Statement of the problem

This study aims to determine the competency level of 4 th year criminology students of Liceo de Cagayan University in forensic evidences.

Specifically, it attempts to answer the following questions:

1. Profile of the students in terms of:1.1Age1.2Gender1.3Academic Status1.4Academic Performance

2. competency level of the respondents in forensic evidences in terms of:2.1 Blood evidence2.2 Finger Print evidence2.3 Hair evidence2.4 Gunpowder evidence

3. Is there significant difference in the competency level in forensic evidence when the respondents are group according to:

3.1 Age3.2 Gender3.3 Academic Status3.4 Academic Performance

Hypothesis

There is no significant difference in the competency level of on forensic evidence when the respondents are group into Age, Gender, Academic Status, and Academic Performance.

Significance of the Study

The study will be beneficial to the following:

Faculty of Instruction in the College. The strong findings of the study will be given to them significant bases for the improvement of the least effective indicators.

Students under the Criminology Program. The weak findings of the study will be given to them as significant bases for them to evaluate themselves of the least effective indicators.

Future Researchers. For them to be motivated to conduct a similar study in other research environment.

Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

The application of scientific methods to examine the evidence gathered in order to solve quarries, thereby helping the legal system to acknowledge the truth is known as forensic science. This evidence may range from fingerprints to blood samples or from a memory card to a hard disk, (Safarstein, 2003). The fact that every person has unique fingerprints has been known since very early in our history. This empire was founded approximately between 1813 and 1780 BC. The Assyrians developed an extensive legal and commercial system and used fingerprint impression for signing legal documents.

History’s first used of fingerprints as a criminal investigation system was developed by Sir Edward Richard Henry in the 1890’s at the Bengal, India. It was found out that natural oils on the skin would cause fingerprints to be left on any hard smooth surface. If this surface was subsequently dusted or chemically treated the invisible became visible and could be photographed.

The related term of forensic is criminalistics which it applies the scientific collection and analysis of physical evidence in criminal cases. This includes that analysis of many kinds of materials, including blood, fibers, bullets and fingerprints. Many Law Enforcement agencies operate crime labs that perform scientific studies of evidence. It involves the method of collecting and analysing evidence then using the result to help solve crime. This can be involve the analysis of fingerprints or footprints, bite-marks, DNA, blood, semen, saliva, hair, fibers, handwritings and even voice identification. Modern Forensic method use science and advance technology to assist assist Law Enforcement and other agencies in collecting evidence and getting information about a case or incident. It adopted variety of modern forensic method to analyze data from crime scenes and to investigate individuals suspected of committing crime. (Fisher, 1999).

In the Philippines, the first public recognition of the value of science in the proper administration of justice was made when the position of Medicos Titulares was created by the virtue of Royal Decrees No. 188 of Spain dated March 31, 1876 which designated a forensic physician to perform the public sanitary duties and the same time medico legal aid to perform administration of justice. Moreover, the Spanish government established the Laboratory Municipal de Manila to make analysis not only for food, water and others from the standpoint of public health and legal medicine, But also specimen for clinical purposes. (Urbano, 2008)

LITERATURE REVIEW

ON HAIR EVEDENCE

A hair sample is analyzed as a whole and in cross section.

When viewed as a whole a hair consists of three parts. These three parts are the root,

the shaft and the tip. The length and the shape of a hair can be used to identify the

place on the body from which it originated. Sites of origin are considered to be the

scalp, eyebrow, beard, underarm, body and pubic region. Some researchers also

include ear hair as a separate region of origin (Bradley, 2004).

As a whole a hair is made up of root (bulb), shaft and tip. Investigators use the shape of

the root to indicate the stage of growth and whether the hair was pulled out or shed

naturally. The root may also contain follicular tissue which is used for D.N.A. testing.

The shaft can be examined, using a compound microscope and backlighting, for unique

characteristics within the shaft. Characteristics include the shape and type of the

medulla, the presence and dispersal patterns of pigment granules and the shape and

pattern of the external scales. The overall condition of the shaft can show damage such

as insect bite marks indicating a hair not recently shed. Burning or crushing will cause

the shaft to curl and bubble. Hair grows at a fairly constant rate of 1 mm per day. With

this knowledge an investigator can estimate the time since a dye, permanent wave or

other exposure to chemicals occurred (Tuthil, 1994). The tip of a hair may reveal

chemical or heat treatment indicating head hair. It may also be blunt ended indicating

beard hair that has been shaved or clipped.

