Fundamentals of forensic sciences 1

By
Dr. Mohamed Elgamal
Lecturer and Consultant of Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology
What is Forensic Science?
Definitions:
-Application of scientific knowledge to aid in the administration
of justice.

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Organization of a
Crime Laboratory
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Crime Labs
*Since the 1960's the number of crime labs increased due to the
courts demanding secure scientifically evaluated evidence.
-More crime
-More drug related crime
-Greater need for physical evidence
-Use of DNA profiling (1990’s)

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Crime Lab Units
Standard Optional
Physical Science Toxicology
Biology Fingerprints
Firearms Polygraph
Documents Voice Print
Photography Evidence

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Forensic science
Includes:
-Forensic medicine (forensic pathology ,forensic
serology, forensic microbiology& forensic
psychiatry)
-Forensic toxicology
-Forensic odontology
-Forensic entomology
-Forensic anthropology
-Forensic police sciences (criminalistics, questioned
documents, trace evidence, ballistics, criminology
-Other specialties (polygraph, fingerprinting) 8
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 Basic Services Provided by
Full-Service Crime Laboratories
Physical Science Unit:
*Applies the principles and techniques of
Chemistry
Physics
Geology
*to the identification and comparison of crime-scene
evidence
Biology Unit:
*Identifies dried bloodstains and body fluids
*Compares hairs and fibers.
*Identifes and compares botanical materials such as wood
and plants
*Performs DNA analysis
 Basic Services (continued)
Firearms Unit: examines
Firearms
Discharged bullets
Cartridge cases
Shotgun shells
Ammunition of all types

Document Examination Unit:

Analyzes handwriting, paper and printers of documents

Photography Unit:
Examines and records physical evidence at the crime scene
and at suspects' locations
 Optional Services Provided by Full-
Service Crime Labs

Toxicology Unit:
Examines body fluids and organs in order to determine
the presence and identification of drugs and poisons

Latent Fingerprint Unit:

Processes and examines evidence for latent fingerprints
i.e. those found on surfaces

Polygraph Unit:
Uses lie detectors, an essential tool of the crime
investigator rather than the forensic scientist
Optional Services (continued)
Voiceprint Analysis Unit:
Involved in cases of telephone threats or tape-recorded messages
Investigators may be able to connect a voice to a particular suspect
Evidence-Collection Unit:
Incorporates evidence collection into a total forensic science service
Principles of forensic sciences:

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Functions of FSL
(forensic sciences labs)
-Examine, compare & evaluate physical
evidence
-Protection of innocent
-Training of police investigators

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Basic Services Provided by
Full-Service Crime Laboratories
Physical Science Unit:
Applies the principles and techniques of
Chemistry,Physics,Geology to the identification and
comparison of crime-scene evidence.

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 Blood Splatter Analysis
Categories of Bloodstains:
Passive (dripping)
Transfer (smearing)
Projected

Projected Bloodstains occur in shootings, trauma from blunt weapons, hacking,

or slashing attacks.
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Biology Unit:
Identifies dried bloodstains and body fluids .Compares
hair and fibres. Identifes and compares botanical
materials such as wood and plants .Performs DNA
analysis

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 Comparison of DNA Typing Technologies
Markers Used
John M. Butler (2009) Fundamentals of Forensic DNA Typing, Figure 3.1

(Biology)

High RFLP
Multi-Locus Probes
Multiplex STRs

Power of RFLP
Discrimination Single Locus Probes
(Genetics)
PolyMarker
D1S80
mtDNA single STR
DQ
ABO
Low blood groups
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Slow Fast
Speed of Analysis
(Technology)
 Inheritance Patterns of ABO Blood Groups
John M. Butler (2009) Fundamentals of Forensic DNA Typing, Figure 3.2

Mother’s Blood Type

A B AB O
Father’s Blood Type

A,B,AB, A,B, or
A A or O
or O AB
A or O

A,B,AB, A,B, or
B or O
B or O
AB
B or O Child’s
Blood
A,B, or A,B, or A,B, or
AB AB AB AB
A or B Type

O A or O B or O A or B O
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4 possible types: A, B, AB, and O

 Blood Group Typing

Advantages Limitation

1. Rapid, simple tests. 1. Poor power of discrimination (≈1

2. Only test available for many in 10) with such few alleles (i.e.,
years. inclusions are not very
meaningful).

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John M. Butler (2009) Fundamentals of Forensic DNA Typing, Table 3.6
 Basic Services
Firearms Unit: examines
Firearms
Discharged bullets
Cartridge cases
Shotgun shells
Ammunition of all types

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Firearms/Ballistics

-Direct comparison of known samples and unknowns from crime

Striations or firing pin impressions 27
-Also used to do tool-mark comparisons (screwdrivers, etc.)
Document Examination Unit:
Analyzes handwriting, paper and printers of documents

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Document Analysis

Analysis of inks using Raman Spectroscopy.

