Larry -Watson Week 4 Assignment The Science of Evidence 24 FEB 2020

docx

School

University Of Arizona *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

311

Subject

Computer Science

Date

Feb 20, 2024

Type

docx

Pages

Uploaded by CaptainMaskHyena30

Running Head: The Science of Evidence 1 The Science of Evidence Larry Watson CRJ 311 Forensics Professor Ginger Devine Date February 24, 2020

2 The Science of Evidence The evolution of forensic science, focusing on the types of scientific analysis conducted in crime laboratories. Forensic science has evolved over the past few decades, and more of the technology is being used in the court room throughout the world in so many aspects of the criminal justice system. The first documented autopsy was performed by the physician Antitaus on Julius Caesar in 44 B.C. (Martinez, 2012). As we progress into the twenty first century, we now have technologies that can reconstruct a crime scene for law enforcement and provide them with a more comprehensive insight of what allegedly occurred at the crime scene. Forensic science plays a major role in our society as a whole; the majority of law enforcement officers routine is highly dependent on the advancement of the forensic science technology. One type of scientific analysis that is conducted by crime laboratories to help assist the criminal investigator’s would be fingerprints that is found at the crime scene. Latent Prints that are linked to criminal investigations plays a major role linking someone to a specific crime scene. Latent Prints are normally collected from a crime scene by a latent fingerprint expert that is trained as a latent prints forensic science procedures to uncover and obtain fingerprints from objects using chemical and physical methods to collect the prints. “There are indications from archaeological excavations that the use of fingerprint and handprint patterns as methods of personal identification dates back thousands of years” (Berry & Stoney, 2001) . Fingerprint imageries can be photographed, and secured to be examined by a latent print examiner, and the fingerprints will be ran through the automated fingerprint identification system (AFIS) computer system that stores all fingerprint images, that are used by the criminal justice system that maintains a database of all individuals who are arrested and those that are imprisoned. Throughout the world the importance of the forensic DNA is so crucial to matching the DNA

3 The Science of Evidence evidence that is found at the crime scene. All evidence is packed properly to prevent it from becoming destroyed and contaminated. Forensic scientists can specialize in bloodstain pattern interpretation, and those who do often belong to specific professional organizations, such as the International Association of Bloodstain Pattern Analysts, Gaensslen, R. E., & Larsen, K. (2019). Explain how the changes in science and evidence processing over the last century have affected the criminal justice system. Forensic science plays a major role in our society as a whole; the majority of law enforcement officers routine is highly dependent on the advancement of the forensic science technology. Forensic science has helped law enforcement collect and examine evidence at the crime scene and has aided in preventing further criminals from committing more crimes. “Investigators can now use DNA and other evidence collected and stored decades ago to help identify and convict criminals who have eluded authorities for years and to exonerate prisoners who were wrongly convicted before today’s more sophisticated methods became available” Durose, M. (2008). Our criminal justice system has gone through many stages over the past few decades that has improved on how evidence is processed. Crime laboratories across the United States and abroad scientists are provided with advanced technologies that can be used to help bring criminals to justice and also, help exonerate those that are wrongfully accused of committing a crime. The internet has been a force multiplier for scientists sharing information and working together with different agencies to help solve crimes with DNA evidence, latent fingerprint, tire impressions and, digital evidence that has helped solve many crimes throughout the world.

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

4 The Science of Evidence Four major types of scientific testing conducted by crime laboratories There are many different types of scientific testing that are conducted by crime laboratories. Four types of scientific testing that I will be addressing will be trace evidence, forensic biology/ DNA, latent fingerprints and explosive analysis. There are numerous prints that a crime scene investigator could find at a crime scene. “ Fingerprinting is one form of biometrics, a science which uses people’s physical or biological characteristics to identify them” Gaensslen, R. E., & Larsen, K. (2019). Let’s move on to forensic biology/ DNA testing conducted by crime laboratories. “One of the oldest forms of biological forensic analysis is in the identification of body fluids such as blood, saliva, and semen left behind at a crime scene provides an overview of the most common established forensic tests used to detect and identify biological material. A more thorough overview of the mechanisms of standard body fluid detection and identification methods is available in the review from” Morrison, J., Watts, G., Hobbs, G., & Dawnay, N. (2018). DNA profiling has been used in numerous criminal high-profile cases, such as Jodie Arias bloody handprint and footprints linked her to the crime scene and the use of the DNA/ handprint and footprint that was left at the crime scene. Trace evidence testing consist of hair and fibers, latex gloves, and face masks that is collected at the crime scene, can be analyzed by a DNA examiner to capture any DNA evidence that was submitted into evidence. “Currently, evidentiary items that have been previously screened for trace evidence are swabbed to collect DNA from skin cells or cells present in saliva or sweat along friction ridges (i.e., collars and cuffs) or other surfaces where cells may be deposited i.e., mouth and nose areas of a ski mask” Budowle, B., Baechtel, F. S., Comey (1995). Lastly explosion and combustible testing that is conducted at crime laboratories. Explosion crime scene is extremely different from a typical

