Introduction to Forensic Soil Science and Forensic Geology: a Synthesis
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Forensic Geology
Manuscript for inclusion in the Encyclopedia of Geology, Edited by R.C. Selley, L.R.M Cocks and I.R Plimer, Elsevier, Amsterdam (2004) FORENSIC GEOLOGY K. Pye. Department of Geology, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EW, UK Introduction Forensic geology is concerned with the application of geological data and techniques in relation to issues which may come before a court of law. It is closely related to environmental forensics, forensic engineering and forensic archaeology. Environmental forensics is somewhat broader in scope than forensic geology and involves a wider range of environmental data, knowledge and expertise. It frequently involves investigations of environmental problems such as water and air pollution. Forensic engineering also overlaps with environmental forensics and is typically concerned with such issues as ground stability, the failure of buildings and other engineering structures, flooding, wind damage, fires and explosions. All sub-disciplines of the geosciences have potential forensic applications, but sedimentology, mineralogy, petrology, geochemistry, palaeontology and geophysics have so far made the greatest contributions. Shallow geophysical prospecting methods have been widely used by forensic archaeologists and others to locate and characterize clandestine graves and buried objects such as drugs and weapons. However, probably the most widely recognized application of forensic geology is the use of geological materials as trace evidence which can be of value in linking a suspect to a crime scene. In the wider forensic and legal literature, sediment, soil, dust and rock fragments have often been grouped together under the loose term ‘soil’ evidence. 1 Some of the earliest users of geological and soil evidence were in fact not geologists. -
Meeting Reports
MEETING REPORTS The long arm of the (geoforensics) law A recent meeting in London Initiative on Forensic Geology (IUGS- remote sensing techniques meant that considered both the conventional IFG) and the two groups are now closely remains could be distinguished from the and unusual applications of linked. seafloor topography and other debris, and enabled the successful recovery geoscience to forensic investigation. Scope of the remains of many of the victims. Alastair Ruffell, Jamie Pringle and Forensic geology emerged in the 19th The research also highlighted just Ruth Morgan discuss the global and 20th centuries with the application how little we currently know about the expansion of forensic geoscience, of analyses of traces of sand, sediment decomposition of human remains in the and how this field is central to and soil to criminal investigations. The marine environment compared to the keeping geoscience at the forefront main questions answered by forensic terrestrial. The challenges of working in of science and public interest. geologists were in establishing whether these ‘extreme’ environments is further a suspect could have been at a crime compounded when the complexity of The term forensic geoscience often scene, or their alibi locations, and assessing the taphonomic processes draws to mind images of a scientist this type of analysis continues today. and establishing a post-mortem analysing dirt on a crime suspect’s However, geoscientific techniques have submersion interval (PMSI) in marine shoes. Important though such analyses also long been deployed in the search environments is addressed. Research are, the field has moved far beyond for buried or sunken items, as well as in in this study sought to establish the key these humble beginnings and now the sampling of inorganic materials at variables in play in this highly variable includes work on spacecraft surfaces, crime scenes. -
IUGS's Annual Report for 2019
Surveys” at the RFG2018 conference attended (IPA), by several national geological surveys (GSC, ◇International Association of Sedimentologists USGS, BGR, BGS, Japan, Finland, Norway, (IAS), Australia etc.); ◇IGCP council meetings, ◇a follow-up meeting of the International Consortium of Geological Surveys (ICOGS) ◇Alliance of International Science Organiza- organized at the Prospectors and Developers tions (ANSO), Association of Canada (PDAC) Convention by ◇International Consortium on Landslides (ICL), It has been several months since the outbreak organizations. The DDE program was officially GSC and USGS for directors and representa- of the COVID-19 which has put the whole world announced at the 73rd IUGS EC meeting held in tives of geological surveys attended by about 20 ◇Int. Society of Soil Mechanics & Geotechnical at risk, has claimed hundreds of thousands lives Beijing on February 26-29, 2019. The DDE delegates from Australia, New Zealand, South Engineering (ISSMGE), and caused devastating social and economic mission is to harmonize Earth evolution data Africa, Afghanistan, USA, Tasmania, France, ◇Int. Association for Engineering Geology and consequences. I would like to express IUGS’ and share global geoscience knowledge and its Germany, Republic of Senegal, the Organiza- the Environment (IAEG). sincere sympathy to those who have lost their vision is to promote Earth science transforma- tion of African Geological Survey (OAGS), and loved ones and who are still suffering from the tion. Unlike other existing databases, DDE will EuroGeosurveys; The IUGS initiatives were also discussed with spreading of the pandemic. I sincerely thank all provide the geologies and geographies of Earth ◇Sessions of Directors of Geological Surveys ISC, UNESCO and the GeoUnions. -
