The first step in processing fingerprint evidence at a crime scene begins with documentation through the use of photography, sketches and detailed notes on the condition and disposition of the evidence. Often, latent prints can be used to establish the identity of a suspect or victim at a crime scene and can be considered as one of the most valuable forms of physical evidence. Processing evidence at a crime scene is a long, tedious process to ensure that delicate evidence, such as fingerprints can be preserved. When processing fingerprints, the location and condition of the print should be identified to determine the most appropriate technique for processing. There are two primary types of surfaces: porous and non-porous. Porous surfaces absorb fingerprint residue like paper, cardboard or unfinished wood. Conventional chemical techniques used on these types of surfaces include Silver Nitrate, Iodine Fuming, Ninhydrin and SuperGlue Fuming. Non-porous surfaces consist of plastics, glass, and metal. These prints are usually lifted with the powder dusting technique; however, caution should be used while processing latent print residue on non-porous surfaces as they can easily smear. Powdered latent prints are then lifted with tape. (Lee, & Gaesslen, 2001)
Upon the arrival to a local homicide scene at a convenience store/gas station, several items to be processed for fingerprint evidence were identified to include, a Lottery Ticket on the counter with a bloody, smeared print on
In quadrants 1 and 2 how the amount and constituents of the fingerprint residue on the substrate affects the fingerprint image, is determined. In quadrant 1, excess sebum and moisture is first removed from the finger tips with the help of a clean cloth. In quadrant 2, fingertip is first wiped around the nose or forehead to create excess sebum. Quadrant 3 and 4 were used to compare the details between untreated and dusted fingerprint residues.
Method used: I used my latent fingerprint dusting powder in order to bring the print to a visible state to the naked eye and then I used my tape I had to gain a copy of the print off the handle. I then took the evidence to my forensic vehicle in order to keep it secure for further examination.
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
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.
Exercise 2 Latent Print Development Introduction The purpose of this lab was to introduce the method of latent print development using fingerprint dusting powders and practice those techniques. When latent fingerprints are found at a crime scene, they are developed and documented by a crime scene technician and analyzed by a trained latent fingerprint examiner. Fingerprints can be classified into three general patterns: loops, whorls, and arches. Fingerprints are patterns of friction skin ridges which consist of veins, capillaries, and sweat glands.
Today in the crime world, DNA evidence is strongly accepted in solving crime cases. This is all based in part by allowing a crime laboratory to have a designated unit whose main goal is to analyze DNA evidence to aid investigators with positive outcomes in crime case solving. With that being said we are going to discuss the functions of a DNA unit within a crime lab as well as address the vital role these units play in solving crime.
Nowadays, DNA is a crucial component of a crime scene investigation, used to both to identify perpetrators from crime scenes and to determine a suspect’s guilt or innocence (Butler, 2005). The method of constructing a distinctive “fingerprint” from an individual’s DNA was first described by Alec Jeffreys in 1985. He discovered regions of repetitions of nucleotides inherent in DNA strands that differed from person to person (now known as variable number of tandem repeats, or VNTRs), and developed a technique to adjust the length variation into a definitive identity marker (Butler, 2005). Since then, DNA fingerprinting has been refined to be an indispensible source of evidence, expanded into multiple methods befitting different types of DNA
used method for this is called “tape lifting” blood stains by taking fingerprints tape and
Forensic DNA analysis is still a relatively new method that has been used to solve cases such as crimes and paternity tests. This method of forensic evaluation is examined by using genetic material, DNA, an acronym for deoxyribonucleic acid. Although each individual’s DNA differs from someone else’s, with the exception of identical twins, around 99.9% of DNA is the same in each person ("The FBI DNA Laboratory"). Therefore, in order to identify the genetic profile of the individual being analyzed, scientists focus on the remaining 0.1% of DNA that differentiates one person from another ("The FBI DNA Laboratory").
By looking at my results, suspects 1 and 4 did not commit the crime. My other lab assistants tested suspects 2 and 3, and suspect 3 was the one who committed the crime. When looking at the DNA test, suspect 3’s DNA matched up almost perfectly, while the suspect’s DNA I tested (1 and 4) did not match up, and were not in the same location. The bands in the DNA test between the crime scene and the suspect 3 matched up almost perfectly. When looking at the crime scene DNA, the distances were 21mm, 23mm, and 31 mm, and when looking at suspect 3, the distances were 21, 23, and 30. Suspect three was the closest match to the crime scene. The distances for suspect 1 and 4 were nowhere near the same distances as the crime scene DNA. Please ask my lab assistant Nathan for the results of the DNA of suspect 3.
Before the 1980s, courts relied on testimony and eyewitness accounts as a main source of evidence. Notoriously unreliable, these techniques have since faded away to the stunning reliability of DNA forensics. In 1984, British geneticist Alec Jeffreys of the University of Leicester discovered an interesting new marker in the human genome. Most DNA information is the same in every human, but the junk code between genes is unique to every person. Junk DNA used for investigative purposes can be found in blood, saliva, perspiration, sexual fluid, skin tissue, bone marrow, dental pulp, and hair follicles (Butler, 2011). By analyzing this junk code, Jeffreys found certain sequences of 10 to 100 base pairs repeated multiple times. These tandem
One of the most important purposes of physical evidence is to establish the identity of a suspect or victim. Some of the most valuable clues at a crime scene are fingerprints. "Processing a crime scene" is a long, tedious process that involves focused documentation of the conditions at the scene and the collection of any physical evidence that could possibly shed light on what happened and point to who did it.
This paper explores deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) collection and its relationship to solving crimes. The collection of DNA is one of the most important steps in identifying a suspect in a crime. DNA evidence can either convict or exonerate an individual of a crime. Furthermore, the accuracy of forensic identification of evidence has the possibility of leaving biased effects on a juror (Carrell, Krauss, Liberman, Miethe, 2008). This paper examines Carrells et al’s research along with three other research articles to review how DNA is collected, the effects that is has on a juror and the pros and cons of DNA collection in the Forensic Science and Criminal Justice community.
DNA evidence is thought to be the greatest tool to determine conviction status of suspects in criminal cases. However, since its use in. issues have arisen between individuals’ understanding of the committed crime and the accurate results of evidence and how this effects a suspect’s final conviction status. As a result, researchers of this article conducted three studies to determine whether scientific forensic evidence is being mistreated by jurors in criminal court case decisions.
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.