Criminal Justice and Forensic Science Introduction Chapter 1 ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

Criminal Justice and Forensic Science

IntroductionChapter 1

©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

WHAT IS FORENSIC SCIENCE?

• The science of associating people, places, and things involved in criminal activities– Science is the collection of systematic

methodologies used to increasingly understand the physical world

– Forensic, as applied to the field of forensic science, means “as applied to public or legal concerns”


AREAS OF FORENSIC SCIENCE

• Criminalistics• Forensic Pathology• Forensic Anthropology• Forensic Odontology• Forensic Engineering• Toxicology• Behavioral Sciences• Questioned Documents


Criminalistics

• The branch of forensic science that involves collection and analysis of physical evidence generated by criminal activity– Specific examples include: drugs, firearms and

toolmarks, fingerprints, blood and bodily fluids, footwear, and trace evidence


Forensic Pathology

• The science of determining the cause and manner of death in cases in which death occurred under suspicious of unknown circumstances


Forensic Anthropology

• The branch of physical anthropology that focuses on the identification of skeletal remains– Human remains are analyzed for age, sex, height,

and other characteristics


Forensic Odontology

• Forensic odontology, or forensic dentistry, is used to identify human remains through comparison of bitemarks


Forensic Engineering

• A branch of engineering that focuses on failure analysis of materials and constructions that arise in the legal arena

• Also encompasses traffic accident reconstruction


Toxicology

• The chemical analysis of body fluids and tissues to determine if a drug or poison is present


Behavioral Sciences

• Entails the determination of a person’s competency to stand trial and to aid in one’s own defense

• Investigation of serial crimes by creating psychological profiles of the criminals


Questioned Documents

• A broad field of study that includes the comparison of handwritten or typewritten documents to determine their source or authenticity, examination of documents for erasures, obliterations, forgeries, alterations, charring and counterfeit currencies


A BIT OF FORENSIC SCIENCE HISTORY

• Forensic medicine was practiced in the fifth century

• Toxicology emerged in the mid-1800’s• Advances in personal identification were made

in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries



– Anthropometry, or Bertillonage, was a means of recording physical features of a person in such a way that they could be uniquely identified• Developed by Alphonse Bertillion in France• Used to track prisoners in the United States



• In 1901, Sir Edward Henry developed a fingerprint classification system still in use today

• The study of blood and bodily fluids also began around 1900

• DNA technology was introduced in 1984 by Sir Alec Jeffries

• Comparison microscopy emerged in the twentieth century


FORENSIC SCIENCE LABORATORY ORGANIZATION AND SERVICES

• Organization of forensic laboratories varies by jurisdiction, agency, and history


Forensic Science Laboratory Administration

– Private Forensic Science Laboratories• Often perform only one or two examinations• Allow persons accused of crimes access to forensic

science services

– Public Forensic Science Laboratories• Administered and financed by various government

agencies


Forensic Science Laboratory Administration

• Federal Government Forensic Science Laboratories– The Department of Justice• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)• Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)• Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (BATF)


Forensic Science Laboratory Administration • Federal Government Forensic Science Laboratories– The Department of the Treasury

• Secret Service• Internal Revenue Service

– The Department of the Interior• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

– The U.S. Postal Service• Postal Service

– Additional Federal Laboratories• Department of Defense’s Army Criminal Investigation Division

Laboratory• Navy Drug Laboratories• Air Force Drug Laboratory


State and Local Forensic Science Laboratories

– State labs arise from one of two sources: law enforcement or health departments and other scientific agencies

– Most states also have one or more forensic laboratories operated by a local government (i.e. county police, sheriff, city police)• Jurisdictional laboratories arise due to societal needs


Forensic Science Laboratory Services

• Laboratories offer varying levels of service– Headquarters laboratory is typically “full service”


STANDARD LABORATORY SERVICES

– Evidence Intake• All forensic science laboratories have a system

for receiving evidence–One or more employees assigned to this unit– Evidence is stored in a secured area


Evidence Intake contd

• Evidence is delivered to the laboratory, contents are described on a form, and a unique laboratory identification number is assigned to the case and each item of evidence– Chain of Custody: documentation of the

location of evidence from the time it is obtained to the time it is presented in court

• Electronic systems are often used to track evidence through the laboratory


STANDARD LABORATORY SERVICES

–Analytical Sections• Evidence is assigned to forensic scientists for

analysis in a logical order– Analytical Sections include: Photography,

Biology/DNA, Chemistry/Illicit Drugs, Firearms and Toolmarks, Footwear and Tire Treads, Friction Ridge Analysis (Fingerprints), Questioned Documents, Toxicology, and Trace Evidence


OTHER LABORATORY SERVICES

– Specialized areas of analysis include: polygraph, voiceprint and speaker identification, bloodstain pattern analysis, entomology, odontology and anthropology


Administrative Issues with Forensic Science Laboratories

• Accountability– No mandatory accreditation process for forensic science

laboratories in the United States– American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors (ASCLD)

provides accreditation services for public and private laboratories worldwide• Does not evaluate competence of forensic scientists

– American Society for Testing and Materials, International (ASTM) publishes voluntary, consensus standards

– International Organization for Standardization (ISO) ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

Administrative Issues with Forensic Science Laboratories

• Access to Laboratory Services– Few public forensic science laboratories grant

access to accused persons– Criminal defendants may use a private laboratory• Costs are high

– Public defenders’ offices may not be able to pay for the analyses of evidence


THE FORENSIC CHEMIST

• Duties include performing scientific analysis of evidence and offering expert testimony in legal proceedings


Education and Training of Forensic Scientists

– Understand methods and requirements of good science

– Must have knowledge of specific techniques used in particular disciplines

– Be familiar with the rules of evidence and court procedures

– Knowledge, skills, and aptitudes are gained through education, training and experience



• Education – 40+ undergraduate programs offer a bachelor’s degree with

some level of forensic emphasis– 12 graduate level programs offer degrees (MA, MS, PhD) in

forensic science» Bachelor’s degree in science is required» Programs focus on the application of science to forensic

work and aspects of law, criminal investigation, and the criminal justice process» Research component is also required

– Educational programs are not designed to directly prepare graduates for immediate work on cases



• Formal Training – New scientists receive formal training once hired by a forensic

science laboratory» Hired as a specialist in one or a group of related areas» Encompasses a period of apprenticeship with an experienced

scientist» Time of training varies with discipline and laboratory» Training usually involves mock case work and assisting in real

cases»May end with proficiency testing and mock trials



• On-the-Job Training: Experience –Once working on cases a forensic scientist

learns to be effective»Manage time and resources»Deal with pressures of testifying in court»Handle other participants in the legal

system


Analysis of Evidence

– In addition to routine scientific analysis of evidence by the forensic scientist, many factors affect how evidence is analyzed• Chain of custody• Turnaround time• Preservation and spoilage• Sampling• Reports


EXPERT TESTIMONY

– Forensic Scientists must be able to convey findings in a court of law


CHAPTER SUMMARY

• An expert possesses a combination of knowledge, skills, and abilities in a particular area

• Forensic Science is a wide ranging field• Occupies a unique niche between law

enforcement and the courts


Criminal Justice and Forensic Science Introduction Chapter 1 ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.

Documents

Transcript of Criminal Justice and Forensic Science Introduction Chapter 1 ©2010 Elsevier, Inc.