Download Day 1 - Bertino Forensics

Four-Day Bertino Forensic Workshop rev. 1.22.15
Day 1
Introduction to forensics
A 300+ page binder and our resource DVD with additional resources, websites, cases
studies, animations, Apps and tutorials will be provided and discussed. Participants also
receive a over 20 Power Point presentations, a copy of our new 2nd edition textbook
Forensic Science: Fundamentals and Investigations. Emphasis is placed on how to teach
to heterogeneously grouped classes, teach on a shoe string budget, how to organize and
present classroom activities. Various alternative assessments and outside reading lists are
described throughout the course.
Evidence Collection
Search patterns
Proper collection and documentation of evidence, Chain of Custody
How to set up a crime scene collection area
Hair and Fiber Analysis
Microscopic analysis of hair.
 Prepare slides of their own hair and will do a comparative analysis of found at a
crime scene and hair found on a suspect.
 Distinguish between animal and human hair.
 Use a “poor man’s comparative microscope by using a digital camera,
microscope and computer.
Fiber analysis:
Burn test for fiber analysis
Fiber - weave pattern analysis
Pollen and Botanical Evidence as a source of trace evidence
Pollen provides clues for not only of location, but also indicates the time of the year a
crime was committed. Comparative analysis of pollen can help link a suspect to:
a. crime scene
b. victim
Prepare microscopic slides of pollen.
Review how botanical evidence is used in solving crimes and locating gravesites.
Participants study how to
a. estimate pollen grain size under a microscope.
b. use a digital camera to produce excellent photos of pollen viewed under the
microscope.
Blood spatter analysis
Blood spatter analysis is an excellent example of how forensics integrates math, biology,
chemistry, and physics. Participants should bring a calculator (or phone or iPad) with sine
and tangent functions.
Participants will explore how blood spatter helps to recreate a crime scene.
Participants will perform experiments demonstrating:
a. effect of height on blood spatter
b. effect of different surfaces on blood spatter
c. angle of impact
d. lines of convergence
e. area of origin
From several drops of blood, participants will be able to estimate:
a. number of incidences
b. source of blood from a 2-dimensional perspective
c. angle of impact for each drop of blood
d. area of origin in a 3 dimensional perspective
Fingerprinting
How are fingerprints produced?
When are fingerprints formed?
What are the major patterns?
How are minutiae used in fingerprint analysis?
How are algorithms used in fingerprint analysis?
Participants will analyze fingerprint patterns, produce a ten-card, and will lift latent
fingerprints.
Day 2
DNA analysis
a. Distinguish between mitochondria DNA and nuclear
DNA and discuss the role each plays in forensics.
b. Review the process of DNA fingerprinting or gel electrophoresis
c. Solve crimes, paternity cases and identify family
relationships using information gained from DNA fingerprinting.
d. Review STR DNA analysis and interpretation.
e. Analyze STR data from 9/11 victim for personal identification by comparing STR
analysis of the victim, wife and two sons
f. Review how the Romanov skeletal identification was accomplished using
nuclear and mtDNA analysis. Was Anna Anderson the long lost Anastasia?
DNA evidence was used to solve this real-life mystery.
Tool Marks
a. Examine tool mark impressions left at a crime scene and compare
those marks with tool mark impressions made from different tools.
b. Review how to prepare your own tool mark impression demonstration board.
Bones: Forensic Anthropology
Discover how bones provide clues to ones:
Age-Sex-Height- Ethnic Background-Occupation
Examine a skull, pelvis, humerus and femur from the Wards’ Sherlock Bones Kit. Through
examination and measurements, the participants will try to estimate the age, sex, height,
and ethnic background of the skeletal remains.
In addition to performing the Wards Sherlock Bones lab, participants receive a CD
prepared by the Bertinos’ that facilitates the lab activity.
Teeth
Discover how teeth are used to help estimate age and help to identify a victim.
