The History of Forensic Science. Forensic Science - the application of science to law in order to investigate criminal activity

Transcription

1 The History of Forensic Science Forensic Science - the application of science to law in order to investigate criminal activity

2 The Beginnings of Forensic Science The first mention of the use of fingerprints to identify criminals occurred during the reign of Babylonian King Hammurabi ( B.C.) Writers added their fingerprints to clay tablets to prevent forgeries

3 Fingerprints as Identification Fingerprints provide an excellent means of personal identification that is often used to determine the identity of criminals and missing persons. Some personal characteristics change over time (hair color, weight, height), but fingerprints remain virtually unchanged from birth to death.

4 The Coroner 1100 s - King Richard established the office of Coroner The coroner is derived from medieval England where everything was the property of the King Upon death, the Crown s representative, who became known as the Crowner, or Coroner, decided the final disposition of both the property and the body of the decedent.

5 Coroner Vs. Medical Examiner Systems Both the coroner and the medical examiner perform autopsies as part of medicolegal investigations Coroner needs no medical license Medical examiner must be a licensed physician Both the coroner and the medical examiner decide whether a murder, suicide, or natural death occurred

6 Medical Knowledge Solves a Crime A Chinese book written in 1248, His Duan Yu (the washing away of wrongs), contains a description of how to distinguish drowning from strangulation. This was the first such use of medical knowledge to solve a crime.

7 Alphonse Bertillon ( ) French Chief of Criminal Investigation recognized for developing the first scientific method of identifying criminals by measuring and recording the dimensions of certain bony parts of the body known as anthropometry or bertillonage Anthropometry was quickly adopted by American and British police forces but was abandoned after the incarceration of Will West, whose fingerprints helped to disprove the validity of Bertillon s system.

8 Demonstration of the Principles of Bertillon s Anthropometry

9 Will West Case When he was received at Leavenworth, Will West denied previous imprisonment there, but the record clerk ran the Bertillon instruments over him anyway. The clerk located the file of one William West whose measurements were practically identical and whose photograph appeared to be that of the new prisoner. When the clerk turned over William West s record card he found it was that of a man already in the penitentiary, serving a life sentence for murder. Subsequently, the fingerprints of Will West and William West were impressed and compared. The patterns bore no resemblance.

10 The History of the Identification of Humans Humankind has been profoundly concerned with the accurate personal identifications of individuals since time began. Criminals wishing to escape detection have been equally concerned with evading personal identification Tribal symbols, crowns, scepters, flags, marks, and the cross have all been used as a means of identification

11 Prehistoric and Early Practices Concerning the Means of Identification Recordings of fingerprint and skin ridge formations used for personal markings predate the Christian era by many centuries.

12 Forensic Pioneers Marcello Malpighi John Evangelist Purkinji Sir William Herschel Henry Faulds Juan Vucetich Sir Francis Galton Sir Edward Henry

13 Marcello Malpighi 1686 Malpighi was an Italian physician, a pioneer in the use of the microscope. He made valuable observations on the structure of plants and animals. One of the first scientists to study the anatomy of major organs and skin at the microscopic level.

14 John Evangelist Purkinji 1823 Purkinji, Professor of Anatomy at the University of Breslau in Prussia Commented upon the diversity of ridge patterns especially on the last phalanx of each finger and divided these patterns into nine different categories He made no mention of their practical application in personal identification

15 Early Application of Fingerprinting in the Modern Era Sir William Herschel, British Chief Administrative Officer for the Hooghly District of Bengal, India, made extensive use of fingerprints by recording them on contracts with natives Herschel requested permission to use a fingerprint system in jails for identification of prisoners His superiors denied permission but Herschel, within his own province, applied the system extensively

16 Dr. Henry Faulds 1880 He is the first to discuss fingerprints as a means of personal identification, and the use of printers ink as a method for obtaining such fingerprints. He is credited with the first fingerprint identification of a greasy fingerprint left on an alcohol bottle.

17 First Documented Use of Fingerprints in the U.S Gilbert Thompson, an American geologist in charge of a field project for the United States Geological Survey in New Mexico, used his own fingerprint on commissary orders to prevent their forgery. This was the first document to be recorded on the use of fingerprints in the United States.

