History of Forensic
Science
What is Forensic Science
z
Forensic—L-forum
• gathering place
• pertaining to law
• The application of science to investigation and
prosecution of crime
z
Civilizations have always recognized need for
investigation of suspicion
•
•
•
Code of Hammurabi
Egyptians
Chinese –Washing away the wrong
History of Forensics
z
Middle Ages
• Central Europe – free of politics
• England- political (1194)
• Coroner investigate sudden, violent, or unnatural
deaths and all deaths of prisoners
z
US – 2 systems
• Coroner - elected
• Medical Examiner- appointed
1
US System
z
As crimes increased more manpower
was needed
• 2 avenues of investigation
• People- suspects and witness interrogation
• Physical evidence- collection, analysis and
significance
• Expert witness
Important People
z
z
z
z
z
Arthur Conan Doyle (1887) Sherlock Holmes
Mathieu Orfila ( 1800’s) father of forensic
toxicology
Alphonse Bertillon (late 1800’s) personal
identification-anthropometry
Francis Galton (1890’s) finger prints
Leone Lattes (early 1900’s) blood group of
dried blood stains
Important People
z
z
z
z
Calvin Goddard (1920’s) father of firearms
identification [comparison microscope]
Albert Osborn (1910) Questioned Documents
Hans Gross (1890’s) scientific investigations
Edmond Locard (1910) scientific crimalistics
lab—Locard’s principle “every contact leaves a
trace”
2
Locard’s Principle
z
Wherever he steps, whatever he touches,
whatever he leaves, even unconsciously, will
serve as a silent witness against him. Not only
his fingerprints or his footprints, but his hair,
the fibers from his clothes, the glass he breaks,
the tool mark he leaves, the paint he
scratches, the body fluid(s) he deposits or
collects. All of these and more bear mute
witness against him. This is evidence that
does not forget or become confused by the
excitement of the moment.
Locard’s Principle
z
It is not absent because human
witnesses are. It is factual evidence.
Physical evidence cannot be wrong, it
cannot perjure itself, it cannot be wholly
absent. Only its interpretation can err.
Only human failure to find it, study and
understand it can diminish its value.
Sherlock Holmes
z
z
z
“A Study in Scarlet”
Use Locard’s “Every Contact Leaves a
Trace” to compile a list of physical
evidence
Compare your list with what Sherlock
Holmes finds.
3