What are the four important milestones in Forensic Science ?
- Invention of microscopes ( To examine evidence and compare.)
- Invention of photography ( Don’t have to rely on memory, more details etc)
- Ballistic science (Physics of bullet travel, linking bullet to weapon)
- Blood-typing DNA (blood groups, DNA)
What is the main goal of forensic science ?
To make links between a crime and a person
What is Locard’s exchange principle ?
Whenever you touch a place, person, object, there wll be an exchange of materials.
What are the seven steps of the scientific method ?
1: Make an observation. = There is soil on the victim’s shoes.
2: Formulate a question = Is the soil local?
3 :Formulate a hypothesis = The soil appears to come from a beach
4: Make a prediction = The soil is a type of sand that comes from a local beach
5 : Design and perfom an experiment = Soil and sand from the beach are compared.
6: Analyze the results = They match
7 : Come to a conclusion. = the soil found on the victim’s shoes comes from the local beach.
What is the job of an ME ( Medical Examiner) and a coroner
They examine the deaths not caused#under the care of a physician. They are in charge of the death investagation aspect of a crime. The duty is to determine : who, when , where, why and how.
What are the 5 main task of a ME ?
1 : Making a first general examination
2: Measuring body temperature ( determine time of death)
3 : Collecting any insects
4 : Directing the photographs of the body
5 : Wrapping the body and transporting it.
ME vs Coroner?
Coroners are elected, not need for a medical degree. They can call over an inquest they have investigated. A ME must have a degree, pathologist is best.
What is the job of the pathologist ?
To perform the autopsy.
What are IDENT officiers ?
Highly trained police officers. They are the crime scene invesigators. They are trained in crime scene photography, fingerprinting, DNA collection and blood spatter analysis.
In a lab, whaat is a case recept unit ?
They tag the evidence with a computerized system to keep track of the evidence.
In a lab, what is a evidence recovery team ?
They search, ientify and recover trace evidence from the crime scene
Name department in a lab.
Forensic biology ( dna) Forensic chemestry( analyse soil), forensic toxicologist ( bodily fluids), document analysis ( bruh ), Firearms and toolmark analysis.
Name forensic specialiasts
- Forensic Odontologist ( teeth)
- Forensic anthropologist ( bones )
- Forensic artist
- Criminal profiler ( analyse and profile offenders)
- Forensic psyhologist ( evalute)
- Forensic entomologist ( insects)
- Forensic botanist ( plants)
- Forensic engineer
- Forensic nursing
- Fire investagitors
What is the difference between a primary and secondary crime scene ?
Primary : where the crime happened
Secondary : linked to the crime
What are the first steps when arriving at a crime scene ?
- Protect themselves and anyone present
- Assist any victimes
- Arest the perpetrator if possible
- Detain the witnesses present
- Guard evidence from damage
- Document everything that occurs at the crime scene
- Seperate suspects
How to determine the size of the crime scene ?
At miminum, it must have :
- The place where the crime occurrued
- The exit, entrance, and possible escape routes
- Place where important pieces of evidence are found
- Areas where evidence may have been discarded or moved.
They also secure the scene and document every one getting in or out.
Why is documentation so important ?
For the investigation and for the trial.
What are the three main methods of documentations ?
- Notes ( document each pictures, written with blue or black ink)
- Photographs ( must include points of references)
- Sketches ( fixed points to determinate the lenght of stuff, must show the relationship of each item to the the body)
Video is used but not a main one.
Who to recognize a staged crime scene ?
They pretend the crime was an accident. Often, murder looks like suicide and arson is used.
What is the differernce between a direct evidence and a cirumstantial evidence ?
Direct establishes a fact, less reliable ex: eye witness. Circumstantial requires indirect judgment. hair, fingerprints etc.
Physical vs bio evidence ?
Physical : non living evidence (FINGERPRINTS!)
Bio : living evidence (Dna)
What is a reconstructive evidence ?
It helps investigators understand what happened during the crime. who did what, where, when and how ( shoeprint, broken window etc)
What is a associative evidence?
It links a suspect to a crime scene : blood, fingerprints etc.
Class VS individual evidence ?
Class is a group such as blood type, or guns.
Individual is one person only, like fingerprints.