2020 ONLINE FORENSIC SYMPOSIUM PROCEEDINGS July 27Th - 31St, 2020 Current Trends in Forensic Trace Analysis FREE Registration / CE Credits Available WELCOME MESSAGE
2020 ONLINE FORENSIC SYMPOSIUM PROCEEDINGS July 27th - 31st, 2020 Current Trends in Forensic Trace Analysis FREE Registration / CE Credits Available WELCOME MESSAGE Conference Founder, Tom Gluodenis: Welcome to the 3rd Annual Online Forensic Symposium. It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the second event in this year’s “Online Forensic Symposium – Current Trends in Forensic Trace Analysis.” The demand for information, continuing education and international cooperation has continued to increase, fueling the growth of this Symposium from a 3-day event in 2018 to a series of week-long events covering forensic toxicology, seized drugs, and trace analysis. As the event has expanded, I have required more assistance in ensuring the exceptional quality of technical content that you have come to expect from the Symposium. Consequently, I am thrilled to have two outstanding Program Chairs – Tatiana Trejos (West Virginia University) & Gerard van der Peijl (Netherlands Forensic Institute) who have voluntarily dedicated their time and talents in developing this year’s program. I can’t thank them enough for all that they have done. Similarly, my heartfelt thanks go out to all of this year’s speakers who are volunteering their time and sharing their knowledge and expertise for the benefit of the broader community. Another change this year is the Symposium’s new home: The Center for Forensic Science, Research & Education (CFSRE). I am deeply grateful to the CFSRE team, who has worked tirelessly to create a special place for the Symposium to reside. The alignment of our mission and vision with regard to education, professional development and international outreach in the areas of Forensic Chemistry/Toxicology and Forensic Biology has resulted in a wonderfully synergistic partnership. -
Bodies of Evidence Reconstructing History Through Skeletal Analysis 1St Edition Ebook, Epub
BODIES OF EVIDENCE RECONSTRUCTING HISTORY THROUGH SKELETAL ANALYSIS 1ST EDITION PDF, EPUB, EBOOK Grauer | 9780471042792 | | | | | Bodies of Evidence Reconstructing History through Skeletal Analysis 1st edition PDF Book Forensic Outreach. Forensic anthropology is the application of the anatomical science of anthropology and its various subfields, including forensic archaeology and forensic taphonomy , [1] in a legal setting. In addition to revealing the age, sex, size, stature, health, and ethnic population of the decedent, an examination of the skeleton may reveal evidence concerning pathology and any antemortem before death , perimortem at the time of death , or postmortem after death trauma. September Investigations often begin with a ground search team using cadaver dogs or a low-flying plane to locate a missing body or skeleton. It is also recommended that individuals looking to pursue a forensic anthropology profession get experience in dissection usually through a gross anatomy class as well as useful internships with investigative agencies or practicing anthropologists. Permissions Request permission to reuse content from this site. Assessment of the Reliability of Facial Reconstruction. In , the second of the soldiers' remains discovered at Avion , France were identified through a combination of 3-D printing software, reconstructive sculpture and use of isotopic analysis of bone. In cases like these, forensic archaeologists must practice caution and recognize the implications behind their work and the information they uncover. Practical Considerations. Taylor of Austin, Texas during the s. Historical Archaeology. American Anthropologist. Retrieved 10 September Hindustan Times. Wikimedia Commons has media related to Forensic facial reconstruction. The capability to uncover information about victims of war crimes or homicide may present a conflict in cases that involve competing interests. -
Forensic Geoscience: Applications of Geology, Geomorphology and Geophysics to Criminal Investigations
