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Senior Honors Projects Honors Program at the University of Rhode Island
2007 Forensics: Crime Scene Investigation Case Closed Christina Parente University of Rhode Island
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Recommended Citation Parente, Christina, "Forensics: Crime Scene Investigation Case Closed" (2007). Senior Honors Projects. Paper 64. http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/srhonorsprog/64http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/srhonorsprog/64
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Forensics:Forensics: CrimeCrime SceneScene InvestigationInvestigation CASECASE CLOSEDCLOSED
CSICSI atat URIURI
ChristinaChristina ParenteParente CSICSI @@ URIURI
WhatWhat exactlyexactly isis forensics?forensics?
Forensics is the application of a broad spectrum of sciences to answer questions of interest in the legal system.
A field comprised of many disciplines CSICSI @@ URIURI
ExampleExample SubSub--divisionsdivisions
PathologistPathologist:: MedicalMedical examinersexaminers
AnthropologyAnthropology:: IdentificationIdentification ofof remainsremains
EntomologyEntomology:: DecompositionDecomposition inin relationrelation toto insectsinsects
OdontologyOdontology:: ToothTooth enamelenamel asas identificationidentification CSICSI @@ URIURI BasicBasic Stages:Stages: CrimeCrime SceneScene SearchSearch
ApproachApproach thethe scenescene
SecureSecure && ProtectProtect thethe scenescene
InitiateInitiate preliminarypreliminary surveysurvey
EvaluateEvaluate physicalphysical evidenceevidence possibilitiespossibilities
PreparePrepare narrativenarrative descriptiondescription
DepictDepict scenescene photographically/videophotographically/video
PreparePrepare diagramdiagram // sketchsketch thethe scenescene CSICSI @@ URIURI BasicBasic StagesStages Continued:Continued:
ConductConduct detaileddetailed searchsearch
RecordRecord andand collectcollect physicalphysical evidenceevidence
ConductConduct finalfinal surveysurvey
ReleaseRelease CrimeCrime SceneScene CSICSI @@ URIURI PhysicalPhysical EvidenceEvidence AnalysisAnalysis
IsIs concernedconcerned withwith thethe recognition,recognition, identification,identification, comparison,comparison, individualization,individualization, interpretationinterpretation andand reconstructionreconstruction ofof evidence.evidence. CSICSI @@ URIURI PhysicalPhysical evidenceevidence examinationexamination cancan :: LinkLink aa suspectsuspect withwith thethe victimvictim LinkLink aa personperson toto aa crimecrime scenescene
LinkLink anan objectobject toto aa crimecrime
DisproveDisprove oror supportsupport witnesswitness testimonytestimony
IdentifyIdentify aa personperson
AidAid inin thethe ReconstructionReconstruction ofof aa crimecrime CSICSI @@ URIURI
ProjectProject ObjectivesObjectives
BreakingBreaking forensicsforensics downdown intointo aa sciencescience concentratingconcentrating onon >Fingerprints>Fingerprints
>DNA>DNA TypingTyping CSICSI @@ URIURI
FingerprintFingerprint ClassificationClassification
ThreeThree basicbasic patternspatterns
1. ArchArch
2. LoopLoop
3. WhorlWhorl CSICSI @@ URIURI
Fingerprints…its all in the touch
Age old technique beginning in 1892
First forensic discipline of professional certification
Remains the most commonly used forensic evidence worldwide
Outperforms any other identification system CSICSI @@ URIURI CSICSI @@ URIURI
““EveryEvery ContactContact LeavesLeaves aa Trace”Trace” (Locard)
Latent: Accidental impression hidden from the naked eye
Patent: Impression seen through the transference of materials
Plastic: Impression deposited into a material LATENTLATENT PRINTSPRINTS
Not everything is as it seems…
CSICSI @@ URIURI
MethodsMethods ofof ObtainingObtaining PrintsPrints
TapeTape:: LiftingLifting
PowderPowder:: MagneticMagnetic
FumingFuming:: CyanacrylateCyanacrylate CSICSI @@ URIURI
FingerFinger FactsFacts
NoNo twotwo fingerprintsfingerprints havehave everever beenbeen foundfound toto bebe identicalidentical betweenbetween individualsindividuals
ThereThere areare overover 4040 millionmillion tenten digitdigit printprint cardscards inin thethe criminalcriminal datadata basebase
DataData basebase IAFISIAFIS
ThisThis isis 20x20x thethe amountamount ofof DNADNA filesfiles CSICSI @@ URIURI
DNADNA TypingTyping (deoxyribonucleic acid)
Began in 1986 in Britain
Genetic calling card or architectural blueprint
Found within blood, hair, bone, semen, tissue, tooth pulp, and saliva
Relatively stable CSICSI @@ URIURI
DNA’sDNA’s rolerole withinwithin ForensicsForensics
HelpsHelps piecepiece togethertogether eventsevents ofof crime,crime, linklink andand identifyidentify individualsindividuals
MoreMore powerfulpowerful thanthan anyany otherother biochemicalbiochemical analysisanalysis
FastFast resultsresults
PrecisePrecise convictionconviction CSICSI @@ URIURI
DNADNA FactsFacts
TwoTwo databases,databases, nationalnational indexindex NDISNDIS andand internationalinternational CODISCODIS
ApproximatelyApproximately 3.73.7 millionmillion profilesprofiles withinwithin allall databasesdatabases asas ofof DecemberDecember ’06’06
CanCan bebe processedprocessed throughthrough manymany differentdifferent numbernumber codedcoded techniquestechniques CSICSI @@ URIURI
DNADNA atat WorkWork
FollowingFollowing thethe eventsevents ofof 9/119/11 DNADNA waswas thethe primaryprimary aidaid inin identifyingidentifying victimsvictims
2,7492,749 peoplepeople missingmissing
>300>300 bodiesbodies intactintact
20,73020,730 fragmentsfragments ofof remainsremains
11--196196 bodybody partsparts perper aa personperson
1,5981,598 peoplepeople identifiedidentified (53%)(53%) CSICSI @@ URIURI
SemesterSemester AdventuresAdventures
RIRI STATESTATE CRIMECRIME LABORATORYLABORATORY
ADMINISTRATIONADMINISTRATION •• DENNISDENNIS && HELENHELEN LATENTLATENT PRINTPRINT SECTIONSECTION •• EDED && MARKMARK TRACETRACE SECTIONSECTION •• AMYAMY && KIMKIM FIREARMSFIREARMS SECTIONSECTION •• BOBBOB && LAWRENCELAWRENCE Criminal Investigation: Scientific Evidence
CSICSI @@ URIURI CSICSI @@ URIURI CSICSI @@ URIURI CSICSI @@ URIURI “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, it cannot be wholly absent. Only human failure to find it, study and understand it, can diminish its value”. - Professor Edmond Locard