a. Compare and contrast the history of scientific forensic techniques used in collecting and submitting evidence for admissibility in court (e.g. Locard’s Exchange Principle, Frye standard, Daubert ruling).
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Scientific forensic techniques used to collect evidence began long before we expected to.
During the 1800s:
During the 1900s:
Because of the advances throughout the beginning of time, it really gave us a boost in the 21st century. Scientific forensics plays such a big role in criminal cases, law enforcement, and the solution of cases.
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b. Distinguish and categorize physical and trace evidence (e.g. ballistics, drugs, fibers, fingerprints, glass, hair, metal, lip prints, soil, and toxins).
c. Determine the proper techniques to search, isolate, collect, and record physical and trace evidence.
For hair samples, the samples are sent to the laboratory with control samples from a suspected person. Control samples include hair from the head and pubic area. Those areas have to be combed for foreign hairs before the sample collection. Tweezers are used to collect hair samples. For fibers, investigators try to spot the most likely place for deposited fibers. The carpeting around a victim’s body is a likely place to find fibers. Fiber collection is sometimes done by using tweezers or vacuuming, which is then sorted out at the laboratory. It can also be gathered by tape lifting. For glass, examiners use magnifying glasses and light to find glass particles on clothing, a person, or at the crime scene and picks them up by using tweezers. Tape is sometimes used to collect glass particles, but residue left from the adhesive makes it an undesirable collection method.
d. Evaluate the relevance of possible evidence at the site of an investigation.
While investigating for trace evidence, investigators should have a flashlight, studio lights, a portable alternate light source, and a vacuum. Since some trace evidence is microscopic, you need to be able to see every inch of the crime scene. When collection all evidence, investigators should have gloves, forceps, tweezers, scalpels, swabs, paper and plastic bags, cardboard boxes, wrapping paper, hand tools, a thermometer, and a plastic 5-gallon bucket with a lid.
e. Organize relevant information to accurately develop and submit both scene and analysis reports.