Introduction and Overview of Forensics

These notes are based on the textbook “Criminalistics: An Introduction to Forensic Science” seventh edition by Richard Saperstein (ed. Prentice Hall, 2001 pp. 1-22)

Chapter 1

I. Introduction: Definition and Scope

II. History and Development of Forensic Science: Many believe Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had a considerable influence on popularizing scientific crime-detection methods through his fictional character, Sherlock Holmes. Read the quote from “A Study in Scarlet” 1887 on p.3 of “Criminalistics” by Richard Saperstein.

"I've found it! I've found it," he shouted to my companion, running towards us with a test-tube in his hand. "I have found a re-agent which is precipitated by haemoglobin, and by nothing else . . . . Why, man, it is the most practical medico-legal discovery for years. Don't you see that it gives us an infallible test for blood stains? . . . . The old guaiacum test was very clumsy and uncertain. So is the microscopic examination for blood corpuscles. The latter is valueless if the stains are a few hours old. Now, this appears to act as well whether the blood is old or new. Had this test been invented, there are hundreds of men now walking the earth who would long ago have paid the penalty of their crimes. . . . Criminal cases are continually hinging upon that one point. A man is suspected of a crime months perhaps after it has been committed. His linen or clothes are examined and brownish stains discovered upon them. Are they blood stains, or mud stains, or rust stains, or fruit stains, or what are they? That is a question which has puzzled many an expert, and why? Because there was no reliable test. Now we have the Sherlock Holmes's test, and there will no longer be any difficulty."

A. Mathieu Orfila: toxicology. ______

B. Aphonse Bertillon: anthropometry. ______

C. Francis Galton: fingerprints ______

D. Leone Lattes: blood type ______E. Calvin Goddard: ______

F. Albert S. Osborn: document analysis ______

G. Hans Gross: first forensic journal, “Kriminologie”. ______

H. Edmond Locard: Locard’s exchange principle ______

III. Organization of a Crime Laboratory

I. Services of the Crime Laboratory ______

A. Basic Services Provided by Full-Service Crime Laboratories

1. Physical Science Unit: ______

2. Biology Unit: ______

3. Firearms Unit: ______

4. DocumentExaminationUnit:______

5. Photography Unit: ______B. Optional Services Provided by Full-Service Crime Labs

1. Toxicology Unit: ______

2. Latent Fingerprint Unit: ______

2. Polygraph Unit: ______

3. Voiceprint Analysis Unit: ______

4. Evidence-Collection Unit: ______

C. The Functions of The Forensic Scientist

1. Analysis of Physical Evidence: ______

2. Expert witness: ______

3. Specially trained evidence collection technicians: ______D. Other Forensic Science Services

Death can be classified into five different categories: natural death, homicide, suicide, accident or undetermined manner of death. 1. Forensic Pathology: a. Rigor mortis. ______

b. Livor mortis: ______

c. Algor mortis: ______

E. Forensic Anthropology: ______

F. Forensic Entomology ______

G. Forensic Psychiatry ______

H. Forensic Odontology: ______

I. Forensic Engineering ______

J. Forensic Analysis also can include organic and inorganic analytical techniques. 1. Organic analysis ______

______

2. Inorganic analysis ______

______References:

Saperstein, Richard, “Criminalistics: An Introduction to Forensic Science,” pp. 1-22. Prentice Hall, Inc., Upper Saddle, NJ 07458, 2001. ISBN 0-13-013827-4 (textbook with lots of background information and figures)