Crime Scene Evidence Essay

What do you think would be the best method of submitting evidence to a crime lab? Why?

Investigators search witness and police intelligence reports for possible leads and suspects. The physical evidence, taggants, or micro particles left behind at the crime scene, is analyzed at a forensics laboratory in order to trace it back to a specific business or individual. The information gleaned from witnesses, reports, and evidence, often lead to the identification and arrest of the

For over a century fingerprints have been one of the most used tools of forensic science. Fingerprints have been used to identify criminals of small crimes

Fingerprinting and blood testing are two types of assessments to make a positive identification of a criminal. Since everybody’s fingerprints are diverse, it is easy to compare them through a computerized program that forensic scientists use. In order to prove if the DNA of a victim and a criminal match, there are steps that must be followed carefully and correctly.

In the United States, crimes are constantly being committed. Some of the crimes that are committed are simple, and other crimes are extremely complex. Every complex crime comes with its own challenges in distinguishing material evidence. Some evidence can be tiny as a hair, or a fiber that can be located on a piece of clothing or carpet. Even though, the size of the evidence is not important, the information that it provides investigators is crucial to finding the suspect of the crime. With the assistance of trace evidence, investigators can obtain the small particles that can transfer from two objects come together. Collecting material from any crime scene can yield a plethora of information. However, by properly collecting material evidence like the tire print impression, pubic hairs, multiple dog hairs, and foreign fibers. Investigators, were able to convict Cecil Sutherland for kidnapping, sexual assault, and three counts of murder.

“A component of ammunition (casing and/or projectile) from the crime scene can be identified to the firearm that fired it to a reasonable degree of scientific certainty” Hernandez, G. (n.d.). At any given time that a weapon is fired, there is that natural tendency that a unique print is left on the fired weapon. This print appears in the form of unique impressions or striations also called tool marks. The Evidence of Casing or projectile from any crime scene would be traced to a firearm in the possession of a potential suspect, and would represent as an evidence against that suspect.

on evidence found at a crime scenes such as: hair, DNA, blood, fibers, fingerprints, documents,

The type of evidence that was found in the JonBenet Ramsey case was both latent and visible. DNA traces were found on the child's body and clothing, and footprints were analyzed in the basement. In addition, a ransom note was found on the stairs by the mother Patricia Ramsey. Fibers from blankets, carpet, clothing, bedding, car interiors and other materials can be identified and traced by the forensic team. The different between the latent and visible evidence are as follows According to Saferstein, R. (2011), “Latent evidence is evidence at a crime scene that cannot be seen with the eyes. Examples might be a blood stain that was bleached out, or semen stains that can't be seen without special lighting, or a fingerprint on an on even surface, such as a tree (pp. 400).” Saferstein, R. (2011), also argues that visible evidence are made when an object touches a surface after the ridges have been in contact with a colored material such as blood, paint grease, or ink, (pp. 400, para. 1).

It might be hard to figure out which type of evidence to use but Forensic Science evidence is definitely the most useful. It uses DNA and blood with many other things to find the suspect or criminal. Forensic Science can hold all the facts of a case together. In “Forensic Science: Evidence, Clues, and Investigation” by Andrea Campbell, it shows how and why Forensic Science evidence is the most important.

There are different ways law enforcement can prove evidence and the guilty with impression evidence. Latent (invisible) or patent (visible) prints that are used in criminal investigations are typically collected from crime scene specialists to reveal or extract fingerprints from any surface or objects with the use of chemical or physical methods. Fingerprints can be shown when they are taken from a crime scene where the crime was committed. Fingerprints and bite-mark evidence have similar traits to shoe prints and tire tracks that can be used in criminal investigations. There are a percentage of palm prints that must be left at the scene to make a comparison for valid evidence.

Firearms that are left behind at a crime scene can be extremely helpful. This evidence includes not only the firearm itself but also the ammunition used in the firearm, componets that make up the firearms, and the residue that comes out when the

Firearms evidence is a key to capturing a shooter. Firearms evidence can be found at different types of crime scenes; from homicide to rape. Forensic technicians can determine the distance of a shot based on power residue, they can compare cartridge cases and bullets to particular guns possibly used at the crime scene and link them to owners, forensic technicians can also determine the sequence of shots fired and trajectories. Gunshot residue found at a crime scene can be matched with that found on suspect’s hands. When a firearm is located at a crime scene, a forensic technician must first of all diagram and photograph it before collecting it. It is important to treat every firearm found as if it were loaded. Every situation must be carefully

The world of forensic science is full of ever developing technology. Analyzing forensic evidence involves using fingerprints, hair samples, blood, footprints, bite marks, and other sources of material to help identify someone. Each small piece of evidence found at a crime scene can be crucial — leaving the slightest trace of saliva or skin cells can be what convicts a person. Few people know the importance of forensic science more than Steven Avery.

Today, more than ever, the quality of evidence in criminal cases is scrutinized because of contamination. Contamination is the introduction of something that physically corrupts a substance at a crime scene that was not previously there; it comes in many forms and most often times comes from the humans who investigate a crime scene. It is imperative that prevention of cross-contamination is implemented when gathering evidence. Several of the more sensitive forensic techniques such as trace analysis, bloodspatter interpretation, and DNA comparison are not being used to their fullest potential. Items of physical crime scene evidence are not always visible to the naked eye and may be easily overlooked so deliberate and methodical approach to collection and preservation of evidence is essential. Prosecutors have lost cases due to crime scene contamination; this could be prevented by simple and productive behaviors. The U.S. Supreme Court, in a leading case on physical evidence, stated:

Every time somebody touches something, they leave behind a unique signature that forever links them to that object. This link is their fingerprints, which are unique to every person, for no two people have the same set, not even family members or identical twins. Palms and toes also leave prints behind, but these are far less commonly found during crime scene investigations. Therefore, fingerprints provide an identification process that is applicable to background checks, biometric security, mass disaster identification, and most importantly, crime scene investigations. Fingerprints are so differentiated because they are made up of distinct patterns of ridges and furrows on the fingers. The ridges are the “raised” portions of the prints, and the furrows are the “recessed” portions. This perceived uniqueness has led some people to falsely accept fingerprint analysis as absolute scientific fact. Although overall fingerprints are reliable, there are definitely situations where their accuracy can come into question.