Forensic Geoscience: applications of geology, geomorphology and geophysics to criminal investigations Ruffell, A., & McKinley, J. (2005). Forensic Geoscience: applications of geology, geomorphology and geophysics to criminal investigations. Earth-Science Reviews, 69(3-4)(3-4), 235-247. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2004.08.002 Published in: Earth-Science Reviews Queen's University Belfast - Research Portal: Link to publication record in Queen's University Belfast Research Portal General rights Copyright for the publications made accessible via the Queen's University Belfast Research Portal is retained by the author(s) and / or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing these publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. Take down policy The Research Portal is Queen's institutional repository that provides access to Queen's research output. Every effort has been made to ensure that content in the Research Portal does not infringe any person's rights, or applicable UK laws. If you discover content in the Research Portal that you believe breaches copyright or violates any law, please contact [email protected]. Download date:26. Sep. 2021 Earth-Science Reviews 69 (2005) 235–247 www.elsevier.com/locate/earscirev Forensic geoscience: applications of geology, geomorphology and geophysics to criminal investigations Alastair Ruffell*, Jennifer McKinley School of Geography, Queen’s University, Belfast, BT7 1NN, N. Ireland Received 12 January 2004; accepted 24 August 2004 Abstract One hundred years ago Georg Popp became the first scientist to present in court a case where the geological makeup of soils was used to secure a criminal conviction. -
Physical Evidence Manual
If you have issues viewing or accessing this file contact us at NCJRS.gov. City of Phoenix Physical Evidence Manual 142520 U.S. Department of Justice National Institute of Justice This document has been reproduced exactly as received from the person or organization originating it. Points of view or opinions stated in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the National Institute of Justice. Permission to reproduce this copyrighted material has been granJ;l}\8'enix Police Department (AZ) to the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS). Further reproduction outside of the NCJRS system requires permission of the copyright owner. Phoenix Police Department Crime Detection Laboratory d 5 CITY OF PHOENIX POLICE DEPARTMENT Crime Detection Laboratory WILLIAM J. COLLIER Director Edited by Raymond Gieszl 1990 -------------_._---------------------' CONTENTS I. Introduction ---------------------------------- 3-4 II. Laboratory ------------------------------------- 5 III. Function and Services ------------------------- 6-7 IV. General Instruction for Collection and -------- 8-10 Preservation of Physical Evidence V. Crime Scene Processing and Reconstruction ----- 11-15 VI. Marijuana, Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs ------ 16-18 VII. Prescription Only Drugs ------------------------ 19-20 VIII. Toxicology ------------------------------------ 21-22 IX. Blood stains ---------------------------------- 23-29 X. Hair ------------------------------------------- 30-32 XI. Seminal -
Forensic Geoscience: Principles, Techniques and Applications
Number 33 Jan – Mar 2003 ISSN 1359-0820 THE FORENSIC SCIENCE SOCIETY interA forum for forensic scientistsfaces and associated professionals Forensic geoscience: principles, techniques and applications 3 + 4 March 2003 (Convenors: Kenneth Pye and Debra J Croft) Forensic geoscience is a rapidly developing sub-discipline of geoscience and is concerned Forensic Geology, the first (and only) evidence, as well as diatom analysis and was with the application of earth and wider textbook on the subject. Prof. Murray’s chaired by Prof. Tony Brown (Exeter). environmental information and techniques to keynote paper addressed the subject of Exciting work on a new automated scanning investigations which may come before a court ‘Yesterday-Today-Tomorrow’. The morning electron microscopic technique (Camborne of law (civil or criminal). It incorporates session (chaired by Debra Croft) then covered School of Mines/CSIRO, Australia) and the forensic geology and forensic soil science, but various geophysical techniques for detection analysis of potential hazards and risks from there are also important overlaps with of burial sites and disturbed ground, with space debris were also presented. The forensic archaeology, forensic anthropology, contributors from the archaeological field, as afternoon final session (chaired by Prof. forensic engineering and forensic biology. As well as the modelling of the movement of Raymond Murray) concentrated on case well as being concerned with all types of bodies in tidal river estuaries. The afternoon studies and use of -
Geoforensics Laurance Donnelly and Alastair Ruffell on the Group’S First Decade
SVOLUMECIENTIS 26 NO 11 ◆ DEC 16/JAN 17 ◆ WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTISTT GEThe Fellowship Magazine of theO Geological Society of London UK / Overseas where sold to individuals: £3.95 Geoforensics Laurance Donnelly and Alastair Ruffell on the Group’s first decade SOCIETY ON FACEBOOK [WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/GEOLSOC ] MENTE ET MALLEO? AFTER ABERFAN ONLINE CONFERENCING The Sedgwick’s collection You respond to our coverage Arjan Reesink weighs up the of geological hammers of the 50th anniversary new trend’s pros and cons GEOSCIENTIST CONTENTS 16 20 10 27 FEATURESFEATURES IN THIS ISSUE... 16 IF I HAD A HAMMER Douglas Palmer describes a new exhibition of the Sedgwick’s collection of famous geologists’ mighty tools. (See also Books & Arts, p22.) REGULARS 05 Welcome Ted Nield urges Trustees not to overlook an Executive Secretary’s most important duty 06 Society News What your Society is doing at home and abroad, in London and the regions 09 Soapbox Arjan Reesink sees pluses and some minuses in online conferencing 21 Letters You respond to our coverage of the Aberfan Disaster, 50 years ago ON THE COVER: 22 Books and arts Six reviews by Ted Nield, Matt Loader, Andrew 10 What lies beneath Robinson, David Edwards, Mike Bowman and Richard Wrigley Laurance Donnelly describes the 24 People Geoscientists in the news and on the move first 10 years of the Society’s 26 Calendar Society activities this month Forensic Geoscience Group 28 Obituary Norman John D’Cruz 1924-2016 29 Crossword Win a Special Publication of your choice WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST -
