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Forensic Science and Law Unit 2

The document discusses the field of forensic science, focusing on types of evidence like physical evidence, trace evidence, and testimonial evidence. It covers important aspects of crime scene investigation such as documentation, evidence collection and preservation techniques, and issues like contamination that must be avoided. The goal of forensic science is the identification of victims, weapons, and perpetrators through the analysis of evidence.

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Gandhi Sagar
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690 views

Forensic Science and Law Unit 2

The document discusses the field of forensic science, focusing on types of evidence like physical evidence, trace evidence, and testimonial evidence. It covers important aspects of crime scene investigation such as documentation, evidence collection and preservation techniques, and issues like contamination that must be avoided. The goal of forensic science is the identification of victims, weapons, and perpetrators through the analysis of evidence.

Uploaded by

Gandhi Sagar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 55

WELCOME TO

“FORENSIC
SCIENCE”

SHASHANK SHEKHAR TIWARI


SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOW
SCHOOL OF FORENSIC SCIENCE
PhD/FS/RA/004
IDENTIFICATION
All forensic science, applications, scope relies on
identification.

• Identification of victim,
• Identification of tool or weapon of crime and,
• Identification of perpetrator
TYPES OF EVIDENCE
Testimonial: Eyewitness accounts of a crime.

Physical evidence: Any material items that are present at the


crime scene or on the victims.

Trace evidence: Physical evidence that is found at a crime


scene in small but measurable amounts.
PHYSICAL EVIDENCE
(1) It would be impossible to list all the objects that could conceivably be of importance to a
crime.

(2) Almost anything can be Physical Evidence.

(3) Although you cannot rely on a list of categories, it is useful to discuss some of the most
common types of physical evidence.

(4) The purpose of recognizing physical evidence is so that it can be collected and analyzed.

(5) It is difficult to ascertain the weight a given piece of evidence will have in a case as
ultimately the weight will be decided by a jury.
TYPES OF PHYSICAL EVIDENCE
• Blood, semen, and saliva • Organs and physiological fluids
• Documents • Paint
• Drugs • Petroleum products
• Plastic bags
• Explosives
• Plastic, rubber and other
• Fibers polymers
• Fingerprints • Powder residues
• Firearms and ammunition • Soil and minerals
• Glass • Tool marks
• Hair • Vehicle lights
• Wood
• Impressions
CLASSIFYING CHARACTERISTICS
(a) Individual Characteristics:
Evidence that can be associated to a common source with an extremely
high degree of probability is said to possess individual characteristics.
In all cases, it is not possible to state with mathematical exactness the
probability that the specimens are of common origin.
It can only be concluded that this probability is so high as to defy
mathematical calculations or human comprehension.

Example: Comparison of handwriting characteristics.


(b) Class Characteristics:
Evidence associated only with a group is said to have class characteristics.

(c) Class Evidence:


• One of the current weaknesses of forensic science is the inability of the examiner
to assign exact or even approximate probability values to the comparison of most
class physical evidence.
• For example, what is the probability that a nylon fiber originated from a particular
sweater, or that a paint chip came from a suspect car in a hit and run?
• There are very few statistical data available from which to derive this information,
and in a mass-produced world, gathering this kind of data is increasingly elusive.
• One of the primary endeavors of forensic scientists must be to create and update
statistical databases for evaluating the significance of class physical evidence.
CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION (CSI)
WHAT IS CRIME SCENE
A place where crime occurred.

• Primary or Secondary?
• Mobile or Stationary?
• Indoor or Outdoor or Conveyance?
• Spread or confined?
INDOOR OR OUTDOOR CRIME SCENE
Indoor Crime Scene Outdoor Crime Scene

• Surrounded and enclosed in 4 • Open area, grounds, roof etc.


walls and ceiling.

• Limited entry and exit routes • No defined entry or exit routes

• Immune to environmental
conditions • Prone to changes due to extreme
environment
• Difficult to identify
FIRST RESPONDERS
• Call the emergency (police, ambulance, fire).

• Help the wounded.

• Take note of people coming in or leaving the scene.

• Make initial observations (look, listen, smell).

• If possible, keep it off limits from any intruders, bystanders.


CSI REQUIRES…
1. Protection of the scene

a) From Bystanders
b) From yourself
c) From external conditions.
CSI REQUIRES…
2. Documentation

a) Notes
b) Sketching
c) Photography
d) Videography
SKETCHING
SKETCHING
SKETCHING
SKETCHING
CRIME SCENE PHOTOGRAPHY
• Bird Eyes View

• Mid Range Photography

• Close-Up Photography
CSI REQUIRES…
3. Search

a) Zonal
b) Linear/Parallel
c) Grid
d) Spiral
PRESERVATION & PACKAGING OF
EVIDENCES
REQUIREMENT FOR PRESERVATION

• Evidence must be preserved in its original condition and must be allowed for
changes that take place during analysis and natural degradation with time.
• Wrongly preserved evidences may be declared unfit for analysis by forensic
analysts.
• Court must be assured that the evidence is authentic.
• If the sample is allowed to spoil, it may lose key identification characteristics.
• There may not be enough left for analysis by the forensic expert.
EVIDENCE COLLECTION REQUIREMENTS
• Proper Protection of evidence:
The crime laboratory can only analyze what it receives.

