual with the best The individual with the best argumentation would determine the argumentation would determine the outcome of the caseoutcome of the case

Sir Arthur Conan DoyleSir Arthur Conan Doyle

Sci-fi author in late 1800’sSci-fi author in late 1800’s

Popularized scientific crime-detection Popularized scientific crime-detection methods through his fictional character methods through his fictional character ‘‘Sherlock HolmesSherlock Holmes’.’.

Deductive Reasoning-piecing together Deductive Reasoning-piecing together events prior to crime through it’s commissionevents prior to crime through it’s commission

Mathieu OrfilaMathieu Orfila(1787-1853)(1787-1853)

““Father of Father of ToxicologyToxicology””

Wrote about the detection Wrote about the detection of poisons & their effects on of poisons & their effects on animals.animals.

Alphonse BertillonAlphonse Bertillon (1853-1914)(1853-1914)

““Father of Father of AnthropometryAnthropometry”” Developed a system to distinguish one Developed a system to distinguish one

individual person from another based on individual person from another based on certain body measurements.certain body measurements.

AnthropometrAnthropometryy

Francis GaltonFrancis Galton(1822-1911)(1822-1911)

““Father of Father of FingerprintingFingerprinting””

Developed fingerprinting as a way to Developed fingerprinting as a way to uniquely identify individuals.uniquely identify individuals.

Leone LattesLeone Lattes(1887-1954)(1887-1954)

““Father of Father of BloodstainBloodstain Identification”Identification”

He developed a procedure for He developed a procedure for determining the blood type (A, B, determining the blood type (A, B, AB, or O) of a dried blood stain.AB, or O) of a dried blood stain.

Edmond LocardEdmond Locard(1877-1966)(1877-1966)

““Father of the Crime Lab”Father of the Crime Lab” In 1910, he started the In 1910, he started the 11stst crime lab in an crime lab in an

attic of a police station.attic of a police station. With few tools, he quickly became known With few tools, he quickly became known

world-wide to forensic scientists & criminal world-wide to forensic scientists & criminal investigators & eventually founded the investigators & eventually founded the Institute of CriminalisticsInstitute of Criminalistics in France. in France.

His most important contribution was the His most important contribution was the ““Locard’sLocard’s ExchangeExchange PrinciplePrinciple””

Locard’s Exchange PrincipleLocard’s Exchange Principle

““Every Contact Leaves a TraceEvery Contact Leaves a Trace.”.”

He believed that every criminal can be He believed that every criminal can be connected to a crime by particles connected to a crime by particles carried from the crime scene.carried from the crime scene.

When a criminal comes in contact with When a criminal comes in contact with an object or person, a cross-transfer an object or person, a cross-transfer of evidence occurs. of evidence occurs.

J. Edgar HooverJ. Edgar Hoover ““Father of the Father of the FBIFBI” - Director of Federal Bureau of ” - Director of Federal Bureau of

Investigation during the 1930’sInvestigation during the 1930’s

Hoover's leadership spanned 48 yrs & 8 presidential Hoover's leadership spanned 48 yrs & 8 presidential administrations. His reign covered Prohibition, the administrations. His reign covered Prohibition, the Great Depression, WWII, the Korean War, the Cold Great Depression, WWII, the Korean War, the Cold War, & the Vietnam War. War, & the Vietnam War.

He organized a He organized a nationalnational laboratory to offer forensic laboratory to offer forensic services to services to allall law enforcement agencies in the U.S. law enforcement agencies in the U.S.

VERY CONTROVERSIALVERY CONTROVERSIAL– He exceeded & abused his authority with unjustified He exceeded & abused his authority with unjustified

investigations & illegal wiretaps based on political beliefs investigations & illegal wiretaps based on political beliefs rather than suspected criminal activityrather than suspected criminal activity

– FBI directors are now limited to 10-year terms FBI directors are now limited to 10-year terms

The Trial of the The Trial of the CenturyCentury O.J. SimpsonO.J. Simpson waswas a NFL football a NFL football

legend.legend.

He is now famous for having been tried He is now famous for having been tried for the for the murdermurder of ex-wife Nicole Brown of ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson & her friend Ronald Goldman Simpson & her friend Ronald Goldman in 1994. in 1994.

He was He was acquittedacquitted in criminal court after in criminal court after a lengthy, highly publicized trial.a lengthy, highly publicized trial.

What went wrong?What went wrong? 11stst on the scene, police found evidence of on the scene, police found evidence of

bloodblood & entered the Simpson home without & entered the Simpson home without a search warrant, an action permissible b/c a search warrant, an action permissible b/c the situation was an the situation was an emergencyemergency..

HOWEVER, the police HOWEVER, the police collectedcollected a pair of a pair of blood-stained gloves during their search.blood-stained gloves during their search.

Collection of evidence without proper Collection of evidence without proper warrants became the key argument used by warrants became the key argument used by Simpson’s legal team & ultimately led to his Simpson’s legal team & ultimately led to his acquital.acquital.

What was learned?What was learned?

If forensic evidence is to be If forensic evidence is to be admissible in court, the highest admissible in court, the highest professional professional standardsstandards must be must be used at the crime scene!used at the crime scene!

He was found liable for their He was found liable for their deaths in civil court, but has yet to deaths in civil court, but has yet to pay the $33.5 million judgment.pay the $33.5 million judgment.

What is important?What is important? A forensic investigator’s most A forensic investigator’s most

important tool-ability to observe, important tool-ability to observe, interpret, & report observations interpret, & report observations clearlyclearly

ObservationObservation

What a person perceives using What a person perceives using their sensestheir senses

Perception-not always accurate-Perception-not always accurate-influenced by emotion, influenced by emotion, experience, prejudicesexperience, prejudices

I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid. phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid. Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtsy, it deosn't mttaer Cmabrigde Uinervtsy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? Yaeh, and I wlohe. Amzanig huh? Yaeh, and I awlyas thuhogt slpeling was ipmorantt."awlyas thuhogt slpeling was ipmorantt."

What about What about Eyewitness accounts?Eyewitness accounts? Eyewitness-someone who sees a Eyewitness-someone who sees a

crime occur and can report what crime occur and can report what happenedhappened

Powerful for a jury-difference Powerful for a jury-difference between fact & opinionbetween fact & opinion

Innocence projectInnocence project

How to be a good How to be a good forensic observerforensic observer Write down and photo as much Write down and photo as much

info as possibleinfo as possible Analytical skills-observe as much Analytical skills-observe as much

as possible without bias or as possible without bias or drawing conclusionsdrawing conclusions