18 Mark Twain Twain brought the concept of fingerprint identification to the attention of the general public in his book, Life on the Mississippi, where a murderer was identified by his fingerprint.

19 Juan Vucetich Argentinean Juan Vucetich, devised a system based on fingerprint patterns typed by Galton and began the first established use of fingerprint files. Vucetich s system is still in use today in most Spanish-speaking and European countries.

20 Sir Francis Galton During the 1880 s, Galton, a British anthropologist and cousin of Charles Darwin, began observing fingerprints as a means of identification. In 1892, he published his book, Fingerprints, establishing the individuality and permanence of fingerprints.

21 Galton s Details Galton identified the characteristics by which fingerprints can be identified. These same characteristics, (bifurcations, ending ridges, islands, dots,and short ridges) are still in use today, and are often referred to as Galton's Details. Galton proved what Herschel and Faulds already suspected: that fingerprints do not change over the course of an individual's lifetime, and that no two fingerprints are exactly the same.

22 Galton Characteristics Ending ridge Bifurcation Island or eye Short ridge Dot Spur Bridge

23 Sir Edward Henry 1896 His system of identifying fingerprints forms the basis of modern fingerprinting. The Henry fingerprint filing system relies on the patterns of dermal ridges on the fingertips, described as loops, central pocket loops, double loops, arches, tented arches, whorls, and accidentals.

24 20 th Century Developments Using the studies of Herschel and Galton as a guide, Henry developed a fingerprint classification system. Henry s most important addition was the use of a Primary breakdown based on the presence of whorl patterns in the fingers. Scotland Yard in London adopted his system, bearing his name. Henry system is still used today in most English speaking countries, including the U.S.

25 First Systematic Use of Fingerprints Dr. Henry P. Deforest, Chief Medical Examiner of the New York Civil Service Commission, began the first systematic use of fingerprints in the United States. He printed applicants for civil service jobs to insure that they were not using better-qualified persons to take the test for them.

26 First U.S. Training in Henry System Sgt. John Kenneth Ferrier of Scotland Yard, who was present at the World s Fair in St. Louis, Missouri to aid in guarding the Crown Jewels Exhibit, trained several American police officials in the use of the Henry System. Because of this training, fingerprint identification bureaus were established in the cities of St. Louis, New York, Chicago, and San Francisco, as well as Leavenworth Prison.

27 Fingerprint Identification is Universally Endorsed The United States Army adopted the fingerprint system of identification. Within three years the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps followed suit The State Legislature of California established the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation at San Quentin Prison The first conviction in the United States, in which fingerprint evidence was a major factor, was obtained in New York City.

28 Precursor to the FBI President Teddy Roosevelt ordered his Attorney General, Charles Joseph Bonaparte, to organize an investigative branch for the Department of Justice. On July 26, 1908, a national Bureau of Investigation came into existence.

29 Fingerprint Evidence in Court The Illinois Supreme Court ruled, in an important decision relating to the admissibility of fingerprint evidence, that even though it may not be of independent strength, it was admissible with other evidence as a means of identification and as tending to make a case.

30 California Bureau of Criminal Identification the California Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation is created Records transferred from San Quentin and Folsom prisons formed the nucleus of present day files After six months of operation, it was reported that 9,569 fingerprint cards were on file at the Bureau of C.I.I., where nine persons were employed

31 Dr. Edmond Locard The Exchange Principle (1918) Edmond Locard, known as the "Father of Criminalistics, established the first police crime laboratory. Locard, a student of Bertillon, developed the idea that when there is contact between two items, there will be a cross transfer of physical evidence. This axiom is known as Locard's Exchange Principle. [1] [1] 2/28/04

32 Palm Evidence The first case in the United States in which palm evidence was an issue was State vs. Kuhl in Nevada. The court ruled that the phenomenon by which the identity is thus established exists, not only on the bulbs of the finger tips, but is continuous and co-existing on all parts and in all sections and subdivisions of the palmar surface of the human hand. [1] [1]

33 Polygraph (Lie Detector) John Larson, a UC medical student, invented the polygraph (lie detector) in This controversial device has been used in an attempt to discern whether or not an individual is telling the truth. Polygraph results are not always accepted in a court of law. The polygraph records changes in breathing, blood pressure, pulse, and perspiration that take place during questioning.

