CHAPTER OVERVIEW - rensic Science 13th Edition Richard Saferstein ...

Instructor’s Manual for Criminalistics An Introduction to Fo rensic Science 13th Edition Richard Saferstein Tiffany Roy 1 / 4

1 Copyright © 2021 Pearson Education, Inc.Chapter 1 Introduction

CHAPTER OVERVIEW

• Forensic science is the application of science to criminal and civil laws that are enforced by police agencies in a criminal justice system.• The development of crime laboratories in the United States has been characterized by rapid growth accompanied by a lack of national and regional planning and coordination.• The technical support provided by crime laboratories can be assigned to five basic services: the physical science unit, the biology unit, the firearms unit, the document unit, and the photography unit.• Some crime laboratories may offer optional services such as toxicology, fingerprint analysis, voiceprint analysis, crime scene investigation, and polygraph administration.• A forensic scientist must be skilled in applying the principles and techniques of the physical and natural sciences to the analysis of evidence that may be recovered during a criminal investigation.• An expert witness evaluates evidence based on specialized training and experience.• Forensic scientists train law enforcement personnel in the proper recognition, collection, and preservation of physical evidence.• The Frye v. United States decision set guidelines for determining the admissibility of scientific evidence into the courtroom. To meet the Frye standard, the evidence in question must be “generally accepted” by the scientific community.• In the case of Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that trial judges were responsible for the admissibility and validity of scientific evidence presented in their courts.• Special forensic science services available to the law enforcement community include forensic psychiatry, forensic odontology, and forensic engineering.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Distinguish between forensic science and criminalistics.
• Describe the organization and services of a typical comprehensive crime laboratory in the

criminal justice system.

• Explain how physical evidence is analyzed and presented in the courtroom by the forensic

scientist, and how admissibility of evidence is determined in the courtroom.

• Explain the role and responsibilities of the expert witness and what specialized forensic

services, aside from the crime laboratory, are generally available to law enforcement personnel.

LECTURE OUTLINE

DEFINITION AND SCOPE OF FORENSIC SCIENCE

HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF FORENSIC SCIENCE

Literary Roots Important Contributors to Forensic Science 2 / 4

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• Teaching Note: Challenge your students to come up with mnemonics or tricks to help remember the important figures in forensic science. For example: Walter McMrone was a Microscopist.

CRIME LABORATORIES

Crime Labs in the United States International Crime Labs

• Teaching Note: Be sure to cover the differences between a state and local forensic laboratory. Students should understand what the local analysts normally do compared to what the state analysts can do.

ORGANIZATION OF A CRIME LABORATORY

The Growth of Crime Laboratories Future Challenges Types of Crime Laboratories Services of the Crime Laboratory Basic Services Provided by Full-Service Crime Laboratories Optional Services Provided by Full-Service Crime Laboratories

• Teaching Note: Discuss how the crime laboratory is organized and what departments or sections are usually in the lab, including serology, trace evidence, fingerprint examiner, and so forth.

FUNCTIONS OF THE FORENSIC SCIENTIST

Analysis of Physical Evidence

• Teaching Note: If you have stories of cases or interesting work you or someone you know has done in the field, share them! Draw your students in by discussing what types of evidence is analyzed.Providing Expert Testimony Furnishing Training in the Proper Recognition, Collection, and Preservation of Physical Evidence

OTHER FORENSIC SCIENCE SERVICES

Forensic Psychiatry Forensic Odontology Forensic Engineering Forensic Computer and Digital Analysis Exploring Forensic Science on the Internet General Forensics Sites

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LIST OF CHANGES / TRANSITION GUIDE

This chapter has been expanded to cover the discussion of the reliability and controversy surrounding forensic bite mark comparison.

ADDITIONAL ASSIGNMENTS AND CLASS ACTIVITIES

Demonstrations and Lecture-Starters Deductive Reasoning Exercise: The Deadly Picnic. This exercise challenges students to critically analyze evidence and emphasizes the importance of thorough observation and note taking at the crime scene.

The Facts of the Case Centerville police discovered the body of a 36-year-old white male (later identified as Gaven Brooks) in a field about twenty miles north of town. Mr. Brooks’s body was discovered at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, October 11. He was found lying face-up on a yellow, queen-size sheet. According to autopsy reports, one fatal gunshot to the back of the head ended Mr. Brooks’s life. Scientists estimate that death occurred at about 4:20 p.m. As investigators scanned the crime scene, they

made the following notes:

• Paper plates filled with partially eaten fried chicken, deviled eggs, potato salad, and chocolate cake were located near Mr. Brooks’s body.• An open bottle of red wine and two partially filled glasses of wine were found next to the yellow sheet.• A recently smoked cigarette butt was found near the sheet.• Shoeprints from the road to the field were those of a male, size 10, and a female, size 5. The only shoeprints from the field back to the road were those of a female, size 5.• Car tracks of the same wheel base and tread pattern as Mr. Brooks’s automobile were found at the road. The car was not found at the scene.• Mr. Brooks’s car was found abandoned in an empty parking lot in downtown Centerville.Investigators believe that a female friend of Mr. Brooks was responsible for his demise. After questioning family and friends, it was discovered that the deceased had frequent social outings with six women who live in or near Centerville. The women’s names are Rita, Lauren, Gail, Janice, Elaine, and Peggy. Investigators gathered the following information about the six women: • Janice works full-time as a caterer.• Elaine and Gail are schoolteachers.• Rita’s mother says Rita arrived home in her own car at about 5 p.m.• Peggy and Elaine live together in a two-bedroom apartment in downtown Centerville.• Gail lives in a nearby town called Jordan.• Elaine and Janice are very petite women—they wear size 4 jeans.• Gail and Peggy are smokers.• Rita’s father owns a gun shop.• Elaine attends a 5-p.m. yoga class in downtown Centerville every Friday afternoon and has not missed a class in two years.• Peggy is deathly allergic to grapes.• Lauren works at a chemical supply house.• Rita lives in a country house about thirty miles west of Centerville.• Gail is a vegan.• Rita is a florist.

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