Services of a Crime Lab and Forensic Experts

Services of a Crime Lab

In your textbook there are a few listed, will need to know what each unit does– Biology - Firearms– Physical Science -Document Examination– Photography -Toxicology– Latent Fingerprint -Evidence Collection

Forensic Pathologist 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

Is a medical doctor who has completed training in anatomical pathology and who has subsequently sub-specialized in

forensic pathology. 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. 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 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 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 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.

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 -– 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

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

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 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