Intro to Forensic Science

Ms. ClarkPVMHS

What is Forensic Science?

What is Forensic Science?

• FORENSIC derives from the Latin word “Forensis” which means “of the forum”– An open area where scholars would debate– Crimes were solved by debate

What is Forensic Science?

• “The application of scientific knowledge and methodology to legal problems and criminal investigations.”

Forensic Science CareersCriminologist: Detectives that study physical evidence to link it to suspects

Digital/Multimedia Scientist: Assist in collecting & analyzing digital evidence

Toxicologist: Determine any substances in a victim’s or suspect’s system

Engineering Scientist: Analyze accidents and crime scenes to determine how,

when, and why things happened

Odontologist: Identify remains, usually using dental remains, and assist with

determining cause/time of death

Medical Examiner: Perform autopsies and assist with determining cause/time of

death

Anthropologist: Study the bones of a victim and assist with determining cause/time

or death

Entomologist: Study insect evidence and assist with determining time of death

Psychologist: Understand a victim or suspect from a mental health standpoint

Document Expert: Answer questions regarding documents, such as whether or not

a signature is real and if a document has been altered

An abbreviated history of Forensics

3rd Century BCChinese use fingerprints to sign contracts or as a “signature” on letters.

They were also used to sign art & literature.

1686

Marcello Malpighi describes the characteristics of fingerprints – ridges, spirals, loops

1786

One of the first recorded instances of physical evidence used to solve a crime.

Paper that was used to wrap a murder weapon, was also found in the pocket of John Toms, who was subsequently convicted of murder.

1880Henry Faulds, a Scottish physician, was the first scientist to publish a report suggesting fingerprints can be used to identify criminals. While working in Japan he used fingerprints to clear an innocent man of burglary.

1883 Alphonse Bertillon, a police officer and statistician, invented a system of body measurements that was used to identify criminals.

Anthropometry

1889Alexandre Lacassagne, a French physician and criminologist, founded the Lacassagne school of criminology in Lyon.

Edmund Locard worked as his assistant.

Was the first to use the grooves on a bullet to match it to a gun.

1893

Hans Gross, an Austrian criminologist, publishes the first book on criminal investigation.

1901Sir Edward Henry established the first fingerprint classification system in Britain. Also credited with introducing police dogs to the London police force.

1903

First official use of fingerprints in the United States (New York City Civil Service Commission).

1905

President Theodore Roosevelt establishes the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

1910

Edmond Locard establishes the first police crime lab. Formulated Locard’s exchange principle – the basic principle of forensic science, every contact leaves a trace.

1916Detective Albert Schneider if the first scientist to use a vacuum tool to collect trace evidence.

1921

John Larson and Leonard Keeler develop the first polygraph machine

1924

First US Crime lab established in Los Angeles, California.

1924

FBI consolidates over 800,000 fingerprint files from across the United States.

1948

America Association of Forensic Sciences (A.A.F.S.) is founded in Chicago.

1974

Electron microscope technique for the detecting of gun shot residue is developed at Aerospace Corporation.

1975The FBI introduces the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS). This system allows the computerized scan of fingerprints.

1977Latent fingerprints are developed using superglue for the first time.

1986Sir Alec Jeffreys, a British geneticist, develops DNA fingerprinting.

1987

The first use of DNA fingerprinting in the US leads to the conviction of Tommy Lee Andrews, in Orlando, Florida, on charges of rape and burglary.

The first use of DNA fingerprinting in England leads to the conviction of Colin Pitchford on charges of murder.

1992: the Innocence ProjectThe goal of the Innocence Project is to exonerate persons who have been wrongfully convicted of a crime.

Barry Scheck & Peter Neufeld

1998National Data Index System - FBI database linking DNA data throughout the United States.

“CODIS” encompasses all databases

2008Footwear Intelligence Technology is developed in the UK; it’s the first footwear coding system & database.

Any questions?