Forensics: Trace Evidence

While analyzing this evidence, several units in the crime laboratory will be used like: the document unit, firearms unit, latent fingerprint unit, and biology unit. The document unit will be used for the note found on the crime scene that the victim wrote, it could be analyzed to see if it was legitimately the victims writing or if someone else wrote the note to cover up the murder and make it look like a suicide. The firearms unit will help figure out if that was the murder/suicide weapon. The latent fingerprint unit will try to find a match on the faint fingerprints found on the revolver, whether they belong to the victim, the owner of the gun, or someone else who shot the gun itself. If they cannot find a match they will try to reconstruct the fingerprints to possibly find a close match.

The case that was researched is the case of the people vs. Robert Blake. In this case it is stated that the husband Robert Blake murdered his wife Bonnie Bakley. It was determined that Mr.Blake fired shots from a world war 2 vintage 9mm Walther P38 Luger pistol. The weapon was found in a dumpster near where Mr. Blake parked his car and was covered with dirt and motor oil. The 9mm pistol was cleaned and tested fired. And the gun was fired to see if it would leave gunshot residue behind after being fired.

An investigation involving a firearm is a specialty of forensic science which focuses on the examination of firearms linked to ballistics. Ballistics is related to finding out the exact flight path of projectiles. Ballistics is the area of study that examines the exact path of the bullet from the moment it leaves the muzzle of the firearm up until it hits the target. During examination many items are collected for evidence including the firearm, bullets, live ammunition, cartridge casings, trace materials such as powder residue, and anything damaged by the projectile. Firearms are often divided into three processes: Internal, External, and Terminal Ballistics. Internal refers to the inside of the firearm; the space of time in which the shooter pulls the trigger, and the when the bullet is exiting. External ballistics is the flight between leaving the muzzle of the firearm, and it striking its target. Terminal ballistics is the impact of ballistics that refers to the examination in which the projectile strikes a target. All firearms leave markings on the cartridge casings once expelled when firing. Ballistic identification and microstamping laws make it possible to link a cartridge recovered to the

The Development of the Processes Behind Blood Pattern Analysis, GSR, and Trace Collection Kayla A. Blackburn Arizona State University The Development of the Processes Behind Blood Pattern Analysis, GSR, and Trace Collection Learning of the history and uses behind blood pattern analysis, gunshot residue, and trace collection is almost as important as learning how to complete the tasks themselves. These three vastly different subject matters are the key to discovering a great deal of valuable information that ensures accuracy for the facts of the case while simultaneously contributing towards the guilty party being held responsible. Without these processes, Crime Scene Specialists would be severely lacking in their ability to establish evidence for detectives, lawyers, judges, and jurors to name a few. Blood Pattern Analysis

Forensic science is a key aspect of Criminal Justice that helps rid the streets of lunatics and murderers. One of the most important fields of forensic science is blood spatter analysis. Under the Crime Scene Investigation, analysts gather the information that could eventually lead to a victim’s killer. Basic and complex information can be found when analyzing blood. We can learn what kind of weapon was used, the time of death of a victim and other important facts that can help a case. The pattern that the blood gives off give forensic scientists the tools that they need to help solve cases.

When evidence is gathered, different equipment and processes are used to determinate what it means. In 2011, the Federal Bureau of Investigation estimated that 8,583 murder victims, in the United States, died because of a firearm. Forensic scientist can use equipment, such as the Integrated Ballistic Identification System, to find what firearm was used (Bureau). "They used a shotgun loaded with double-O buckshot. Inside the casing for each shot are nine

In the United States, the average number of gun shot victims is through the roof. A good amount of these victims are even child. This cite shows statistics of gun violence broken down into days and years. These gun violence statistics include assault, murder, suicide, police investigations, and accidents. The amounts and reasons behind the gun violence are presented in the statistics.

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;

A segment of the Forensic Science in the Criminal equity organization that the vast majority acquainted with these days, however, few individuals know how this particular science came to be. Overall, legal science is intended to utilize experimental standards to clarify obscure parts of a wrongdoing. Through the utilization of uncommon tests and lab gear that permits researchers to recognize decisively different parts of a bit of confirmation in an illegal behavior. On the off chance that you occupied with finding out about how this procedure came to fruition, you have to peruse the recorded data underneath. Here is a brief history

In the United States National Vital Statistics report written by AM Minino in 2002, it was indicated that annually there are about 30, 000 people who die because of firearm injuries. And within the United States 28, 663 deaths have been caused by gunshots and these are mostly suicidal acts. Some of the facts in the report say that next to suicides are homicides with the use of guns and the third highest numbers of deaths due to gun violence are unintentional shootings, since this is America; most of these people have been living in the metropolis (Minino, 2002).

Advances in DNA technology has expanded greatly in the world of forensic science. In the past a vast number of crime scene evidence was not considered for analysis is now being tested. Trace DNA is more effective in this century when convicting a criminal than it was 20-30 years ago. Due to the consist improvement of DNA technology forensic scientist are able to put away criminals the correct way.

people and the cops can’t trace the gun back to the suspect. There has been 133 mass shootings in the U.S. between January 2005 to July 2009. The mass shooting in Las Vegas killed 58 people and injured 500 others. A church shooting in Texas killed 20 people. In order for it to be a mass shooting it has to kill more than 3 or 4 people. 3 out of 4 mass shootings in the U.S. came from kids under the age of 19. On Jan. 17, 1989 a man killed 5 children and wounding 30 other students and teachers before killing himself. Shooters in some of the deadliest mass shootings in the U.S. history carried models of the country’s most popular types of weapons.

It is widely agreed that the United States has a very large number of guns compared to other countries. If guns really keep Americans safe, the United States would be the safest place in the world since it is estimated that 270 million firearms are owned. Compared to the world richest nations, the United States has the highest gun accidents, murders, and suicides among them all. An investigative report conducted in 2012 by Mother Jones Magazine found that between 1995 and 2012, the number of guns has increased by 50% while the population has increased only by 20% (Doeden). Firearm injuries are the second leading cause of injury death in the United States. In 2010, the percentage of homicides committed by firearms was 67.5 percent. The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence estimated 97,820 people are shot and killed in the United States yearly, averaging 268 people per day, since 1972 (Newhard pp13). Unfortunately, with some many Americans killed by guns every day, shootings in the United States have become so common, many citizens have grown immune to the news.

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:

Forensic science involves the use of science to solve criminal and civil crimes but mostly lies on the side of criminal investigations. It makes it possible to identify the criminals based on the DNA traces they leave behind. It involves analyses of blood, DNA and other evidences and later on uses the findings as evidence in the court of law. It helps in solving the various crimes in the world and this has been the greatest contributor to the growth of the sector. Cases that were previously considered impossible due to lack of evidenced tracing to the victim can now be solved using forensic science evidences. The essay aims at analyzing the different aspects of forensic science that are used in the process of solving criminal activities. It will also look at the different cases that forensic science was used to solve crimes in a court of law.