Chemical Element Levels As a Methodological Tool in Forensic
orensi f F c R o e l s a e n r a r u c o h J Journal of Forensic Research Gianni et al., J Forensic Res 2015, 6:1 ISSN: 2157-7145 DOI: 10.4172/2157-7145.1000264 Research Article Open Access Chemical Element Levels as a Methodological Tool in Forensic Science Gianni Gallello* 1,3, Julia Kuligowski2, Agustin Pastor3, Agustin Diez1 and Joan Bernabeu1 1Department of Prehistory and Archaeology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain 2Division of Neonatology, University Hospital Materno-Infantil La Fe, Bulevar Sur, Valencia, Spain 3Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Valencia, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain *Corresponding author: Gianni Gallello, Department of Prehistory and Archaeology, University of Valencia, 28 Blasco Ibáñez Street, 46010 Valencia, Spain, Tel: +34697636957; Fax: +34 96 3544838; E-mail: [email protected] Rec date: Nov 10, 2014 Acc date: Dec 15, 2014 Pub date: Dec 20, 2014 Copyright: © 2014 Gallello G. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Abstract The aim of the present study was to define a methodological strategy for understanding how post- mortem degradation in bones caused by the environment affects different skeletal parts and for selecting better preserved bone samples, employing rare earth elements (REEs) analysis and multivariate statistics. To test our methodological proposal the samples selected belong to adult and young individuals and were obtained from the Late Roman Necropolis of c/Virgen de la Misericordia located in Valencia city centre (Comunidad Valenciana, Spain). -
Automated Petrography Analysis by QEMSCAN® of a Garnet-Staurolite Schist of the San Lorenzo Formation, Sierra Nevada De Santa Marta Massif
R REíoVs-ISRTeAye MEXs et aIl.CANA DE CIENCIAS GEOLÓGICAS v. 37, núm. 1, 2020, p. 98-107 Automated petrography analysis by QEMSCAN® of a garnet-staurolite schist of the San Lorenzo Formation, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta massif Carlos Alberto Ríos-Reyes1,*, Oscar Mauricio Castellanos-Alarcón2, and Carlos Alberto Villarreal-Jaimes1 1 Grupo de Investigación en Geología Básica y Aplicada (GIGBA), Escuela de Geología, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Bucaramanga, Colombia. 2 Grupo de Investigación en Geofísica y Geología (PANGEA), Programa de Geología, Universidad de Pamplona, Colombia. * [email protected] ABSTRACT QEMSCAN® a un esquisto con granate y estaurolita de la Formación San Lorenzo, provincia geológica de Sevilla (macizo de la Sierra Nevada Automated petrographic analysis integrates scanning electron de Santa Marta), y demuestra que esta técnica analítica tiene una clara microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy hardware with aplicación potencial en estudios petrológicos. expert soware to generate micron-scale compositional maps of rocks. While automated petrography solutions such as QEMSCAN® are widely Palabras clave: petrografía automatizada; rocas metamórcas; granate; used in the mining, mineral processing, and petroleum industries to esquisto; QEMSCAN©; Formación San Lorenzo; Sierra Nevada de Santa characterize ore deposits and subsurface rock formations, it has not Marta, Colombia. been used in metamorphic petrology. is study applies automated petrographic analysis using QEMSCAN® to a garnet-staurolite schist of -
Trace Evidence
Trace Evidence Overview The term "trace evidence" is generally thought of as any type of evidence occurring in sizes so small that it can be transferred or exchanged between two surfaces without being noticed. The first scientist to formally articulate a philosophical foundation for transfer-evidence occurrence was the Frenchman, Edmond Locard (1877-1966): Wherever he steps, whatever he touches, whatever he leaves, even unconsciously, will serve as 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 marks 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 cannot perjure itself; it cannot be wholly absent. Only its interpretation can err. Only human failure to find it, study and understand it, can diminish its value." (Kirk, Paul L., Crime Investigation, New York: Interscience Publishers, 1953.) The dust and debris that cover our clothing and bodies are the mute witnesses, sure and faithful, of all our movements and all our encounters. Trace evidence examinations encompass a wide variety of evidence types that include trace (transfer) evidence, fractured materials (physical matches) and material identifications. Michael McCarriagher, HQ Trace Section Manager, 404-270-8266 Trace (Transfer) Evidence This category of evidence includes materials that are often microscopic in nature and are readily exchanged between people, places and objects upon contact.