Chapter 1
Criminalistics:
An Introduction to Forensic
Science
Welcome to Honors Forensics!
Find your table according to the letter on your
index card. You may sit in any seat at that
table
1.
On the lined side please write your…
•
•
•
Name (First and Last)
Where you would like to sit (close to front, back, middle, not
around people, a particular letter, etc)
What you are most and least looking forward to in this class
Fill out the “Student Information” Sheet on your Table
3. Look over the syllabus and take note on the materials
needed for this class.
4. The Student Information page needs to be put in
2.
your binder to go home and be signed by your
parents. PLEASE DO THIS FOR HOMEWORK
TONIGHT!
Syllabus and Rules of the Class
Looking over the unit you will find we have
quite a bit to cover….
What you will need to be successful:
 Pens and pencils (mechanical pencils)
 Spiral notebook or binder
 Lined paper
 Dividers
Procedures in the Classroom
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RISK
Turn in papers - Absent/Make up work
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Extra Help
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After school Tuesdays-Thursdays, or by request
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Softball coach/SGA Advisor so please let me know
ahead of time!
Tests– Students can retake tests within ONE WEEK of return date as long
as they have all of their homework in for that unit and they attend teacher
remediation outside of Husky Help; students with a class average of 70%
or below will be allowed to remediate in Husky Help.
Retakes take a different form than the initial test.
If the student is absent on the retest day, their absence must be excused
and they must take the test the day they return.
NO STATE EXAM!
The goal in this class…
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Objectives:
By the end of the course, students will
have the ability to examine, interpret,
and report evidence of a crime science
similar to a forensic scientist.
What we will cover
Unit 1- History of Forensics and
Crime Scene Analysis
Unit 2- Crime Scene
Unit 7 – Hair, Fibers, and Paint
Unit 3 – Questioned Documents
Unit 9- DNA & Serology
Unit 4 – Fingerprints
Unit 10-Computer Forensics
Unit 5 – Anthropology & Human
Remains
FINAL EXAM
Unit 6 –Drugs &Toxicology
Unit 8– Glass and Soils
Creating a Diversity Quilt
With the index card from when you walked
in….please put your name you would like
to be called on the front
Decorate this card to represent who YOU
are.
Ex: Ms. Nock’s card
What do you know about
Forensic Science?

Lets take a quiz (not graded  )
Take your time and see what you may
already know about forensics. You may
work with a partner or in a group.
How does the mind truly
work?

