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Introduction to Forensic Science CRIME LABS First Crime Lab • Lyons, France – created by Locard • Edmond Locard – educated in medicine and law • Began one of the first police crime labs in an attic with two assistants • Scientific method – Locard was the first to use the scientific method in criminal investigation • Tools available to Locard – Microscope – Spectrometer • Locard – founder/director of Institute of Criminalistics – University of Lyons – a leading international forensic science research Institute Development of Crime Labs in the US • Rapid Growth – 3 times as many labs now as in 1966 – Increase in crime – Changing judicial requirements – Huge drug crime increase *This is the single most important factor in the increase of forensic services for drug analyses. Development of Crime Labs in the US • There’s been a serious lack of national and regional planning and coordination as new labs are established quickly to meet rising demand. • Current statistics - 320 federal, state, county, regional, and municipal crime labs in the US Models of Crime Labs • Police Agency Labs • Prosecutor or Defense Attorney Labs • Combination Coroner/Medical Examiner Crime Labs Four Major Federal Crime Labs – FBI – world’s largest crime lab • Organized in 1932-J.Edgar Hoover • Performs 1 million exams annually – DEA - Drug Enforcement Administration Laboratories – Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms – U.S. Postal Inspection Services Comprehensive State Crime Labs • Comprehensive state crime labs have regional or satellite laboratories • Increases accessibility of services to local law enforcement • Minimizes duplication of services • Assures maximum inter-laboratory sharing of equipment and expertise. Local Crime Labs • Provide services to counties and municipal agencies • Operate independently of state labs • Financed by local government • To cut costs, some counties are joining forces to create multi-county labs Crime Lab Services There is quite a bit of variation in the types of services each lab provides due to: • Variations in local law • Capabilities and functions of the organization with which the crime lab is affiliated • Budget and staffing limitations Basic Services at Full Service Crime Labs • Basic Services • Physical Science – the application of chemistry, physics, and geology to identify and compare crime scene evidence • Biology – identification and typing of bloodstains and other body fluids is done by biologists and serologists • Firearms – examination of firearms, ammunition, and clothing and other objects that may have residue present due to firearm discharge Basic Services at Full Service Crime Labs • Document Examination – handwriting and typewriting analysis for authenticity and/or source; also analysis of ink and paper • Photography – examines and records physical evidence using infrared, ultraviolet, and x-ray photography Optional Services at Full Service Crime Labs – Toxicology – examination of body fluids and organs to determine the presence of drugs and/or poisons – Latent Fingerprint – processing and examination of latent prints – Polygraph – lie detector Optional Services at Full Service Crime Labs – Voiceprint Analysis – the use of a visual graphic (voiceprint) to analyze tape recorded or telephoned threats – Evidence Collection – the use of a group of specially trained personnel to collect and preserve physical evidence Other Forensic Science Services Thomas Noguchi – Pathologist on Marilyn Monroe Case • Pathology – the investigation of sudden, unnatural, or violent death • Anthropology – the identification of human skeletal remains • Entomology – the study of insects and their relationship to a criminal investigation Other Forensic Science Services • Psychiatry – the relationship between human behavior and crime • Odontology – the study of teeth, jaws, cranio-facial bones, and bite marks; used in identification • Engineering – the study of failure analysis, accident reconstruction, and the origins of fires and explosions Training of Crime Lab Personnel • Evidence Technicians – specially trained personnel who are trained by laboratory staff to collect and preserve physical evidence. • Many police agencies have not yet adopted this approach. Many patrol officers and detectives find themselves ill prepared to collect and preserve evidence. California Crime Lab History • LAPD – the oldest forensic laboratory in the U.S. – Created by August Vollmer, Berkeley Police Chief – Vollmer later headed the first U.S. University Institute for Criminology and Criminalistics at U.C. Berkeley • 1972 – California Dept. of Justice began to create a network of state-operated crime labs. – Integrated forensic laboratories, both regional and satellite labs – Informal exchange between California Criminalists – Organizations - California Assoc. of Criminalists LAPD-Scientific Investigation Division • Nationally Accredited • Responsible for the collection, comparison and interpretation of physical evidence found at crime scenes or collected from suspects and victims • Analysis of various types of evidence may connect a suspect to a crime, associate particular items to a specific source or determine the circumstances surrounding an event. LAPD-Scientific Investigation Division • Criminalistics Laboratory • Forensic Analysis – – – – – – – – Questioned Documents Serology/DNA Unit Trace Analysis Unit Special Testing Unit Firearms Analysis Unit Field Unit Forensic Photography Forensic Accident Investigation Team LAPD-Scientific Investigation Division • Scientific Analysis – Narcotics Analysis Unit – Toxicology Unit – Blood Alcohol Unit – Surveyor – Hazardous Chemical Team – Composite Artist LAPD-Scientific Investigation Division • Technical Laboratory – Latent Prints Unit – Conducts investigations for all types of crime scenes including burglaries, stolen vehicles, rapes, and murders. – 78 Forensic Print Specialists assigned to the unit with varying levels of expertise LAPD-Scientific Investigation Division Technical Laboratory – – – – Latent Prints Unit Field responsibilities: i. Processing crime scenes ii. Fingerprinting dead bodies iii. Taking plaster casts or inked impressions of footprints, shoe prints, and tire tracks – iv. Use of AFIS to obtain possible matches – v. Manual comparison of suspect and victim finger and palm prints to crime scene prints – vi. Testify in court as to their findings. LAPD-Scientific Investigation Division Photographic Unit • Field unit - Responsible for documenting crime scenes and their follow-up investigations. • Color Unit - Responsible for the development and printing of film exposed by the Field Unit and other Department personnel. • Office Unit - Management of the eight million negatives on file LAPD-Scientific Investigation Division • Polygraph Unit - administers polygraph examinations to suspects, victims, and witnesses involved in Department investigations, and to Department personnel seeking a voluntary assignment to a specialized unit. • Electronics Unit - provides electronic support services for the Department, such as technical investigative support utilizing electronic surveillance devices. LAPD-Scientific Investigation Division Electronics Unit • Provides audio and video tape reproductions and repairs • Maintain and repairs recording equipment • Audio and video enhancement • Technical security debugging for police and city officials LAPD-Scientific Investigation Division • Services these divisions provide: • Gathering, preserving and evaluating evidence seized pursuant to criminal investigations • Determining the presence of alcohol and the identification of controlled substances • Arranging for the destruction of hazardous chemicals and controlled substances LAPD-Scientific Investigation Division Services these divisions provide: – Performing polygraph exams of suspects, victims, department employees and applicants – Producing scaled and composite drawings – Conducting video and audio surveillance – Presenting expert testimony in court Proposed Regional Forensic Science Center • 40% of California crimes occur in LA County • LAPD and LASD have little lab space • Proposed solution – cooperative partnership between CSULA, LASD, LAPD, and the California Dept. of Justice – Bureau of Forensic Science Proposed Regional Forensic Science Center • Multi-use building on CSULA campus • Improved delivery of forensic services to LAPD and LASD • Offering Distance Learning and Continuing Education Programs for Police and Forensic Scientists statewide • Master Degree in Criminalistics • Ballot Measure Rejected by Slim Margin Canada’s Crime Labs • Royal Canadian Mounted Police Regional Labs – six regional labs • Centre of Forensic Sciences – Toronto • Institute of Legal Medicine and Police Science - Montreal British Crime Labs • National system of regional laboratories • England and Wales – have six regional labs including Metropolitan Police Laboratory in London • 1990s – each police agency is charged a fee for lab services. This system should improve efficiency and accountability.