Introduction - Forensic Science - Lecture Slides, Slides of Forensics

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Forensic Science

Chapter One

• “There are few crueler injustices directly inflicted on an individual by government than conviction for a crime one did not commit.” - US Attorney General Ramsey Clark

QUESTION!!!!

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was a famous:

A. Philosopher B. Author C. Lawyer D. Artist

History

• Many believe Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had influence through his character, Sherlock Holmes.
• He was the first to use techniques such as fingerprinting, firearm identification, and document examination long before they were generally accepted.
• His system of analysis is called deductive reasoning

QUESTION!!!

Which city had the first forensics lab?

A. New York

B. Los Angeles

C. Topeka

D.Miami

Today’s Crime Labs

• 320 public crime labs open in the US
• Most exist as part of a police department or medical examiner. Others operate as independent labs.
• Only a small fraction of crimes require the use of the crime lab. There is one exception...

Today’s Crime Lab

• 2 Major uses:
  • Drug analysis and DNA fingerprinting
• Wide variance in services offered

Basic Services Offered

• Physical Science Unit (principles of chemistry, physics, and geology)
• Biology Unit
• Firearms Unit
• Document Examination Unit
• Photography Unit

Functions of a Forensic

Scientist

• Analysis of Physical Evidence
• Provision of Expert Testimony
• Recognition, Collection, and Preservation of Physical Evidence

Analysis of Physical

Evidence

• Primary function
• Procedures and Techniques must have a firm scientific background as well as be admissible in court. - See Frye v. United States

Frye v. United States

• 1923 rejected the validity of a polygraph
• Became the standard for evidence admissibility

Frye Standard

• “generally accepted” by a meaningful segment of the relevant scientific community
• In 1993 the Supreme Court ruled that meeting the Frye standard was not an absolute prerequisite to admissibility (Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals)

Alternative Standard: Rule

• Can it or has it been tested
• Has is been subjected to peer review and publication
• What is the potential rate of error
• Are there standards controlling maintenance and operation.
• Has it attracted widespread acceptance

Coppolino v. State

• “Society need not tolerate homicide until there develops a body of medical literature about some particularly lethal agent.”
• Case involved death by succinyl- choline chloride which had never been seen before. The test used to identify the compound was new and developed specifically for this case.