5 The Science of Evidence crime scene because of the potential damage to the scene before the investigator arrives. They are two type of explosions that can occur, concentrated and diffused explosion, concentrated explosion is caused by a device such as pipe bomb or improvised homemade mail bomb that can be deadly. “Gas chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy are the two main instruments used in a laboratory to identify accelerant residues” Gaensslen, R. E., & Larsen, K. (2019). Diffused explosion is ignited by the mixture of flammable gas and air mixture that will result in a highly explosive mixture. Having evidence that is critical to a crime scene and sent to the crime laboratories for testing is a vital part of our criminal justice system, in order to provide valued evidence. Describe the evidentiary value of the four major testing processes identified. Having evidence that is critical to a crime scene and sent to the crime laboratories for testing is a vital part of our criminal justice system, in order to provide valuable evidence. Trace evidence is used to trace a specific type of material which is transferred during the commission of a violent crime. DNA evidence can link someone to a specific crime scene, through positive DNA testing. Latent fingerprint evidence left at the crime scene by a suspect or the victim can identify who was at the crime scene, through skin cells, handprints, and bloody footprints left at the crime scene. Explosive material that is located the crime scene can be traced by the types of accelerant residue left at the crime scene. The trace of the explosion can be linked with the help of an explosion bomb technician identifying the material, substance, and device used at the crime scene. Analyze the current standards (based on case law) for admitting scientific evidence at trial, specifically addressing the four types of scientific testing identified in your paper.

6 The Science of Evidence The current standards for admitting scientific evidence at trial addressing trace evidence is essential part of the criminal justice system. Over the past few decades trace evidence has provided the crime scene investigators with scientific expert advice that has been instrumental in solving crime cases and the evidence must be properly documented and submitted to the laboratories for testing. Latent Prints evidence are used by all police departments to help solve criminal investigation cases and often is the key to help solve crimes. DNA evidence has been a force multiplier in the criminal justice system. DNA is one of the most reliable evidence in many criminal cases that has solved by DNA testing. Explosive evidence testing at the crime scene is critical for the bomb explosive experts to find out what type of materials was used during the explosion in order for it to be admissible in court. In our current society our criminal justice system is relying on all of forensic scientist to help solve crimes by the use of their advance technologies. Conclusion In conclusion I address four types of forensic laboratories tests that can support the evidence of certain types of crimes that are committed. Our criminal justice system relies heavily on our forensics crime laboratories to help solve crimes. DNA evidence, and trace evidence, latent print and explosion laboratories evidence have a major role in the criminal justice system. Without these types of laboratories tests many of the victims would not get the justice that they deserve. Our criminal justice system is not perfect, but it is a fair system.

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

7 The Science of Evidence Reference Budowle, B., Baechtel, F. S., Comey, C. T., Giusti, A. M., and Klevan, L. Simple protocols for typing forensic biological evidence: Chemiluminescent detection for human DNA quantification and RFLP analyses and manual typing of PCR amplified polymorphisms, Electrophoresis (1995) 16:1559–1567. Durose, M. (2008). Census of publicly funded forensic crime laboratories, 2005. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics. Gaensslen, R. E., & Larsen, K. (2019). Introductory forensic science (2nd ed.). Retrieved from http://content.ashford.edu/ Morrison, J., Watts, G., Hobbs, G., & Dawnay, N. (2018 ). Field-based detection of biological samples for forensic analysis: Established techniques, novel tools, and future innovations . Forensic Science International , 285 , 147–160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2018.02.002 National Institute of Justice, "DNA Evidence: Basics of Identifying, Gathering and Transporting," August 8, 2012, nij.ojp.gov: https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/dna-evidence-basics-identifying-gathering-and-transporting

8 The Science of Evidence Reference Budowle, B., Baechtel, F. S., Comey, C. T., Giusti, A. M., and Klevan, L. Simple protocols for typing forensic biological evidence: Chemiluminescent detection for human DNA quantification and RFLP analyses and manual typing of PCR amplified polymorphisms, Electrophoresis (1995) 16:1559–1567. Crime Scene Investigation, Second Edition 2nd (second) Edition by Fish, Jacqueline T., Miller, Larry S., Braswell, Michael C. published by Anderson (2010) Gaensslen, R. E., & Larsen, K. (2019). Introductory forensic science (2nd ed.). Retrieved from http://content.ashford.edu/ Linder, D. O. (n.d.). The trial of O. J. Simpson: The incriminating evidence (Links to an external site.) . Retrieved from http://famous-trials.com/simpson/1857-evidence. Law Enforcement Officer Should Know About DNA Evidence, 1999, Washington, D.C. McClure, David. Report: Focus Group on Scientific and Forensic Evidence in the Courtroom (online), 2007, https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/220692.pdf (accessed July 19, 2012) Svenson, A., Wendel, O., Fisher, B.A.J., Techniques of Crime Scene Investigation, 1993, Elsevier Science Publishing Company, Inc., New York, New York 10017. U.S. Department of Justice, National Commission on the Future of DNA Evidence, What Every

9 The Science of Evidence

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

Larry -Watson Week 4 Assignment The Science of Evidence 24 FEB 2020

Related Documents