Bite Mark Analysis

The popular television show, CSI: Crime Scene Investigations has been on the air for 12 years, and it has brought forth the behind-the-scenes actions of criminal investigations, even if its portrayals are not always scientifically accurate. This has caused an interest in the forensic sciences that has led most people to a skewed view of how a criminal investigation actually works. The reality of a criminal investigation is that it is generally more tedious and difficult than the theory of criminal investigation would have you believe. By examining the forensic and investigative procedures of the case of Pamela Foddrill, it is apparent that the theory of criminal investigation was not representative of the procedures concerning examination

In 1979 dentists used bite mark evidence to trace Ted Bundy to a murder. The bite marks were crooked like Ted’s teeth and that’s how they convicted him of the murder. Forensic dentistry is used still used, and has been used to convinced hundreds of criminals, but again, is it credible? “At a small-town courthouse in one of rural Mississippi's poorest counties, Dr. Michael West swore under oath that a dead girl had bite marks all over her body and that they were made by the two front teeth of the man charged with murdering her.”(2) In this case a man got put on death row for murdering a little girl. The murder got traced back to him by teeth marks that were found on the body. He was jailed. After a couple weeks he got released, because a man that was traced back to a different murder by his DNA,

Forensic odontologists are experienced medical professionals, who are trained dentist that help identify unknown remains through dental records. Forensic odontology offers the widest variety of working conditions out of all of the other dental specialties. Forensic odontologists have been an essential aspect in helping identify skeletal remains. Sometimes all that is left behind for evidence is the teeth of the subject. With only this evidence to work with, the odontologist is called upon to process the remains. Since teeth are made of enamel, the hardest substance the body produces, and can survive severe conditions and still be viable for analysis, they become a significant piece of evidence used in the identification of unknown subjects. .Even though teeth are just another part of the skull, the amount of info in one tooth makes it a subject unto itself .

Forensic evidence has been shown to be reliable due to many factors of evidence such as DNA, blood, fingerprints, etc.; however, many cases have shown that

When analyzing the documentary, “The Real CSI” Frontline Correspondent Lowell Bergman investigates three cases dealing with forensic evidence. First being the long practice of latent fingerprint analysis, bite marks, and the odder of death.

In the Chi Omega case, microscopic hair analysis and comparison of bite marks left behind one of the the victims were the forensic science used to help solve the crime, in addition to Nina Neary’s witness testimony. The forensic hair and fiber specialist collected several hairs left in the

Called malocclusions, bite problems not only affect how the teeth can look, they also affect how a person’s mouth closes (or doesn’t.) Some common bite problems include crossbites, overbites, and underbites. Each type of jaw misalignment affects the teeth slightly differently.

Behind every court case there’s a train of forensic science evidence and research. Forensic science is the application of scientific principles of criminal justice. In many court cases a forensic scientists is the one on the scene collecting finger prints, photos, blood samples and other evidence. Unfortunately one of the controversial issues in the forensic world is the evidence and its lack of verification of its reliability. In the field of forensics there are issues in finding proof in generating conclusion, fundamental knowledge to solve problems, and the whole false memory defense in the court. These issues can be solved in many ways like extensive research, preparation and training. These issues

A forensic practitioner can never be biased in an investigation and to ensure ethical behavior some departments have implemented a code of ethics. Although there is a lot of room for error, no forensic investigator wants to live with the possibility that an innocent person is punished or a guilty person escaped prosecution. For all the negative cases on the news there will be a plethora of cases that did not have any problems. Any time a crime scene investigator enters a crime scene, there is a possibility of contamination. A forensic specialist must present an unbiased testimony that is a clear and accurate representation of a crime scene. The room for error in forensic science is rather spacious, however there inaccuracies in any field of science. These errors along with false portrayal of forensic science in the media and strenuous work hours make the job of a forensic scientist excruciatingly

I enjoyed reading, and although reading in another language was difficult, it was the only way I knew how to learn. This love for reading has brought me to discover forensic pathology. Initially I heard about forensic pathology from Patricia Cornwell’s books at the age of thirteen. Although thirteen might seem like an early age to read crime novels, I was so intrigued in forensic pathology that I found it hard to set the books down. My interest in forensics quickly grew.

Bite marks has put many people in jail. Bite marks evidence is part of the forensic odontologist where a dentist uses his expertise to match bite marks that has been left on a person's body with dental records of the suspect to determine whether or not a person has is guilty of a crime or not guilty. Even though Bite mark evidence has been used to prosecute there has been no real research that shows that bite mark evidence is accurate. Being that bite mark evidence has been considered as having no findings that the arrangement of a person's teeth is not unique in a way that a person DNA would be in a criminal proceeding. Because human being skin is stretchy and can deform in a way that it could look like a bite mark impression has been made

The BAU maintains a reference file for experts in various forensic disciplines such as odontology, anthropology, entomology, or

The book gives a general overview of the field of forensic science. The sections of the book include “The Scene of the Crime; Working the Scene--The Evidence; Working the Scene of the Body Human;

Another common method for identifying dead bodies is dental comparison. This method is especially valuable for decedents who are not visually identifiable and are not able to be identified by fingerprint comparison. Like fingerprint comparison, dental identification requires a pre-existing dental records (ante-mortem record) [44]. If these records are accessible for comparison, a positive identity can be set up, as distinctive configurations of the bony structures of the jaw, roots of the teeth and adjacent sinuses frequently exist and are unique for every individual [45].

I am obtaining my degree in Biological Anthropology and contemplating a minor in forensic studies due to my fascination and aspirations to one day work within the field of forensic anthropology. While I was reviewing the chapter 1 notes, I realized that this class is more than just a requirement for my degree. It is perhaps one of the most important classes I will take to achieve success in my career. The world of forensic anthropology is completely encapsulated with technical writing and communication.  A forensic anthropologist is responsible for analyzing and identifying human skeletal remains of people who are no longer identifiable to the untrained eye due to things such as advanced decomposition. The investigational methods and procedures