• Sample Sufficiency:
Insufficient samples are collected by investigators due to lack of proper training.

• Known samples (Exemplars):


The criminal investigators should collect enough samples to satisfy forensic
examiners. (signatures, controlled soil sample, test firing etc.)
CHAIN OF CUSTODY
It can be divided into two parts:-
a) Evidence under custody
b) Documentation
a) Evidence under Custody:
- Labelling of evidence while collecting by IO.
- Proper packaging and transportation of evidence.
- Laboratory assigns its own serial no. and labelling to evidences.
- Serial nos. and initials on each part of evidence.
- After analysis, evidence must be re-sealed in a tamper-evident manner.
- Resealed evidence must be safely transported to the storage.
- Hazard labelling.
b) Documentation:
- Chain of custody documents accompanies the evidence.
- Includes places for sign and date to signify possession of evidence.
- Any official can instantly identify the possession.
- A property clerk at the reception area receives the evidence and case
documents, prepare a new file with sign and details of the person that brought
the evidence and then forwards it to the labs for analysis.
- This process is similarly followed between different divisions with the
laboratory.
- Some laboratories use different COC papers at each level of possession.
- Now-a-days, the evidence packages come with COC paper attached to it.
COLLECTION TECHNIQUES

• Hand Picking:
Collection of gross and macroscopic items.
Advantage of establishing the position of material and no further search is
required.
• Swabbing:
Dry swab for collecting minute particles.
Wet swab for dried out items especially dried out bodily fluids.
COLLECTION TECHNIQUES
• Tape Lifting:
Use of adhesive tape of not more than 7.5cm in length.
Microscopic materials from garments and motor vehicles especially.
Then transferred to glass or rigid plastic and packed.
• Sweeping:
Inaccessible are with mass material (vehicular accidents).
New paint brush 25mm wide, new dust pans and brooms(plastic).
• Vacuuming:
Hair, fiber and other microscopic evidence(trace evidences) in dust or powdered surface
in a vast area.
Especially use customized stainless steel nozzles.
PACKAGING OF EVIDENCES
Four things to be kept in mind while Packaging:-
a) Quantity- Better to collect in excess.
b) Controls- Necessary to submit control items to rule out any discrepancies.
c) Reference material- For comparison reference items should be collected.
d) Labelling- Directly on the item or on the package.
Paper as a packaging material:
- Generally used in various sizes as recommended.
- For placement of clothing and biological samples.
- Blood and semen stained material must be kept in paper package before putting in
plastic packaging.
CONTAMINATION
At the scene of Crime
1) Presecured Scenes:
- Contamination increases with the number of people entering the crime scene.
- Amount of potential destruction of evidence at public places are real challenge.
- Search for events before scene was secured.
- Enquire about person entered at the crime scene.
2) Postsecured Scenes:
- If scene is secured by one officer, others may enter from other avenues.
- Can’t protect something that officer fails to identify as scene of crime.
- Outdoor scene can be contaminated by external environment.
- Forming a command post to restrict entry and secure out door scene with tents if possible.
CONTAMINATION

Equipment Used at Scene Of Crime


- IO must be aware with the fact of contamination due to their equipment.
- As they travel from one place to another, they can transfer evidences here &
there.
- Equipment must be decontaminated before and after attendance at SOC.
- Disposable PPE kits must be used to reduce contamination.
- A separate decontamination zone should be established for quick
decontamination of equipment.
CONTAMINATION
At Packaging and Collection
- New containers must be used for collection.
- Evidence containers must be sealed at SOC.
- Handling of biological samples especially for DNA purpose is critical,
- Wet items must be packaged in paper containers after air drying.
- Items from different places must not be kept at one place.
During Transporting Evidence
- Some evidences may be temperature sensitive.
- DNA may disintegrate at higher temperatures,
- In winter season precautions should be taken so that evidence does not freeze.
- To avoid leakage of evidences they are kept in plastic bags.
CONTAMINATION
During Laboratory Analysis
- Potential area of contamination is at the reception area where evidences are received.
- Area where sample is unsealed is also potential for contamination.
- Decontamination of both these area must be regularly done with 10% bleach
solution.
After the Analysis
- Transporting the evidence to storage may also be a potential for contamination and
should be taken seriously.
- Paper containers are porous and may leak during transportation.
- Gloves must be used while dealing with such containers.
ANY QUESTIONS?

THANK YOU

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