Forensic Science Forensic Science

Notes Notes
Forensic? Forensic?
%e term 'forensic' comes from te Latin %e term 'forensic' comes from te Latin
term 'forum' or market place. term 'forum' or market place.
All court cases were eld tere, in public. All court cases were eld tere, in public.
Forensic science refers to any science tat Forensic science refers to any science tat
can be used in a court of law to establis can be used in a court of law to establis
guilt (or innocence!) guilt (or innocence!)
,in ,re,s of Forensics ,in ,re,s of Forensics
Forensic Science Forensic Science
Analytical sciences suc as toxicology and Analytical sciences suc as toxicology and
entomology entomology
Forensic Medicine Forensic Medicine
Medical sciences suc as parmacology, Medical sciences suc as parmacology,
psyciatry and dentistry psyciatry and dentistry
Forensic Patology Forensic Patology
nvestigation of cause of deat using sciences nvestigation of cause of deat using sciences
suc as aematology and immunology suc as aematology and immunology
Fingerprints Fingerprints- - Wh,t c,:ses Wh,t c,:ses
them? them?
#idges on your fingers, palms and feet #idges on your fingers, palms and feet
add extra grip. add extra grip.
%ese are formed by te fift mont of a %ese are formed by te fift mont of a
baby's development in te uterus. baby's development in te uterus.
No two people ave te same prints (not No two people ave te same prints (not
even identical twins) even identical twins)
%ese ridges can act like a rubber stamp %ese ridges can act like a rubber stamp
and leave an impression beind on and leave an impression beind on
surfaces tey touc. surfaces tey touc.
%pes of prints Ieft ,t crime %pes of prints Ieft ,t crime
scenes scenes
Visible Prints Visible Prints - - Made wen fingers touc a Made wen fingers touc a
surface after te ridges ave been in contact surface after te ridges ave been in contact
wit a coloured material suc as blood, grease, wit a coloured material suc as blood, grease,
paint, or ink. paint, or ink.
,tent Prints ,tent Prints - - aused by perspiration of one's aused by perspiration of one's
skin coming into contact wit a surface and skin coming into contact wit a surface and
making an invisible impression on it. making an invisible impression on it.
Pl,stic Prints Pl,stic Prints - - ridge impressions left on a soft ridge impressions left on a soft
material suc as putty, wax, soap, or dust. material suc as putty, wax, soap, or dust.
Wh do we Ie,;e I,tent Wh do we Ie,;e I,tent
fingerprints? fingerprints?
our skin as two our skin as two
types of glands. types of glands.
Sweat glands Sweat glands
release water, release water,
salt and urea. salt and urea.
Sebaceous Sebaceous
glands release an glands release an
oily substance oily substance
wic lubricates wic lubricates
te skin te skin
,in tpes of fingerprints ,in tpes of fingerprints
Loop Loop
Arc Arc
orl orl
omposite (a omposite (a
mix of two or mix of two or
more of tese more of tese
tree types) tree types)
%ri %ri- -R,di:s or DeIt, R,di:s or DeIt,
A tri A tri- -radius or delta is an area of a radius or delta is an area of a
fingerprint were a triangle is formed. fingerprint were a triangle is formed.
ounting te number of ridges from te tri ounting te number of ridges from te tri- -
radius to te centre of a print can be used radius to te centre of a print can be used
as one means of comparing fingerprints as one means of comparing fingerprints
%ri %ri- -R,di:s or DeIt, R,di:s or DeIt,
Loops ave one Loops ave one
orls ave two orls ave two
# #
(at least). (at least).
Arces ave none Arces ave none
# #idge counts are # #idge counts are
done from te tri done from te tri- -
radius closest to radius closest to
te centre te centre
omp,ring prints omp,ring prints
Starting in te middle of te print, Starting in te middle of te print,
fingerprint experts look for small sections fingerprint experts look for small sections
of te ridges wic are unusual. of te ridges wic are unusual.
