1 Frensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigatins, 2e Cengage/NGL/Suth-Western 2016
Observatin Skills By the end f this chapter yu will be able t: 1.1 Define bservatin and describe what changes ccur in the brain while bserving. 1.2 Describe examples f factrs influencing eyewitness accunts f events. 1.3 Cmpare the reliability f eyewitness testimny with what actually happened. 2 Frensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigatins, 2e Cengage/NGL/Suth-Western 2016
Observatin Skills By the end f this chapter yu will be able t: 1.4 Relate bservatin skills t their use in frensic science. 1.5 Define frensic science. 1.6 Practice and imprve yur wn bservatin skills. 3 Frensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigatins, 2e Cengage/NGL/Suth-Western 2016
Vcabulary analytical skills lgical deductive reasning bservatins eyewitness pinin fact perceptin frensic 4 Frensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigatins, 2e Cengage/NGL/Suth-Western 2016
Intrductin A frensic investigatr must be able t clearly: Observe Interpret Reprt 5 Frensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigatins, 2e Cengage/NGL/Suth-Western 2016
6 Frensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigatins, 2e Cengage/NGL/Suth-Western 2016
What Is Observatin? (cntinued) 7 Frensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigatins, 2e Cengage/NGL/Suth-Western 2016
What Is Observatin? (cntinued) Our brains selectively take in infrmatin. We uncnsciusly apply filters. Paying attentin t the details f yur surrundings requires a cnscius effrt. 8 Frensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigatins, 2e Cengage/NGL/Suth-Western 2016
What Is Observatin? (cntinued) Perceptin is Limited Faulty Nt always accurate Nt always reflective f reality 9 Frensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigatins, 2e Cengage/NGL/Suth-Western 2016
Observatins by Witnesses Observatins are affected by: Emtinal states Whether yu are alne r with a grup f peple The number f peple and/r animals in the area The type f activity that is ging n arund yu Hw much activity is ccurring arund yu 10 Frensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigatins, 2e Cengage/NGL/Suth-Western 2016
11 Frensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigatins, 2e Cengage/NGL/Suth-Western 2016
Eyewitness Accunts Eyewitness accunts f crime sceneevents vary cnsiderably based n: Level f interest Stress Cncentratin The amunt and kind f distractins present 12 Frensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigatins, 2e Cengage/NGL/Suth-Western 2016
Eyewitness Accunts (cntinued) Prejudices Persnal beliefs Mtives Any lapse in time since the event 13 Frensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigatins, 2e Cengage/NGL/Suth-Western 2016
The Inncence Prject Created by Barry C. Scheck and Peter J. Neufeld in 1992 Benjamin N. Cardz Schl f Law 14 Frensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigatins, 2e Cengage/NGL/Suth-Western 2016
The Inncence Prject (cntinued) Used DNA t examine pst-cnvictin cases t cnclusively decide guilt r inncence Faulty eyewitness identificatin accunted fr up t 87% f wrngful cnvictins 15 Frensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigatins, 2e Cengage/NGL/Suth-Western 2016
Hw t be a Gd Observer 1. Observe systematically Start at ne part f a crime scene and run yur eyes slwly ver every space. Lk carefully at everything yu see. When examining a piece f evidence n a micrscpe slide, lk systematically in every part f the evidence. 16 Frensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigatins, 2e Cengage/NGL/Suth-Western 2016
Hw t be a Gd Observer (cntinued) 2. Turn ff filters. Cnsciusly bserve everything. Act like a data-gathering rbt. 17 Frensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigatins, 2e Cengage/NGL/Suth-Western 2016
Hw t be a Gd Observer (cntinued) 3. Avid jumping t cnclusins. Cncentrate n gathering all f the available infrmatin. Leave the interpretatin until all infrmatin is gathered. 18 Frensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigatins, 2e Cengage/NGL/Suth-Western 2016
Hw t be a Gd Observer (cntinued) 4. Cmpensate fr faulty memries. Write dwn and phtgraph as much infrmatin as pssible. Dcumentatin is als imprtant when acting as an expert witness. Even the verbal testimny f a frensic scientist requires prper dcumentatin. 19 Frensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigatins, 2e Cengage/NGL/Suth-Western 2016
20 Frensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigatins, 2e Cengage/NGL/Suth-Western 2016
Observatins in Frensics Frensic science Is strictly cncerned with uncvering evidence that stands as fact Uses science t help in legal matters, such as crimes 21 Frensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigatins, 2e Cengage/NGL/Suth-Western 2016
Observatins in Frensics (cntinued) A frensic investigatr Is nt interested in making the suspect lk guilty Is nly interested in cllecting and examining physical evidence Reprts evidence t investigatrs and curts 22 Frensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigatins, 2e Cengage/NGL/Suth-Western 2016
What Frensic Scientists D Find, examine, and evaluate evidence frm a crime scene Apply scientific knwledge t analyze the crime scene Be a persuasive cmmunicatr wh is able t cnvince a jury that his/her analysis is bth reliable and accurate 23 Frensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigatins, 2e Cengage/NGL/Suth-Western 2016
Summary Our ability t bserve is affected by ur envirnment and the natural filters f sensry infrmatin in ur brains. The bservatins f witnesses t crimes can be faulty, but in sme cases can be precise. The Inncence Prject has fund that up t 87 percent f their wrngful cnvictin cases resulted frm flawed eyewitness testimny. 24 Frensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigatins, 2e Cengage/NGL/Suth-Western 2016
Summary (cntinued) Plice fficers and crime-scene investigatrs are trained in gd bservatin practices. Frensic scientists find, examine, phtgraph, dcument, and evaluate evidence frm a crime scene and prvide expert testimny t curts. 25 Frensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigatins, 2e Cengage/NGL/Suth-Western 2016