High School Level Science Specific to NYS Forensics History of Forensic Science
Class Notes 2013-2014
Forensic Science
Application of science to the criminal and civil laws Earliest record of applying forensics to solve criminal cases comes from 3rd century China
American Academy of Forensic Science
Criminalistics Engineering Science General Jurisprudence Odontology Pathology/Biology Physical Anthropology Psychiatry and Behavioral Science Questioned Documents Toxicology
Applying Scientific Principles to Crime
Alphonse Bertillon Developed the first system of personal identification – Bertillon’s System aka anthropometry o A series of body measurements to distinguish one individual from another
More Developments
In the early 1900s, fingerprints replaced Bertillon’s system Best known figure in 19th century forensics o Sherlock Holmes Applied the newly developing principles of serology, fingerprinting, firearns identification, and questioned-documents examination
Influence
Francis Galton (1892) – developed a method for classifying fingerprints Hans Gross (1893) – first described application of science to crime (book) Leone Lattes (1915) – developed blood group testing for dried samples Albert Osborn – applied principles of document examination Edmond Locard – started the first police lab
By: Sara Zobel
High School Level Science Specific to NYS Forensics
Class Notes 2013-2014
Calvin Goddard – bullet comparisons Mathieu Orfila (1814) – father of forensic toxicology Alec Jefferys (1984) – developed 1st OWA profiling test Locard’s Exchange Principle – When two objects come into contact there’s a cross transfer of materials.
Crime Laboratories
Oldest forensic lab in the US – Los Angeles, created in 1923 FBI has the largest crime lab in the world
Four Major Federal Crime Labs
DEA – Drug Enforcement Administration ATF – Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms FBI – Federal Bureau of Investigation USPS – United States Postal Service
Demand for Forensics
Major growth since 1960s: o Increased crime rate o Requirement to inform suspects of rights which led to a decrease in confessions o All seized drugs must be documented and analyzed at the lab before trial o The technology is available (example: DNA Profiling)
Crime Lab Services
Basic Services o Physical Science Unit o Biology Unit o Firearms Unit o Document Examination Unit o Photography Unit Optional Services o Toxicology Unity o Latent Fingerprint Unit o Polygraph Unit o Voiceprint Analysis Unit o Crime scene Investigation Unite
By: Sara Zobel
High School Level Science Specific to NYS Forensics
Class Notes 2013-2014
Functions of a Forensic Scientist
Lab work (analyze evidence) Courtroom testimony (present un court) Training other people (teach others)
Providing Expert Testimony
Expert Witness o You know more than the average person o Knowledge may be acquired through experience, training, education, or a combination o Important: demeanor and ability to explain data and conclusions clearly, concisely, and logically