#idges can also cross, wile scars can be #idges can also cross, wile scars can be
used as identifiers as well. used as identifiers as well.
Eye or Lake Island BiIurcation Ending Ridge
omp,ring prints omp,ring prints
Wh,t m,es , m,tch? Wh,t m,es , m,tch?
n Australia, 16 consecutive matcing n Australia, 16 consecutive matcing
points (if tere is only one print for points (if tere is only one print for
comparison) comparison)
%is comparison sows 10 points, toug %is comparison sows 10 points, toug
tere are a furter 12 wic ave not been tere are a furter 12 wic ave not been
igligted igligted
Extension: Born criminals? Extension: Born criminals?
nthropometr nthropometr
A system of identification, using body A system of identification, using body
measurements. measurements.
Developed by Alponse Bertillion in te Developed by Alponse Bertillion in te
1880's 1880's
Largely discredited by te ill est case Largely discredited by te ill est case
Does still ave some use in gaining Does still ave some use in gaining
information from skeletal remains. information from skeletal remains.
ow nthropoIog wors ow nthropoIog wors
ou can calculate a person's eigt from ou can calculate a person's eigt from
te lengts of some of teir bones. te lengts of some of teir bones.
%is is useful if you only ave part of a %is is useful if you only ave part of a
body to work wit. body to work wit.
alculations based on average alculations based on average
measurements measurements
Different calculations for males and Different calculations for males and
females. females.
S,mpIe c,Ic:I,tion S,mpIe c,Ic:I,tion
For male femur tat is 43.5 cm long: For male femur tat is 43.5 cm long:
Heigt = 69.089 + 2.238 x lengt of femur Heigt = 69.089 + 2.238 x lengt of femur
#emember BODMAS! #emember BODMAS!
So So
43.5 x 2.238 ( ) 97.353 69.089 166.442
S,mpIe c,Ic:I,tion S,mpIe c,Ic:I,tion
For female tibia tat is 31.5 cm long: For female tibia tat is 31.5 cm long:
Heigt = 72.572 + 2.533 x lengt of tibia Heigt = 72.572 + 2.533 x lengt of tibia
#emember BODMAS! #emember BODMAS!
So So
31.5 x 2.533 ( ) 79.7895 72.572 152.3615
,sts ,sts
Marks left beind at a crime scene can Marks left beind at a crime scene can
reveal many details reveal many details
asts are made by pouring liquid into te asts are made by pouring liquid into te
mark and letting it dry mark and letting it dry
en dry, you ave a 3D impression of en dry, you ave a 3D impression of
te mark te mark
Wh,t sort of m,rs? Wh,t sort of m,rs?
Soeprints (very rarely footprints!) Soeprints (very rarely footprints!)
%ool marks (eg troug "jemmying open %ool marks (eg troug "jemmying open
windows windows
Scratces Scratces
%yre marks %yre marks
,teri,Is :sed for c,sts ,teri,Is :sed for c,sts
Plaster of Paris: Plaster of Paris:
for large areas for large areas
Mix of molten sulpur and grapite: Mix of molten sulpur and grapite:
for marks on metal surfaces for marks on metal surfaces
Fast drying plastics: Fast drying plastics:
for marks in timber for marks in timber
hoosing , m,teri,I for c,sts hoosing , m,teri,I for c,sts
A casting material sould A casting material sould
Be ceap Be ceap
Be easy to prepare and use (poor weater, remote Be easy to prepare and use (poor weater, remote
location) location)
Set quickly Set quickly
Sow detail accurately Sow detail accurately
A casting material sould not A casting material sould not
Srink or expand after setting Srink or expand after setting
Stick to te mark Stick to te mark
Damage te mark wen removed Damage te mark wen removed
ow ,re c,sts :sef:I? ow ,re c,sts :sef:I?
asts of soe prints, for example, can asts of soe prints, for example, can
provide information on: provide information on:
%ype and age of soe %ype and age of soe
Heigt Heigt
eigt eigt
Direction of travel Direction of travel
Speed Speed
arrying anyting arrying anyting
Limp or oter disability Limp or oter disability
,mining Ins ,mining Ins
Most inks are not made of just one color of ink,
but contain several colours of inks tat combine
to form te desired colour.