A hair in cross section can be visualized as being like pencil. The medulla is the lead.

The cortex is the wood. The cuticle is the paint covering the wood (Bisbing, 2002). The

medulla may be viewed microscopically by dry mounting the entire hair or by

embedding the hair in paraffin wax and slicing it into thin sections. The medullary index

is used to distinguish animal hair from human hair. It is expressed as a ratio of the shaft

diameter to the diameter of the medulla (Saferstein, 2004). In animals the medulla will

make up more than ½ of the total diameter of the hair. In humans the ratio is usually

less than 1/3 (Saferstein, 2004). The medulla can be classified as appearing either

absent, fragmented, interrupted or continuous (Pemer, R., 1990). Most human head hair

with the exception of that of the Mongoloid race has no medulla or a fragmented one.

People of the Mongoloid race have a continuous medulla.

Most animals have a continuous or interrupted medulla. Hair of animal origin may

exhibit specific patterns such as a uni or multiserial ladder (Rabbits) or a lattice (Deer)

(Saferstein, 2004) (Lane, 1992). The shape of the medulla as well as the pattern is

exhibits can be used to determine species, and when human, racial origin (Saferstein,

2004)(Lane,1992).

The cortex surrounds the medulla as does the wood of a pencil around the lead.

Microscopic structures within the cortex such as pigment granules and fusi (air bubbles)

are used to compare one hair to another (Saferstein, 2004) (Black, 1995).

The cuticle is like the outer paint of the pencil. The cuticle is used mainly to observe the

scale patterns present which indicate species (Saferstein, 2004) (Berg, 1996) (Crocker,

1999)(Black,1995).

Scale patterns are observed by embedding the hair in a liquid medium often clear nail

polish and allowing it to set. Once the polish has air dried the hair is removed leaving a

cast of the outer scales (Jaret, 1990).

Scale structure is used to determine species. The patterns may be coronal, petal, or

umbricate. Umbricate scales are overlapping and exhibit no apparent pattern.

Umbricate scales are found in humans (Saferstein, 2004). Petal scales resemble the

scale of a reptile and are not found in humans. Coronal scales are symmetrical and

overlap one and other. They are not usually found in humans (Black, 1995).

The root of a hair is were lies the almighty D.N.A.. It can also tell an investigator

whether the hair in question has been pulled out or shed naturally.

There are three stages of hair growth. The first stage is the Anagen stage in which the

hair is actively growing. If a hair is pulled out during this stage the root bulb will appear

flame shaped (Saferstein, 2004). Hairs forcibly removed during this stage of grow will

have follicular tissue (clear tissue just above root bulb) adhering to it. This is the richest

source of D.N.A.. D.N.A. from an Anagen hair can provide nuclear D.N.A. profiles can

help match a suspect or victim hair sample to known samples. The Anagen stage of

growth lasts for up to six years (Saferstein, 2004).

One of the most common applications of hair analysis is to determine

whether the hair in question is human or animal in origin. This is done by comparing the

scale patterns of the cuticle and the medullary index. The medullary index is the ratio of

medulla to shaft size. In humans the ratio is usually under 1/3 (Montagna, 1996)

(Saferstein, 2004). The shape and the pattern of the medulla also indicate whether a

hair is human or animal. These same observations will tell an investigator what species

of animal the hair came from.

The shape of the root can be used to identify the stage of growth and whether the hair

was pulled or shed (Cruz, 2004) (Smith, 1996) (Saferstein, 2004). Lack of a root could

indicate that the hair has been cut. Damage to the hair such as crushing, burning and

other chemical treatments can be observed from the shaft of the hair. Given an average

growth rate of 1 mm per day the investigator can estimate the length of time that has

elapsed since the damage occurred (Smith, 1996).

Serology is such a convenient diagnostic tool because the immune system produces

specific molecular tags in the blood for practically each foreign substance or invading

microorganism. Each one specializes in binding to a specific molecules such as a viral,

parasite, or bacterial protein, as well as to foreign substances such as poisons and

drugs. For minutely small drug molecules against which the immune system is not very

sensitive, special immune regents were developed for the detection of drug abuse. An

example is the Homogeneous Enzyme Immunoassays (EMIT), which is commercialized

in kits ready for use.