Test your skills by watching the
following video
http://www.theinvisiblegorilla.com/videos
.html
DEDUCTIVE vs. INDUCTIVE
REASONING
Section 1.1
Problem Solving
• Logic – The science of correct reasoning.
• Reasoning – The drawing of inferences or
conclusions from known or assumed facts.
When solving a problem, one must
understand the question, gather all
pertinent facts, analyze the problem i.e.
compare with previous problems (note
similarities and differences), perhaps use
pictures or formulas to solve the problem.
Inductive Reasoning
Inductive Reasoning, involves going from a
series of specific cases to a general
statement. The conclusion in an inductive
argument is never guaranteed.
Example: What is the next number in the
sequence 6, 13, 20, 27,…
There is more than one correct answer.
Inductive Reasoning
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•
•
•
•
Here’s the sequence again 6, 13, 20, 27,…
Look at the difference of each term.
13 – 6 = 7, 20 – 13 = 7, 27 – 20 = 7
Thus the next term is 34, because 34 – 27 = 7.
However what if the sequence represents the
dates. Then the next number could be 3 (31 days
in a month).
• The next number could be 4 (30 day month)
• Or it could be 5 (29 day month – Feb. Leap year)
• Or even 6 (28 day month – Feb.)
Deductive Reasoning
• Deductive Reasoning – A type of logic in
which one goes from a general statement
to a specific instance.
• The classic example
All men are mortal. (major premise)
Socrates is a man. (minor premise)
Therefore, Socrates is mortal. (conclusion)
The above is an example of a syllogism.
Deductive Reasoning
• Syllogism: An argument composed of two
statements or premises (the major and minor
premises), followed by a conclusion.
• For any given set of premises, if the conclusion
is guaranteed, the arguments is said to be valid.
• If the conclusion is not guaranteed (at least one
instance in which the conclusion does not
follow), the argument is said to be invalid.
• BE CARFEUL, DO NOT CONFUSE TRUTH
WITH VALIDITY!
Deductive Reasoning
Examples:
1. All students eat pizza.
Claire is a student at ASU.
Therefore, Claire eats pizza.
2. All athletes work out in the gym.
Barry Bonds is an athlete.
Therefore, Barry Bonds works out in the gym.
Warm Up
• What is the difference between deductive
and inductive reasoning?
• What is forensic science?
• What fields of science would you need to
become a forensic scientist?
**TURN IN YOUR PINK SHEET TO THE
BIN IF YOU HAVE IT SIGNED**
Crime Scene-Deadly Picnic
• Using the worksheets, try to solve the
crime using deductive reasoning. Try this
individually (you can discuss with your
neighbor after)
Checks Lab
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Read directions carefully
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Explanation 1: First 4 checks
Explanation 2: Next 4 (Total of 8)
Warm Up-Discuss with peers
(but make sure you write it
down!)
• Based on the “Deadly Picnic”, what notes,
observations, reasoning did you do in
order to solve the crime?
• What are the methods Forensic Scientists
would need/do in the real world?
• Get into your groups and finish your
checks lab activity from yesterday
• Turn in your pink sheet if you didn’t
yesterday!
What is Forensic Science?
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…the application of
science to those
criminal and civil
laws that are
enforced by police
agencies in a
criminal justice
system.
Forensic Science is…
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Applied science
Often called
“criminalistics”
Course Topics & Perspective
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Forensic science is the application of
scientific knowledge to questions of civil
and criminal law.
This course is a lab-based, hands-on
course that will explore what forensic
scientists do. You will learn modern
forensic methods and use scientific
methods to solve legal problems.
Forensic Science applies
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Chemistry
Biology
Physics
Geology
to civil and criminal law.
Forensic Science and the Law
Forensic scientists use crime labs to help them
examine evidence.
Most crime labs will include several
departments:
Physical science – chemistry, physics, geology
and biology
Ballistics
Document examination
Toxicology
Fingerprints
Forensic Science and the Law
Forensic scientists may also consult with
scientists who specialize in the following
areas:
Anthropology
Entomology
Psychiatry
Palynology
Odontology
Polygraphy
Engineering
Voice print analysis
Computer technology
Pathology
Forensic Science and the Law
The forensic scientist’s job is to:
1.
Study the different types of evidence
found at a crime scene.
2.
Be ready to testify as an expert
witness at a trial or hearing.
3.
Perform scientific research and train
others in the area of forensic science.
Forensic Science and the Law
The forensic scientist must be methodical in his
or her work.
Forensic scientists solve problems using the
following approach:
1.
Observe the crime scene or questioned
evidence and collect objective data.
2.
Consider a hypothesis or possible solution
to the problem based on observation, given
direction to the scene.
This step requires inductive reasoning,
experience, and imagination.
History & Development of
Forensic Science
When in Rome…
“Forensic” comes from the Latin word
“forensis” meaning forum.
 During the time of the Romans, a criminal
charge meant presenting the case before
the public.
 Both the person accused of the crime & the
accuser would give speeches based on
their side of the story.
 The individual with the best argument
would determine the outcome of the case.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
 Mystery
author in late 1800’s
 Popularized
scientific crimedetection methods through his
fictional character ‘Sherlock
Holmes’.
Mathieu Orfila
(1787-1853)
 “Father
 Wrote
of Toxicology”
about the detection of
poisons & their effects on
animals.
Alphonse Bertillon
(1853-1914)
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“Father of Anthropometry”
Developed a system to distinguish one
individual person from another based on
certain body measurements.
Anthropometry
Francis Galton
(1822-1911)

“Father
of Fingerprinting”
 Developed
fingerprinting as a
way to uniquely identify
individuals.
Leone Lattes
(1887-1954)

“Father of Bloodstain Identification”
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He developed a procedure for
determining the blood type (A, B, AB,
or O) of a dried blood stain.
Calvin Goddard
(1891-1955)
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“Father of Ballistics”
Developed the technique to examine
bullets, using a comparison
microscope, to determine whether or
not a particular gun fired the bullets.
Albert Osborn
(1858-1946)
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“Father of Document Examination”
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His work led to the acceptance of
documents as scientific evidence by the
courts.
Walter McCrone
(1916-2002)
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“Father
of Microscopic Forensics”
He developed & applied his
microscope techniques to examine
evidence in countless court cases.
 Hair, Fibers, etc
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Hans Gross
(1847-1915)
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“Father
of Forensic Publications”
Wrote the book on applying all the
different science disciplines to the
field of criminal investigation.
Edmond Locard
(1877-1966)
• “Father of the Crime Lab”
• In 1910, he started the 1st crime lab in an
attic of a police station in Paris, France.
• With few tools, he quickly became known
world-wide to forensic scientists & criminal
investigators & eventually founded the
Institute of Criminalistics in France.
• His most important contribution was the
“Locard’s Exchange Principle”
Locard’s Exchange Principle
• “Every Contact Leaves a Trace.”
• He believed that every criminal can be
connected to a crime by particles carried
from the crime scene.
• When a criminal comes in contact with an
object or person, a cross-transfer of
evidence occurs.
J. Edgar Hoover
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“Father of the FBI” - Director of Federal Bureau
of Investigation during the 1930’s

Hoover's leadership spanned 48 yrs & 8 presidential
administrations. His reign covered Prohibition, the Great
Depression, WWII, the Korean War, the Cold War, & the
Vietnam War.