Comparison of inks, paper, printers, copiers, and handwriting •

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Fiber analysis

Polymer analysis on a pyrolysis gas

chromatograph

Fibers have distinct color, diameter, shape, and chemical composition 30

Microscopic and chemical analysis to compare
Photography Unit:
Examines and records physical
evidence at the crime scene and
at suspects' locations

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Crime Scene Photography

Accurate and complete documentation of scene and evidence

Establish spatial locations, conditions, scale
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 Suicide Photography
-Photograph the scene
as if it were a homicide.
-Take close up shots of
wounds, ligature marks,
overdose and self-
induced deaths .
-Photograph weapon
used .
-Document from all
angles .
Burglary Photography
-Exterior of building
-Point of entry
-Interior views
-Area from which valuables
were removed
-Trace evidence
-Other physical evidence
-Damage to locks, safe,
doors, tool marks
-Articles or tools left at the
scene by the suspect
Optional Services Provided by Full-
Service Crime Labs
Toxicology Unit:
Examines body fluids and organs in order
to determine the presence and
identification of drugs and poisons

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Toxicology

Blood alcohol, urinalysis, poisons 47

Blood, urine, organs, tissue, vitreous humor
Latent Fingerprint Unit:
Processes and examines evidence for
latent fingerprints
i.e. those found on surfaces

Fingerprints from 2 individuals • 48

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Latent Print Analysis

Fingerprints
Palm prints
Footwear and tire impressions
Other – ears, lips, etc. 50
Polygraph Unit:
Uses lie detectors, an essential tool of the crime
investigator rather than the forensic scientist

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Optional Services
Voiceprint Analysis Unit:
Involved in cases of telephone threats or tape-
recorded messages.
Investigators may be able to connect a voice to a
particular suspect.
.

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Evidence collection unit:
-Incorporates evidence collection into
a total forensic sciences services

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Search procedures:

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The Functions of the
Forensic Scientist
Analysis of Physical Evidence
The forensic scientist must be skilled in applying the
principles and techniques of the physical and natural
sciences in order to identify the many types of evidence
that may be recovered during crime investigations.
Expert witness
An expert witness possesses a particular skill or has
knowledge in a trade or profession that will aid the court
in determining the truth.

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 The Functions of the
Forensic Scientist
Specially trained evidence collection technicians

□ Training in Proper
Recognition, Collection, and
Preservation of Evidence is
required so that the forensic
pathologist, as the medical
examiner or coroner, can
determine the cause of
death via an autopsy.

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Other Forensic Services
Death can be classified into five different categories:
natural death, homicide, suicide, accident or
undetermined manner of death.
Forensic Pathology
The cause of death can often be determined by
performing an autopsy.

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Other Forensic Services
Forensic Anthropology:
Primarily involves the identification and examination of skeletal
remains, in order to determine if the remains are human or another
type of animal.
If human, ethnicity, sex, approximate age, and manner of death can
often be determined by an anthropologist.

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Other Forensic Services
Forensic Entomology
The study of insects and their developmental
stages
Can help to determine the time of death by
knowing when those stages normally appear in
the insect's life cycle.

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Other Forensic Services
Forensic Psychiatry
The study of human behavior and legal
proceedings in both civil and criminal cases
In civil and criminal cases, competency often
needs to be determined
In criminal trials, the evaluation of behavior
disorders is often required in order to establish
the psychological profile of a suspect.

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 Other Forensic Services
Forensic Odontology
-An odontologist can match bite marks to a
suspect's teeth, or match a victim to his dental
x-rays
-Results in an identification of an unknown
individual

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Explosives

-Search for unique chemical traces or bomb-making materials

-Look for evidence from makers of bomb (DNA, fingerprints) 68
Forensic Analysis
*Can include organic and inorganic analytical
techniques
Organic analysis of unknown substances
Includes analytical techniques such as
Chromatography, UV- visible and infrared
Spectrophotometry and Mass Spectrometry.
Inorganic analysis
Includes techniques such as the emission
spectrum of elements, Atomic Absorption
Spectrophotometry, Neutron Activation
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Analysis, and X-Ray Diffraction Analysis.
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Thank you

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