Chapter 1 (Study/Review)

-the application of science to the criminal and civil laws that are enforced by police agencies in a criminal justice system.

-focuses on the services where the principles and techniques of the physical and natural sciences are practiced and applied to the analysis of crime-scene evidence.

-Popularized scientific crime-detection methods through his fictional character Sherlock Holmes.

-Edmond Locard (1966) developed the idea that whenever two objects come into contact with one another, there is exchange of materials between them.

-applies principles and techniques of chemistry, physics, and geology to the identification and comparison of crime-scene evidence. Use chemical tests and instruments to examine drugs, glass, paint, explosives, and soil.

-Unit that identifies and performs DNA profiling on dried bloodstains and other body fluids, compare hairs and fibers, and identifies and compares botanical materials such as wood and plants.

-Unit examines firearms, discharged bullets, cartridge cases, shotgun shells, and ammunition of all types. Garmets and other objects are also examined to detect firearms discharge residues and to approximate the distance from a target at which a weapon was fired.

-Unit that studeis the handwriting and typewriting on questioned documents to ascertain authenticity and/or source. Also analyze paper, ink, indented writings, obliterations, erasures, and burned or charred documents.

-Unit that examines and records physical evidence. Use digital imaging, infrared, ultraviolet, and X-ray, to make invisible information visible to the naked eye. Also prepared exhibits for courtroom presentation.

-Unit that examines body fluids and organs to determine the presence or absence of drugs and poisons. Intoxilyzers are used to determine the alcoholic consumption of individuals.

-Unit that processes and examines evidence for latent fingerprints when they are submitted in conjunction with other laboratory examinations.

-lie detector that has come to be recognized as an essential tool of the criminal investigator rather than the forensic scientist.

-Unit involved with telephones threats or tape-recorded messages, investigators may require the skills of this unit to tie the voice to a particular suspect with sound spectrograph.

-instrument that transforms speech into a visual display called a voiceprint.

-Unit incorporates crimes-scene evidence collection into the total forensic science service. Dispatches specially trained personnel to the crime scene to collect and preserve physical evidence that will later be processed at the crime laboratory.

-process that uses strict guidelines to ensure careful and systematic collection, organization, and analysis of information.

-Established standard guideline for determining the judicial admissibility of scientific examinations. Procedure must be "generally accepted" by scientific community.

-Governs admissibility of all evidence, including expert testimony if it is presented in the form of an opinion, based on facts, reliable methods, and applied the principles reliably to the facts of the case.

-Asserted that "general acceptance" is not an absolute prerequisite to the admissibility of scientific evidence. Trial judge acts as "gatekeeper" in judging the admissibility and reliability of scientific evidence presented in their courts.

-Court unanimously rules that the "gatekeeping" role of the trial judge applied not only to scientific testimony, but to all expert testimony.

-an individual whom the court determines to posses knowledge relevant to the trial that is not expected of the average layperson.

-Specialized area in which the relationship between human behavior and legal proceedings is examined.

-Practitioners of forensic odontology help identify victims when the body is left in an unrecognizable state.

-concerned with failure analysis, accident reconstruction, and causes and origins of fires or explosions.

-involved the identification, collection, preservation, and examination of information derived from computers and other digital devices, such as cell phones.

-when two objects come in contact with one another, materials are exchanged between them

-first police laboratory

-developed method to test tried blood for AB blood group antigens

-wrote Sherlock Holmes

-first definitive study of fingerprints and methodology of classification

-first definitive study of fingerprints and methodology of classification

-proposed using fingerprints as a scientific means of indetification

-first used toxicological evidence in a trail

-"father of forensic toxicology" first treatise on detection of poisons and their effects on animals

-improved methods for detected arsenic in the stomach lining of victims

-first person to test and detect arsenic in a corpse

-unlawful removement of data on the internet

-the study of guns and the bullets fired from the guns that is associated with a crime scene investigation

-intentionally set fire

-dental record diagrams

-uses characteristics of teeth, alignment, and overall structure to identify a body

-the study of insects in relation to a criminal investigation

-identification and examination of human skeletal remains

-determining and identifying the deceased

-type of death that occurred. ex: natural, homicide, suicide, accident, undetermined

-what happened to make the person die. ex: stabbed with a knife

-how someone or something died. ex: loss of blood

-comparing DNA samples from different locations and determining the probability of matches

-analyses of bodily specimens and other materials for chemicals such as illicit drugs, medications, poisons and metals

-must satisfy trial judge that he or she possess particular skill or has knowledge in a trade or profession that will aid the court in determining the truth of a matter at issue

-the study performed by a criminalist or forensic scientist