Services of a Crime Lab and
Forensic Experts
Services of a Crime Lab
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In your textbook there are a few listed,
will need to know what each unit does
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Biology
Physical Science
Photography
Latent Fingerprint
- Firearms
-Document Examination
-Toxicology
-Evidence Collection
Forensic Pathologist
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two branches of pathology: anatomic -- which deals with structural alterations of the
human body; and clinical -- which deals with laboratory examination of samples
removed from the body. Most forensic pathologists are experts in both branches
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Is a medical doctor who has completed training in anatomical
pathology and who has subsequently sub-specialized in forensic
pathology.
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Performs autopsies/post mortem examinations to determine the
cause of death (the pathologic process, injury, or disease that directly
results in or initiates a series of events which lead to a person's death,
such as a bullet wound to the head, exsanguination due to a stab
wound, manual or ligature strangulation, myocardial infarction due to
coronary artery disease, etc.) and (in the USA) the 'manner of death'
(the circumstances surrounding the cause of death, which in most
jurisdictions include homicide, accident, natural, suicide and
undetermined).
Forensic Pathology, cont.
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Examines and documents wounds and injuries, both at autopsy
and occasionally in a clinical setting.
Collects and examines tissue specimens under the microscope
(histology) in order to identify the presence or absence of
natural disease and other microscopic findings such as
asbestos bodies in the lungs or gunpowder particles around a
gunshot wound.
Collects and interprets toxicological analyses on bodily tissues
and fluids to determine the chemical cause of accidental
overdoses or deliberate poisonings.･Forensic pathologists also
work closely with the medico-legal authority for the area
concerned with the investigation of sudden and unexpected
deaths
Serves as an expert witness in courts of law testifying in civil or
criminal law cases.
Forensic Odontology
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mainly involves the identification of an assailant
by comparing a record of their dentition (set of
teeth) with a record of a bite mark left on a
victim.
Other uses in law for dentists include the
identification of human remains, medico-legal
assessment of trauma to oral tissues, and testimony
about dental malpractice.
The forensic dentist are board-certified specialists
who deal primarily with bite mark evidence.
Forensic Psychiatry
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Forensic psychiatry is a branch of medicine which
focuses on the interface of law and mental health
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who has
completed several years of additional training in the
understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of mental
disorders. A forensic psychiatrist is a psychiatrist
who has additional training and/or experience related
to the various interfaces of mental health (or mental
illness) with the law
Forensic Anthropology
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Anthropology is the "study of humans" in a broad sense. There
are primarily three subfields of anthropology, or three general
areas into which the study of humans can be classified: Cultural
anthropology, Archaeology, and Physical (or Biological)
Anthropology.
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specialized area of osteology--the study of bones--comes the
application of the methods and techniques of analyzing skeletal
remains to cases of legal importance.
Osteological analyses -
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– clues as to how populations of people might have lived,
– how old they were when they died,
– if they were female or male, their state of health (or disease),
– types of trauma they may have experienced
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When we apply methods of studying the skeleton to cases of unknown
modern remains, we are using osteology in a legal context; therefore
we are practicing forensic anthropology (forensic means legal).
Forensic anthropologists help identify individuals who died in mass
disasters, wars, or due to homicide, suicide, or accidental death.
Forensic Entomology
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Forensic entomologists are those involved in the
branch of entomology that involves insects and
violent crime or the law
This includes three main branches: medicocriminal
entomology, urban entomology, and stored product
entomology.
It takes discipline and accomplishment to perform the
tasks of all the diverse jobs forensic entomologists
perform such as: crime scene investigation, research,
and teaching at universities
Forensic Entomology
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Data collection because everything they collect and observe must hold up in the
court of law.
first portions of information gathered include the climate of the area, both during
the time of initial contact to within three to five days afterward. One to two weeks
afterward may be required to estimate a rough post mortem interval.
Climate approximation is imperative for determining the specific life cycle of
insects found at the scene. Good or harsh conditions will either speed up or slow
down insect development which gives important information regarding how long
the victim may have been decaying (Brundage).
ambient air, soil (around and below the body), and maggot mass, temperatures
are needed since they are essential to determining the speed of growth of the
insects collected during the investigation.
All documentation must be concise to avoid confusion. A death scene form is
one of the most important tools a forensic entomologist has. He or she can
make note of many key observations quickly such as placement of the maggot
mass on the body, temperatures, and stage of decay[1]. The evidence must be
able to pass through the “chain of evidence” (the process of using evidence
legally in the judicial system) without fear of contamination, tampering, or any
other outside variable that could affect its legitimacy during trial in a court of law.
In WQ1 you looked into one of
the experts,
for the quiz, you will need to
know in general what each
expert does and the general
services of the crime lab.
Quiz on Chapter 1 Intro to
Forensic Science on Friday Jan
16th