Criminalistics: Applying Science to the Law

Slide2Criminalistics Also known as Criminalistics  The application of science to the law

Slide3Forensic Scientists  Criminologists  Crime Scene Investigators  Coroners  Medical Examiners  Prosecutors

Slide4Data collection  Data analysis  Data interpretation  Court testimony

Slide5physicalevidence  Identify and/or compare  physical evidence  through chemical, physical, and instrumental analysis

Slide6Analyze    Analyze   – unearth factual information, regardless which side the evidence supports  Interpret    Interpret   – evaluate findings, arriving at opinions and conclusions  Report    Report   – testify accurately and truthfully

Slide7psychology Study criminal and behavioral  psychology to aid in criminal investigations

Slide8Collect and preserve physical evidence from crime scenes

Slide9Perform autopsies to identify the causes and manners of death

Slide10Typically transport corpses from the crime scene to the morgue; some aid in death investigations

Slide11Initiate arrests, indictments and prosecution of criminals

Slide12Trace Evidence  (hair, fiber, paint, glass, impressions, etc.)  Latent Prints  (fingerprints)  Forensic Biology  (Serology/DNA)  Toxicology  (blood alcohol, poisons)  Controlled substance  (drugs)  Questioned documents  (handwriting & typescripts)  Firearms  (firearms and ammunition)  Others 12

Slide13Crime Scene Investigation  Forensic Photography  Forensic Anthropology  Forensic Computer Science  Forensic Engineering  Forensic Entomology  Forensic Pathology  Forensic Psychology & Psychiatry 13

Slide14Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  Federal, State, and Local Crime Laboratories  Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)  Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)  U.S. Postal Service (USPS)  U.S. Secret Service  Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)  U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services  Teaching at community colleges and universities. 14

Slide15Forensic  Scientists  Forensic  Scientists  –  Bachelor of Science (BS)  or higher in natural or physical science  Criminologists  Criminologists   –  BS  or higher in sociology or psychology  Crime  Scene  Investigators  Crime  Scene  Investigators  –  law enforcement officers  with a certification, such as one from the International Association for Identification (IAI)  Medical  Examiners  (ME)  Medical  Examiners  (ME)  –  licensed pathologists possessing a  Doctor of Medicine (MD),   that have completed several years of internship in pathology  Coroners  Coroners  –  equivalent to MEs in some jurisdictions; some are elected county officials  who handle corpse and death investigation  Prosecutors  Prosecutors  –  Doctor of Jurisprudence   (JD)  in criminal law 15

Slide16College education  Internship  In-house training provided by the employing agency  External training sponsored by federal and state agencies such as:  FBI National Academy in Quantico, VA  Texas Department of Public Safety (TXDPS)  Workshops provided by various associations during meetings 16

Slide17American  Society  of  Crime  Laboratory  Directors     – Laboratory  Accreditation  Board  (ASCLD-LAB)  American  Society  of  Crime  Laboratory  Directors     – Laboratory  Accreditation  Board  (ASCLD-LAB) ◦ Accredits crime laboratories  International  Organization  for  Standardization  (ISO)  International  Organization  for  Standardization  (ISO) ◦ Certifies crime laboratories (ISO 17025)  American  Society  for  Testing  and  Materials  (ASTM)  American  Society  for  Testing  and  Materials  (ASTM) ◦ Certifies testing materials used in analysis  American  Board  of  Criminalistics  (ABC)  American  Board  of  Criminalistics  (ABC) ◦ Certifies individual forensic scientists 17

Slide18American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS)  American Board of Criminalistics (ABC)  Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners (AFTE)  More available on the AAFS website: http://www.aafs.org/forensic-links

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