Forensics and the Law
Forensic anthropology is.
Human skeletal remains used by law enforcement agencies to determine the identity of unidentified bones
What is physical evidence? Give three examples of physical evidence that might be found at a crime scene.
Examples include hair, skin, fibers, fingerprints, blood, DNA, weapons, soil, glass, and documents.
Locard Exchange Principle
There is always a cross transfer of evidence between suspect and victim.
what are the 3 types of prints ?
Arch, Loop , Whorl
Electrostatic dusting
used to lift footprints from dust
What are class characteristics and what kind of evidence do they provide?
Examples include: tire marks, fibers, hair, firearms.
They provide good and contextual evidence - often trace evidence
What is the first step in processing a crime scene?
The first step is to secure and isolate the scene
a molecule consisting of many identical repeating units; polymers can be naturally occurring or synthetic is called
polymer
plastic prints
Formed when the finger makes an impression in a soft substance such as putty, glue, dust, or butter.
Layer of gel between paper backing and a plastic cover sheet
gel lifting
Different types of search:
Line search
• Grid search
• Spiral search
• Ray search
• Quadrant/zone search
Name three methods for recording a crime scene and list one unique advantage of each.
a. Photography: advantage is in the definition of detail it provides.
b. Sketches: advantage-record precise distances between important points in the crime scene.
c. Notes: advantage- provide a source of detailed information about the scene for future reference.
Humans have__________ hairs.
( its in the millions)
5 millon hairs
Are the most common types of fingerprints. They cannot be seen without enhancement. Various techniques are use to make visible such as dusting and chemical treatment.
latent prints
latent impression
impression requiring special techniques to be visible to the unaided eye
Forensic entomology is...
The study of insect and other antropod biology to criminal matters
Name and describe the two kinds of sketches prepared for a crime-scene.
A rough sketch is a draft gives of all essential information and measurements, and is drawn at the crime scene. A finished sketch is a precise rendering of the crime scene, usually drawn to scale.
tough, clear outside covering of the hair shaft; resembles scales
cuticle
patent print
Prints that can be seen by the naked eye, deposited by contact with blood, oil, grease, syrup, or any sticky substance on it prior to coming in contact with the surface
plastic impressions
impression in soft materials such as soil, snow, or congealing blood
Crime scene management basic procedure:
Secure and isolate the crime scene
• Record the scene
• Record what the personnel did
• Search area for evidence
• Document evidence
• Secure chain of custody of evidence
• Undertake crime scene reconstruction
What is chain of custody and why is it important to maintain chain of custody?
Chain of custody is a list of all people who came into possession of an item of evidence. Failure to keep the chain of custody may lead to serious questions regarding the authenticity of the evidence and the examinations of it.
the spongy interior core of hair that gives it flexibility; appears as a canal in the middle of the shaft
medulla
friction ridges
A series of hills and valleys that form a distinct pattern which differentiates one person from another.
What are some of the things that you could find out about a person just based on the way that there shoes look?
you are able to find how tall the person is and the weight of the person and the most important you can find out is where the person has been stepping based on the dents and groves in the shoe.