Download forensics - Understanding Canadian Law

FORENSICS
Name these popular forensic investigators
FORENSICS
• Means “in relation
to the law or courts”
Three Basic Types
• Loop
• Arch
Sixty to 65 percent of the
population have loops
about 5 percent have arches
• Whorl
30 to 35 percent have whorls
Fingerprints
• Are the best single method of individualization available
• Latent prints
(invisible or unseen)
Patent prints
(visible)
What animal has fingerprints which are virtually
indistinguishable from those of humans?
Answer: A Koala!
Do you know…
What common household item
may be used to get fingerprints
from a bag (using the vapours
from this product?
Krazy Glue!
Can you change your fingerprints?
• Notorious criminal John Dillinger
tried to burn off his fingerprints with
acid. It didn’t work – the print grew
back the same.
• Criminal Roscoe Pitts eliminated
the prints of his fingertips by
having them sewn from skin grafts
in his chest. He was later identified
from prints of his palm, left at the
scene of a crime!
DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid)
• DNA is the same for
identical twins
• The odds of anyone
else sharing the same
DNA profile are over
one in a trillion!
•
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=6pskdKTbrCQ
Skin
• Largest organ of the
human body
• Replaces itself
approximately every
30 days
Did you know: 96% of household dust is dead skin cells!
Locard Principle
• Every contact leaves a trace
• You take something away and leave
something behind every place you go,
including a crime scene
"Everywhere you go, you take something with you, and you leave something
behind" is the premise behind Locard's theory.
FORENSICS
Day 2
Could a forbidden DNA technique track Taylor's killer?
Evidence
• Trace evidence
-Hair, fibres
• Transient
evidence
-Short-lived evidence
• Hold back
evidence
(odours, imprints &
indentations)
- Information only the
police and offender
would know
Opinion Evidence
• Only someone deemed an
expert may give an
opinion in court about
something
•
“This is what I believe....based on the evidence
found...I believe this is what occurred”
(done in a voir dire, where
jury leaves courtroom)
Coroner
• Is called to declare people dead
• Has the legal right to take possession of a
body to investigate cause of death
• If death occurred from natural causes, a death
certificate is issued
• $250/case (2003 statistic)
Coroner’s Inquest
• An inquest is usually held if
death results from
•
•
•
•
•
Violence
Negligence
Misconduct
Malpractice
A disease or sickness not treated by
a doctor
• Misadventure or dangerous practices
• Suspicious circumstances during
pregnancy
Coroner’s Inquest
• Involves coroner and 5 jurors chosen by
coroner
• During inquest, evidence is presented and
witnesses testify to determine when,
where, how, and by what means a person
died
• Jury makes recommendations to help
prevent similar deaths in the future
• Recommendations are not binding
Coroner's inquest into fatal fire begins
Colonel Russell Williams Case
• Voiceprints, lip prints,
ear prints, glove
prints, and DNA
profiling provide
additional or
alternative methods
for recognition.
Russell Williams video
Top 10 Unsolved Crimes
http://content.time.com/time/speci
als/packages/article/0,28804,1867
198_1867170_1867291,00.html