He organized a national laboratory to offer forensic
services to all law enforcement agencies in the U.S.
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VERY CONTROVERSIAL
– He exceeded & abused his authority with unjustified
investigations & illegal wiretaps based on political beliefs rather
than suspected criminal activity
– FBI directors are now limited to 10-year terms
Applications of Forensic Science
Identification of Criminals or Victims
 Solving Mysteries
 Past crimes (unsolved or wrongfully
convicted)
 Cause, Location, Time of Death
 Paternity cases
 Cyber crimes
 Corporate Crimes (Enron)
 Voice Analysis
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Applications of Forensic Science
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Application of DNA as evidence
Prevention vs. Reaction
Catastrophes & Wars
 ID remains of victims (either civilian or
soldiers)
 ex. Holocaust or Katrina
Military & International Forensics
 Terrorism
 The search for WMD’s
 stockpiled or stored weapons from past wars
Bell Work for Thursday, January
27th
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Who was known as the father of toxicology?
Who created the first FBI police laboratory?
Who was the father of document
examination?
Who was known as the father of
anthropometry? What is anthropometry?
Court Cases
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Read the three case studies and on a
separate sheet of paper describe:
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Who
What
Where
What did this case contribute to the
current laws in Forensic cases ( 1
paragraph description)
Turn to bin
Bell Work
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Who is the father of ballistics?
What department studies insects?
What department studies teeth?
Review all your bell works for the quiz
today!
When you are finished…
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Turn quiz into the bin
Take out unit 1 study guide and
continue to work on this until clue
games arrive
Write the following statement
“It was a fine day in April. The sun was
out and spring was in the air. The birds
were singing Mozart. The trees were
leafing out twenty-dollar bills. So I left
my house without my socks and headed
downtown for some cotton candy and a
guitar”
Crime Laboratories and their
Organization in the US
The Modern Crime Lab
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National Laboratories
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State Laboratories
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County/Municipal Laboratories
National Laboratories
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Justice Department: FBI and DEA
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Treasury Department: BATF
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US Postal Service
Physical Evidence and the Law
Admissibility of Physical
Evidence: Landmark Cases
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Frye v. United States (1923), D.C.
Circuit Court.
Daubert v. Dow Pharmaceutical, Inc.
(1993), US Supreme Court.
Coppolino v. Florida (1968), Florida
Appellate Court.
Frye v. United States
The scientific principle must be
sufficiently established to have gained
general acceptance in the particular
field in which it belongs.
Daubert v. Dow
Pharmaceutical, Inc.
The scientific principle must have general
acceptability to those who should be
familiar with its use in a laboratory.
Coppolino v. Florida
The fact that a technique is new does not
render the tests inadmissible, provided
the methodology of the tests, in
general, is well established.
Federal Rules of Evidence:
Rule 702
If scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge
will assist the trier of fact to understand the evidence
or to determine a fact in issue, a witness qualified as
an expert by knowledge, skill, experience, training, or
education may testify thereto in the form of an
opinion or otherwise if:
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The testimony is based on sufficient facts or data,
The testimony is the product of reliable principles and
methods, and
The witness has applied the principles and methods
reliably to the facts of the case.
Functions of the Forensic
Scientist, or Criminalist
Analysis of Physical Evidence
Provision of expert testimony in a court of law.
Training his staff in the recognition, collection,
and preservation of evidence.
Limitations Placed on the
Forensic Scientist
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Test availability – is there a standard
test for the substance of interest?
Test specificity – is the test free from
interferences?
Test sensitivity – what range of test
results is allowed by the method?
Test reliability – how reproducible are
the of results of replicate tests?
Bell Work for Tuesday,
February 4
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Pick up a scantron
and put your
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Name
Subject: Unit 1
Forensics Quiz
Date: February 4
Period: 1
Review a little before
your quiz today 
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When you are
finished with the
quiz, start taking
vocabulary and
notes from Ch. 2 of
the textbook