Child Describes Killing Scene To 911 Dispatcher

Thanks To Forensics and Crime Scene Investigation

We are able to identify and process evidence very promptly which saves time and money. We are also able to identify and prosecute criminals linked to a crime thanks to DNA evidence. We can catch criminals of identity theft using computers and mathematical analysis. Our lives are much safer and more secure as a result of the advances attributed to forensics (Knight). Forensic scientists play a major role in today’s law enforcement system, from the history, influential people, the nature of the job and the division of crime laboratories down to the crime scene basics.

3 Types of Evidence

In court one can present testimonial, physical or trace evidence. Testimonial evidence includes and oral or written statement and testimony by eyewitnesses. Physical evidence refers to anything that would be present at the crime scene, on the victim, or found in the suspects possession. Lastly, trace evidence is found at a crime scene in small but quantifiable amounts (“Crime Laboratories”).

Analayzing and Processing Evidence in 45 Sec

Documentation Protocol

Documenting the scene is one of the most important parts of the crime scene protocol. One must make sketches as well as take photographs of the crime scene area as well as adding the location of evidence to the sketch.

Examination Protocol

Next in an examination you must identify potential evidence, just to get the general layout of the crime scene.

The Interviewing Protocol

In an interview you must question the first officer on the scene as well as witnesses and victims only to determine the sequence of events.

Crime Scene Protocol

Before evidence is collected at a crime scene, there is protocol Investigators must follow. Once the investigator in charge of the crime scene arrives, she should conduct a scene assessment and conduct a scene walkthrough and initial documentation (Knight). The crime scene protocol consists of an interview, examination and documentation of the crime scene, then processing the evidence.

Biology Unit

Lastly is the most important biology unit, used to analyze body fluids, DNA, blood factors, hair, fibers, and plant life using biology, biochemistry and microbiology (Delich 3). A very interesting scientist within this unit is a serologist. A serologist studies blood groups and other fluids for classification purposes subsequent to a crime (Kurland 22). Some larger crime laboratories may have units specializing in only photography, toxicology, latent fingerprints, and arson (Delich 3).

Document Analysis Unit

Another well known crime lab is the document analysis unit. This unit is very familiar with ransom notes. The document analysis unit is usually called upon to examine handwriting, typewriting, word processing and computer applications as well as paper and ink (Delich 3). The special method within this unit is called forensic linguistics. Linguistics is used to review the content of communication to identify a speaker and indicate the speaker’s aim. With this special type of document analysis one can determine whether one or more unusual communications are from the same individual (Kurland 22).

Firearm/Ballistics Unit

A firearm unit is used to examine tool marks, weapons, firearms, and bullets (Delich 3). In the firearm unit there are ballistic specialists, they deal with the effects of projectiles, behavior, motion, and most often fire arms and bullets (Kurland 22). The firearms/ballistics unit has become very popular dealing with the infinite crime growth.

Physical Science Unit

The Physical science unit is used to examine drugs, soil, glass, blood splatter patterns and other traces of physical evidence using chemistry, physics or geology. In this specific field are geologists, they can determine things such as where the suspect or victim walked by examining soil samples taken from their shoes or feet (Kurland 22).

Dealing with real crime scene evidence

Division of Crime Laboratories

The division of crime laboratories became a very important part in forensics over the past few years. Crime laboratories can be found at the federal, state and or local level. The FBI maintains the largest crime laboratory in the world through the Department of Justice. Whatever can not be done the police headquarters is sent to a specific or larger crime lab for further testing. The four major crime labs are the physical science, firearms/ballistics, document analysis, and biology unit. Within these specific crime lab divisions are scientists that specialize in certain fields of work: geologists, ballistics and linguistics specialists and serologists (Kurland 22).

Edmond Locard

“Wherever he steps, whatever he touches, whatever he leaves, even unconsciously, will serve as a silent witness against him. Not only his fingerprints or his footprints, but his hair, the fibers from his clothes, the glass he breaks, the tool mark he leaves, the paint he scratches, the blood or semen he deposits or collects. All of these and more bear mute witness against him. This is evidence that does not forget. It is not confused by the excitement of the moment. It is not absent because human witnesses are. It is factual evidence. Physical evidence cannot be wrong, it cannot perjure itself, and it cannot be wholly absent. Only human failure to find it, study and understand it can diminish its value.”

Edmund Locard is well known for his famous principle, “Every contact leaves a trace.” Locard’s exchange principle is also referred to as Locard’s Theory which was established in 1904. Six years after Locard’s theory was established, he became the director of the first crime laboratory in existence in Lyon, France (Delich 6).

Karl Lansteiner

Karl Landsteiner is a very important figure in forensic science.
Landsteiner identified the human blood groups which are still to this day A, B, AB, and O. He was awarded The Nobel Peace Prize 1930 for his work.

The Dry Evidence Room

This is the evidence drying room. This is more so for evidence that is bloody or wet. This room is mostly used in murder and rape cases. Evidence can take a couple of days sometimes weeks to dry and or collect any trace evidence that can be used to connect a suspect to a crime.

My Mentor

Detective
Elizabeth Love!!!!

She is super awesome. Detective Love has worked with the Police Department since 2004, and has been with the crime scene unit since 2008. My Mentor works full time in the crime scene unit at the concord police department headquarters, she also attended many classes for crime scene work consisting of fingerprinting and crime scene documentation.

Alphonse Bertillon & Edward Henry

Alphonse Bertillon a Frenchman was the first to create a method use for criminal identification. His system was solely based on the classification of skeletal body measurements and characteristics. Bertillon’s method was based only on eleven bodily measurements as well as eye color, hair, and the skin. His classification was adopted by France in 1888. The difficulties of Bertillon’s system made it hard to profile and identify criminals, therefore, a new identification method needed to be created. Fingerprinting became available in the early 20th century (Holtyman).
Argentina was the first country to replace the Bertillon system of measurements with fingerprints when Juan Vucetich solves a murder using bloody fingerprints. In 1896 Edward Henry develops the prototype fingerprint classification system now used in the United States and Europe(Deslich 5).With the establishment of this new system in 1902 Harry Jackson a burglar becomes the first Englishmen to be convicted solely on the basis of fingerprints(Deslich 6).

The Father of Toxicology

Mathieu Orfila was known as the father of toxicology. He published many books “Traite des poisons”, “Elements de chimie medicale”, “Lecons de medecine legale” and many more. Many of his publications were about his experimental observations on the symptoms of different kinds of poisonings, as well as the appearances which poisons leave in a dead body ("Classic Encyclopedia"). In 1840 forensic toxicology evidence was first used with the help of James Marsh, by the use of the Marsh test. This test was created by James Marsh in 1836 and was developed to detect the presence of arsenic in the human body. With this new method arsenic poisoning was found in Marie Lafarge husband’s body and she was convicted (Deslich 4).

Brief History of Forensic Science

The impression of forensic science in the world and its development in the United States has grown along with technology. The 12th was the period in which criminal investigations in the United States was initiated and later became a very important part of solving crime. King Richard I of England created the job of the coroner to further examine disputed deaths. As the population increased in urban areas so did crime. As time went on and cold cases began to stack up, it soon became clear that specialists in medical advancements were needed. Massachusetts was the first state to implement this idea. Later many states in the long run adopted the idea .As time progressed, so did technology. Before forensics was ever developed as a whole more and more crimes were committed. A group of devoted law enforcement personnel were and are now recognized as Forensic Scientist or Criminologist. They are very educated, experienced individuals that know a substantial amount in the method of scientific techniques, collecting and analyzing physical evidence in criminal cases.