Chapter 1
Introduction to forensic science and the law
• WHAT IS FORENSIC SCIENCE?
• Forensic science:
• Study and application of science to matters
of law between people, things, and events
involved in crimes.
• Forensic scientists use ___________________
to help them examine evidence.
• Forensic scientist’s job is to ____________ the
different types of __________________ found
at a crime scene.
• Forensic scientist can be called to court as an
_________________________to presents
their data, weigh evidence, and give an
___________________________to the court.
• What are some types of evidence that a
forensic scientist might look at?
• A: ______________________________
________________________________
________________________________
• What are some of the different types of
forensic science you are interested in
learning about?
• Crime Laboratories
• Most crime labs are ___________________ &
funded by taxes at the federal, state or local
level.
• Department of Justice maintains:
• ______-Federal Bureau of Investigation has the
largest crime lab in the world
• _______-Drug Enforcement Agency has 7 labs
that work on major illicit drug activities in &
outside of the US.
• ______-Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, & Firearms
has 3 labs dealing with crimes involving alcohol,
weapons, explosives, tobacco, & organized
crime.
• RESEARCH:
• Each group will be looking at the different
types of labs:
• Group 1 – state labs
• Group 2 – DEA
• Group 3 – FBI
• Group 4 – ATF
• Group 5 – US Postal Service
• Group 6 – Department of Treasury (IRS)
• Group 7 - Department of the Interior/US Fish
& Wildlife Service
• Group 8 – Homeland Security
• In your research you will need to answer
the following questions in the form of an
essay:
• Location(s) of the lab.
• Services/research performed.
• Number of cases processed each year.
• Educational requirements &/or work
experience needed for the career.
• Is travel/field work involved?
• Highlights in the history of forensic
science.
• You will be divided up into 9 groups.
• Each group will read 1 page and develop a
timeline with the most important forensic
contributions to science.
• Timelines will be combined to create a
history of forensic science.
• Explain to the class why you feel those
main points are important to this field of
science.
• Methodology
• Edmond Locard stated:
• “Whenever 2 objects come into contact,
there is _________ a transfer of material.
The methods of detection may not be
sensitive enough to demonstrate this, or
the __________________ may be so rapid
that all ________________ of transfer has
____________________ after a given time.
Nonetheless, the transfer has taken place.”
• You and your desk partner read “The
Locard Principle” on pg. 17 and answer
the questions.
• You have 15 minutes to complete the
assignment.
• Scientists solve problems using the scientific
method.
• _________________ a problem or questioned
evidence & ___________ objective _________.
• Form a ______________ for problem based on
observation or give direction to the work plan.
• _________, ________, and analyze to support
or ___________ the hypothesis
• Use deductive _________________ to make a
determination as to the significance of the
evidence.
• _______________ & __________ all evidence.
___________________must be stated.
• Forensic scientist must come up with a theory
or ____________ that is able to ___________
to scientific and ____________ scrutiny.
• Criminal Justice & the Law
• Laws are established to ______________
relationships between individuals & agencies.
• Laws are based on what a particular
__________________ deems important.
• US _____________________ is the highest
authority on laws dealing with individual
rights & the power of government to create
laws & create _______________________.
• All federal laws _____________ state laws.
• Read pages 18 – 21 & take notes
• Notes:
• Notes:
• DISCUSSION:
• In your group read through the section
“Individual Rights Guaranteed by the Bill
of Rights”
• Divide them up into 3 groups:
• Prior to crime
• Following crime
• Trial
• Write a short paragraph for each of the
above groups stating why these rights are
important for an individual.
• Steps in pursuing justice:
• Crime _________________________
• Crime _________________________
• _______________________________
• Police _________________ what happened.
• Information collected
• Crime scene _______________________ &
________________________ for evidence
• Information assembled into a ____________
for the prosecutor
• Investigation happens, __________________
issued ___ the elements of a crime are
present
• After a suspect is arrested:
• ________________ at the police department
• ______________________are read to suspect
prior to questioning
• ________________________ in prescribed time
• _______________ if appropriate & ___________
is entered
• Suspect brought before __________________
• Felony – goes to preliminary hearing or a
______________________________
• ___________________ if sufficient evidence
& ___________________________set
• Plea bargain an _____________________
between defendant & prosecution & there
will be _______ trial
• DISCUSSION:
• Where are courts for this county
located?
• What are some of the crimes
committed in Avon?
• Felonies
• Misdemeanors
• Do you know if the majority of them
go to trial or are plea bargained?
• Federal Rules of Evidence
• ___________________ of evidence govern if,
when, how, and for what purpose evidence in
a case is placed before a judge.
• Defines what evidence is ______________
and how it can be used for the jury.
• Evidence needs to be:
• _____________________________
• Needs to ________ something (probative)
• Must address the issue of a particular crime
• Needs to be __________________
• Evidence is admissible ________ if it is
______________ & the person who
presents it is believable & __________
• _______________ is inadmissible in
criminal court
• Not reliable
• Not taken under _____________
• Does not allow for ______________
• Admissible in _________________
• Expert testimony:
• Expert witness:
• Presents scientific __________________
• Must establish his/her credibility through
_____________, background, & experience
• Forensic scientist’s role:
• _______ law authorities decide whether a
crime has been committed & to help
___________________ the perpetrator
• Brings ________ of evidence & provides results
& conclusions through a _________________
• ___________________ it to nonscientists
• Forensic scientists may be asked:
• Evaluate evidence as an ____________________
in court & give an ________________ about the
significance of his/her findings
• Based on reasonable scientific certainty which
comes from _______________ & experience
• Defense & prosecution can present expert
opinions & argue the merits of the testimony
• Opinion’s significance may be accepted or
__________________ by the jury or judge
• Forensic scientist or expert witness has an
obligation to be an advocate of the __________
& not take sides for either the defense or
prosecution.
• DISCUSSION:
• In a group read pg. 27
• Discuss 1.1 Strong Whiskey & Case Study
1.1
• Come up with pro & con arguments