Crime Lab Services
Basic Crime Lab Services
1. Physical Science Unit
2. Biology Unit
3. Firearms Unit
4. Document Examination Unit
5. Photography Unit
1. Physical Science Unit
Uses chemistry, physics, and geology to identify and compare evidence.
Examines items as diverse as drugs, glass, paint, explosives, and other trace
evidence.
2. Biology Unit
Examines blood and other body fluids.
DNA profiles. compares hair and fibers, examines botanical materials
(plants/wood)
3. Firearms Unit (Ballistics)
Examines firearms, discharged bullets, cartridge cases, and shotgun shells
Searches clothing for gunpowder residue.
Determines the distance a weapon was fired from.
4. Document Examination Unit
Studies handwriting or typewriting.
Analyzes paper and ink
Examines indented writings and burned documents.
5. Photography Unit
Examines and records physical evidence
Prepares photos for court
Optional Services –(not all labs have these services)
Often send out to other labs – National
1. Toxicology
3. Polygraph Unit
5 Evidence Collection
2. Latent Fingerprint
4. Voiceprint Analysis
Toxicology Unit
Test fluids and organs for poisons or drugs
Intoxilyzer machine used to test for alcohol BAC (blood alcohol content)
Latent Fingerprints Unit
Dust and lifts invisible prints
Polygraph Unit
Performs lie detector tests
Uses cues in heart rate, respiration and electrical resistance
Not permissible as evidence in court.
Voiceprint Analysis Unit
Spectrograph makes a graphic voiceprint
Evidence Collection Unit - CSI
Trained team from crime lab collects evidence.