Green ink, for example, is a combination of blue
ink and yellow ink.
Black ink is often a combination of several
colours.
nks from different manufacturers will be
composed of different combinations of colours.
hrom,togr,ph hrom,togr,ph
%in Layer
romatograpy is a
process by wic a
sample is placed on a
small piece of filter
paper, ten put in a
container olding a
small amount of
solvent (a liquid wic
will dissolve te ink)
Wh,t h,ppens? Wh,t h,ppens?
As te solvent creeps up te paper by
capillary action, te different coloured inks
of te sample travel up te paper at
different rates.
%is allows mixtures of te compounds to
be separated and allows different samples
to reveal te different colours used in teir
manufacture.
Wh,t it Ioos Iie: Wh,t it Ioos Iie:
Wh,t if the in onI h,s one Wh,t if the in onI h,s one
coIo:r in it? coIo:r in it?
nks made of different nks made of different
colours are separated out. colours are separated out.
Even if te ink does not Even if te ink does not
contain different colours, contain different colours,
different sized particles different sized particles
travel different distances travel different distances
and can be compared. and can be compared.
DN Str:ct:re DN Str:ct:re
D Deoxyribo eoxyribo N Nucleic ucleic AAcid cid
Has a sape called a Has a sape called a double double
elix elix (like a "twisted ladder) (like a "twisted ladder)
Found in te nucleus of all cells Found in te nucleus of all cells
of your body (except red blood of your body (except red blood
cells) cells)
Determines our caracteristics Determines our caracteristics
ow does it determine ow does it determine
ch,r,cteristics? ch,r,cteristics?
Made up of long strings of code, made up Made up of long strings of code, made up
of four repeating "letters of four repeating "letters
A, %, and G A, %, and G
%e order tese letters occur tells te body %e order tese letters occur tells te body
wat structures to make wat structures to make
Differences ,nd SimiI,rities Differences ,nd SimiI,rities
Most uman DNA is identical Most uman DNA is identical
Unrelated people ave one letter different Unrelated people ave one letter different
in every 1000 in every 1000
%is adds up to 6 million differences %is adds up to 6 million differences
between two unrelated people between two unrelated people
oding ,nd non oding ,nd non- -coding DN coding DN
Sections of your DNA carry instructions for Sections of your DNA carry instructions for
making different proteins making different proteins
Some sections do not appear to carry any Some sections do not appear to carry any
instructions at all ("junk or non instructions at all ("junk or non- -coding) coding)
%ese ave many repetitions of te same %ese ave many repetitions of te same
letters over and over letters over and over
%e lengt of tese junk sections (no. of %e lengt of tese junk sections (no. of
repetitions) varies from person to person repetitions) varies from person to person
re,ting , DN profiIe re,ting , DN profiIe
%e DNA is cut into small pieces using %e DNA is cut into small pieces using
enzymes enzymes
%ese cut at specific combinations of %ese cut at specific combinations of
letters letters
People ave sligt variations in teir codes People ave sligt variations in teir codes
%erefore te cuts occur at different %erefore te cuts occur at different
places in different people places in different people
re,ting , DN profiIe re,ting , DN profiIe
ut DNA is placed in oles in a slab of gel ut DNA is placed in oles in a slab of gel
Electric current is run troug te gel Electric current is run troug te gel
DNA fragments are carried troug te gel DNA fragments are carried troug te gel
Small fragments travel faster ten large Small fragments travel faster ten large
ones ones
%is creates a "bar code effect %is creates a "bar code effect
DN profiIing DN profiIing
Paternity cases Paternity cases
%wins %wins - - are tey identical? are tey identical?
onfirming relationsips in cases of onfirming relationsips in cases of
adoption adoption
mmigration mmigration
riminal justice riminal justice