Participants: a. prepare their own bite mark impressions.
b. analyze a suspect’s bite mark with the bite marks found on a victim
Faces
View an App ‘PhotoFit” used to create an artist “sketch” of a suspect.
Day 3
Ballistics
a. Distinguish among different types of firearms, bullets, shot and slugs.
b. Review the anatomy of a bullet, cartridge, shot and slugs
c. Review how a projective is fired resulting in spent projectiles, cartridge casings,
and gunshot residue.
d. Study and examine spent projectiles, cartridge shells, models of bullets and
along with to view the type of ballistic evidence left at a crime scene.
e. Compare ballistic evidence from a test fired firearm to the ballistic evidence
found at a crime scene including: lands and grooves, caliper,
f. Determine angle of impact from trajectory paths of projectiles to help reconstruct
a crime scene using ballistic evidence.
Soil and Sand
Participants will perform several investigations that can be used to help identify
if a soil or sand sample is consistent with the soil or sand sample obtained from a
crime scene. These investigations include:
Microscopic and macroscopic analysis of soils
Sedimentation jars
Physical and chemical testing of the samples
Use soil and soil profile evidence to link evidence to a crime scene.
Use soil evidence to help locate gravesites.
Glass
Review how different types of glass are produced.
Perform activities used to identify is the glass found at a crime scene is consistent with
glass found on a suspect. These tests include:
Density testing
Refractive index
Prepare, analyze and use glass fracture patterns to reconstruct events at a crime scene.
Tire and Footprint Impressions
Discover how tire impressions can link a suspect to a crime scene.
Participants will produce their own shoe and or tire impressions using various methods
such as: Plaster of Paris impressions and ink-less impressions.
Participants will take various measurements, use calculations to try to identify
a specific vehicle based on tire impressions, wheel base, turning diameter.
Day 4
Drugs
Perform preliminary spot test to help identify drugs.
Review and analyze lab procedures for evidence reliability.
Insect and forensic entomology
a. Review the various types of insects studied in forensic entomology.
b. Review and observe the life cycle of a blow-fly and its application to establishing PMI
c. View living and preserved specimens of all stages of Blowflies
d. Use magnifying lens, stereomicroscope and compounds microscope to view all living
stages of blowfly dev. stages, spiracle slits, mouth, crop, hooks
e. Receive instructions on how to raise, preserve and use blowflies in forensic classrooms.
f. Estimate PMI (post mortem interval) based on insect evidence.
Time of Death Estimations or Post Mortem Interval Analysis
Review algor, rigor and livor mortis
Estimate PMI using algor, rigor and livor mortis analysis
Discuss other methods of estimating PMI including:
a. stomach content examination
b. changes to the cornea
c. changes to ocular fluids
Chromatography
a. Discover through experimentation how chromatography can be used to help link a
particular suspect to evidence found at the crime scene.
b. Use mini set-ups and new methods of classroom chromatography.
Handwriting, forgery and counterfeiting
Review characteristics of handwriting.
Compare handwriting found in a ransom note to the handwriting of several suspects
Review studies of different types of forgeries will be reviewed along with the
evidence used to solve the crime.
Examine paper currency for methods used to prevent counterfeiting.
Wards Materials used at the four day workshop include:
Sherlock Bones Kit
Fingerprint ink-less pads
Footprint inked pads
Cartridge Family
Trajectory apparatus
Insect Entomology Cards
Various charts describing aspects of forensics analysis
The use of Wards supplies to create insect preservation kits
Harbor Freight & Dollar Store supplies are used to prepare many inexpensive forensic activities
Inexpensive labs we have developed using shoe string priced supplies:
Hair lab
Fiber lab: thread counters, burn test
Pollen lab
Glass refraction - our set up
Blood kits with cardboard: our set up
Insect development lab using live Blowflies: our set up
Handwriting lab
Drug lab
Dental impression lab
Shoeprint impression lab
Ballistics collections and & device
Many additional time & money saving techniques and Apps will be discussed throughout the
class.