34 Polygraph Lie Detector The person administering the test asks a series of questions to which he or she knows the answers. Additional questions are then added to the first series of questions. An untruthful answer will cause involuntary physiological reactions in the subject.

35 Lie Detector Test

36 Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) The FBI is formed under the direction of John Edgar Hoover Operations begin with 810,188 records, derived from consolidating the records of the National Bureau of Criminal Identification and Leavenworth Penitentiary 1932 the FBI establishes an international exchange of fingerprint data with several other nations

37 1940 s Events in Forensic Science Dental expertise is used to identify victims of the Coconut Grove nightclub fire in Boston and the Barnum and Bailey Circus tent fire in Connecticut California Department of Justice is formed The 100 millionth fingerprint card is received by the F.B.I., which has become the world s largest repository of fingerprints

38 1950 s Events in Forensic Science August Vollmer, Berkeley, California police chief establishes the school of criminology at UC Berkeley Paul Kirk's Crime Investigation textbook is published Breathalyzer, the instrument used to field test the sobriety of drivers, is invented by Indiana State Policeman Borkenstein

39 Gel-based Testing Methods Developed Brian Culliford, a British Metropolitan Police Laboratory scientist, initiated the development of gel-based methods to test for isoenzymes in dried bloodstains and developed and disseminated methods for testing proteins and isoenzymes in both blood and other body fluids and secretions.

40 Super Glue Fuming 1970's - The Japanese accidentally discovered superglue fuming as a way to develop prints when, a hair and fiber expert, "discovered his own fingerprints developing on microscope slides while mounting hairs with cyanoacrylate."[ 1] [1] 2/27/04

41 1970 s Events in Forensic Science victims were identified by dental examiners at a Canary Islands airport after two airliners had collided in dense fog on the ground. [1] The FBI introduced the beginnings of its Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) with the first computerized scans of fingerprints [1] 2/26/04

42 DNA Evidence Exonerates First case where a UK murder suspect is exonerated in the rape and murder of two girls, through DNA evidence A thirty-seven year old California man, who had been accused of bludgeoning his wife and killing his unborn child, was freed from prison after 16 years, when Sheriff's crime lab employees updated their database with thousands of new DNA profiles, and matched DNA from an incarcerated rapist and this case (Houston Chronicle, 1996). [1]

43 FBI - CODIS FBI creates CODIS, the Combined DNA Index System, a federal database which allows participating forensic laboratories to compare DNA profiles in order to match case evidence with other formerly unrelated crimes or to known convicts. CODIS currently contains more than 1.5 million DNA profiles and has lead to matches in over 6000 criminal investigations. [1] 2/28/04

44 21 st Century Developments in Forensic Science El Paso P.D. use teleforensics (wireless) to capture audio and video evidence in a vice operation evidence, which is used successfully in court. [1] [1] 2/26/04

45 21 st Century Developments in Forensic Science Forensic Meteorology - meteorologists provide information, consultation, and testimony relating to current and historic wind, climate, and weather conditions. Environmental forensic investigation - experienced hydro-geologists, geologists, engineers, and scientists deliver site investigation and remediation services for a variety of businesses, industrial facilities, and municipalities. These engineers specialize in providing innovative, risk based approaches to cleaning up soil and groundwater contamination in order to bring site closure to those problems. They also provide litigation support.

46 Forensic Engineering Forensic engineering - this discipline provides investigation and litigation support involving the following areas of engineering: aeronautical, civil, electrical, geological, marine, mechanical, nuclear, stress, and seismic

47 SPME Solid-phase Micro-extraction Solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME) is now an important technique for a wide range of analytical applications, including forensic drug chemistry. This technique is being used to help scientists to develop evidence as to the route of manufacture of amphetamine-style drugs. [1] [1] 10/20/05

48 Nuclear Forensics Nuclear forensics - the study of the origin of illicitly trafficked nuclear materials "They are carried out in order to answer specific questions on the nature of the material and its origin, such as the intended use, the mode of production, the plant and production batch, the last legal owner and the smuggling route. [1] [1] AN&Year=2005&ManuscriptID=b412922a&Iss=4 10/20/05