To determine whether a blood sample is from a human or animal source, samples are

tested with anti-human serum. This method was discovered by the German biologist

Paul Uhlenhunth in the late 1870’s. He injected protein from a chicken egg into a

sample of rabbit’s blood. After a few days, he extracted the rabbit’s serum and mixed it

with egg white, causing the separation of egg proteins from the solution to form a

whitish clotting substance, precipitin. Precipitin I snow a generic name for the resulting

agglutinated complex formed when antibodies present in human the serum of a species

agglutinate the Fingerprint evidence is found on objects that have been touched. The

ideal surface to obtain fingerprint evidence is a smooth, non-porous object like glass.

However, through the use of chemicals and forensic light sources, such as LASER,

fingerprint evidence can be found on a wide variety of surfaces.

Fingerprint evidence can be directly compared with known suspect’s fingerprints

or searched through automated fingerprint information systems. Fingerprints are the

standard used to establish a person’s identification in every country in the world. In

addition to being the most common form of physical evidence found at crime scenes,

fingerprints are used to establish a person’s identity for employment, security

clearances, and to establish and track a person’s criminal history.

According to most professional criminal investigators, fingerprints obey three

fundamental principles. These principles are:

A fingerprint is an individual characteristic. It is yet to be found that prints taken

from different individuals possess identical ridge characteristics.

A fingerprint will remain unchanged during an individual’s lifetime.

Fingerprints have general characteristic ridge patterns that permit them to be

systematically classified.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

A. Books

Safertein, Ricahard., (2003, 8th Ed.), Criminalistic, An Introduction to Forensic

Science, Englewood, NJ: Prentice Hall

Tuthill, Harold., (1994)., Individualization: Principles and Procedures in

Criminalistics, Salem OR: Lightning Poweder Co

Fisher, Barry, A.J., (1999)., Techniques on Crime Investigation, CRC Press.

Boca Raton, LLC, 2000 N.W.

Bradley, Robert C., (2004), Science, Technology, and Criminal Justice. New

York: Peter Lang

Urbano, Alexander DA, (2008)., Foensic Chemistry and Toxicology, Wiseman’s

Books Trading, Inc.

Cruz Jr., Nicanor M., (2004), Forensic Chemistry and Toxicology Lecture Guide,

Philippine College of Criminology and national Bureau of Investigation, Manila,

Philippines

B. Journals

Jaret, Y., Meriau, M., and Donche, A., Transfer of bloody fingerprints, Journal

on Forensic Investigation, 40, 50, 1990

Berg, E., Digital enhancement and transmission of latent prints, Journals on

Forensic Identification, 46, 1996

Black, K., Fingerprints and factors affecting their conditions, Journal of Forensic

Identification, 40, 28, 1995

Spencer, R., Significant fiber evidence recovered from the clothing of a homicide

victim after exposure to the element of twenty-nine days, Forensic Science, 39, 1994

Montagna, C.P., The theory of seminal components and DNA from the vagina of

the homicide victim 34 days postmortem, Journal of Forensic Science, 41, 74, 1996

Raymond, M. A., Smith, E.R. and Liesegang, J., The physical properties of

blood-forensic consideration, Science and Justice, 36, 153, 1996

Andrasko, J., and Pettersson, S. A simple method for collection of gunshot

residues from clothing, Journal of Forensic Science Society, 31-35, 1991

Schematic Diagram

INDEPENDENT VARIABLES DEPENDENT VARIABLES

FIGURE I

Schematic Diagram of the Study

Showing the Interplay of the

Independent Variables and Dependent Variables

RESPONDENT’S PROFILE

AGE GENDER ACADEMIC STATUS ACADEMIC

PERFORMANCE

COMPETENCY LEVEL OF FORENSIC EVIDENCE

BLOOD FINGERPRINT HAIR GUNPOWDER

Liceo de Cagayan University

College of Criminal Justice

Competency level of 4th year Criminology Students in Forensic Evidence

Questionnaire

Name (Optional) :

Age :

Gender :

Academic Status Regular Transferee

Irregular Shiftee

Academic Performance:

Direction: Describe your level of performance in the following competency areas by checking the number for each statement.

4 – Very High 3 – Modest 2 – Fair 1 – Low

STATEMENT 4- Very High 3- Modest 2- Fair 1- Low