forensic science
the application of science to law
american academy of forensic science
the largest forensic science organization in the world.
criminalistics
the services of a crime laboratory.
csi effect
The dramatization of forensic science on television that has led the public to believe that every crime scene will yield forensic evidence and produces unrealistic expectations that a prosecutor's case should always be bolstered and supported by forensic
sir arthur conan doyle
considerable influence on popularizing scientific crime- detection methods through his fictional character Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock Holmes applied many of the principles of modern forensic science long before they were adopted widely by police.
mathieu orfila
Father of forensic toxicology. Published the first scientific treatise on the detection of poisons and their effects on animals.
alphonse bertillon
Devised the first scientific system of personal identification.
The father of criminal identification.
anthropometry
anthropometry
a systematic procedure of taking a series of body measurements as a means of distinguishing one individual from another.
francis galton
Undertook the first definitive study of fingerprints and developed a methodology of classifying them for filing.
leone lattes
Devised a procedure for determining the blood group of a dried bloodstain.
dr. karl landsteiner
Discovered that blood can be grouped into different categories (A, B, AB, and O)
calvin goddard
Established the comparison microscope as the indispensable tool of the modern firearms examiner.
albert s. osborn
Developed the fundamental principles of document examination.
walter c. mccrone
Educated forensic scientists throughout the world in the application of microscopic technology.
hans gross
Wrote the first treatise describing the application of scientific disciplines to the field of criminal investigation
edmond locard
Demonstrated how the principles enunciated by Gross could be incorporated within a workable crime laboratory.
exchange principle
locard's exchange principle
when a person comes in contact with an object or person, a cross-transfer of materials occurs. He maintained that every criminal can be connected to a crime by dust particles carried from the crime scene.
fbi
world's largest forensic laboratory
edgar j hoover
led the fbi lab when it opened
1932
when was the fbi lab founded?
los angeles police department
the oldest forensic lab in the U.S.
1923
when was the lapd lab founded?
physical science unit
applies principles and techniques of chemistry, physics, and geology to the identification and comparison of crime-scene evidence.
biology unit
perform DNA profiling on dried bloodstains and other body fluids, compare hair and fibers, and identify and compare botanical materials such as wood and plants.
firearms unit
examines firearms, discharged bullets, cartridge cases, shotgun shells, and ammunition of all types.
document examination unit
studies the handwriting and typewriting on questioned documents to ascertain authenticity and/or source.
photography unit
examines and records physical evidence. Also prepares photographic exhibits for courtroom presentation.
toxicology unit
examines body fluids and organs to determine the presence or absence of drugs and poisons.
latent fingerprint unit
processes and examines evidence for latent fingerprints when they are submitted in conjunction with other laboratory examinations.
polygraph unit
the lie detector's functions are handled by people trained in the techniques of criminal investigation and interrogation.
voiceprint analysis unit
tie voices in telephones threats or tape-recorded messages to a particular suspect.
crime-scene investigation unit
dispatches specially trained personnel to the crime scene to collect and preserve physical evidence.
trial judges
who assumes the ultimate responsibility for acting as a "gatekeeper" in judging the admissibility and reliability of scientific evidence in the courts?
expert witness
if a witness can establish to the satisfaction of a trial judge that he or she possesses a particular skill or has knowledge in a trade or profession that will aid the court in determining the truth of the matter at issue.
forensic psychiatry
a specialized area in which the relationship between human behavior and legal proceedings is examined.
forensic odontology
help identify victims when the body is left in an unrecognizable state.
forensic engineering
concerned with failure analysis, accident reconstruction, and causes and origins of fires or explosions.
forensic computer and digital analysis
identification, collection, preservation, and examination of information derived from computers and other digital devices, such as cell phones.