The Field of Forensic Science
Presented by
Andrew Cho and
Marquis Patrick
What is Criminal Forensics?
Forensic science is simply the application of science
to the law. In criminal cases, forensic scientists are
often involved in the search for and examination of
physical traces which might be useful for establishing
or excluding an association between someone
suspected of committing a crime and the scene of
the crime or victim
Areas of Specialization
Arson Firearms
Chemistry Hair Fibers Palynology
Computer Investigation Image Processing
DNA Linguistics Audio
Documents Photography
Drugs Products
Engineering Toolmarks/Shoeprints/
Explosives marks
Fingerprints Toxicology
Traffic
Job Requirements
Minimum Bachelor of Science degree in a natural science field.
Although, most organizations are now leaning towards Master’s
Degree
– A B.S. or M.S. in criminalistics. However, these programs are not
widespread
– A degree in chemistry, biology, mathematics, physics, or other natural
sciences is widespread and acceptable as well
– However, no previous training or education required
– Experiences in research or other laboratory exposure highly beneficial
B.S. and M.S. usually start off with same salary
~$45,000
Advancement is possible with a salary ceiling of ~$75,000
The higher positions are mostly administrative and little field work is
done
Job Responsibilities/Environment
Work place includes crime scenes, laboratories, and court
rooms
Some forensic scientists must present findings in court
Crime scenes are not ideal settings for analysis. Most work
done in laboratory
Some forensic scientists go “on-call” and can be called in at
anytime to investigate crime scenes
Requires 40 hours per week plus overtime
Forensic Scientists that work in the field of DNA analysis must
have experience with applicable techniques. A major of
biochemistry or biology provides the necessary skills
Aspects of the Job
Ethical Concerns:
Problem: Lack of Resources prevents more thorough
investigation of each case
– More tests and analysis and time spent on a rape case or a
robbery?
– Neutrality is the best solution… but is this always possible?
Solution: Increase number of crime labs to spread
work as well as increase funding for existing labs
Appearances in Court extremely frustrating but can
also be the most rewarding when criminals are
convicted
Basic Computer Skills
Use of software
– CODIS (Combined DNA Index Systems): Imaging
software (MaresWare)
Knowledge of Portable Forensic Evidence Seizure
Computers
The importance of computers in this field will
continue to increase as the reliance on databases
increase
CODIS-Combined DNA Index
System
Consists of two types of Information: forensic profiles and convicted offender
profiles
– Forensic profiles contain DNA analysis data from blood, semen, tissue or bodily fluids
obtained from specific criminal investigations
– Convicted offender profiles contain DNA analysis data of offenders
– Forensic profiles are compared with convicted offender profiles to see if a match can
be obtained thereby linking the offender to a individual case.
Convicted offender profiles are entered from the local levels by local Police
Departments and at the National Level by the FBI and other Law enforcement
agencies
This information can be accessed by local law enforcement and Government law
enforcement agencies in regards to investigation of a criminal case
Organized in a hierarchical fashion consisting of National(NDIS), State(SDID),
and Local(LDIS) databases all linked together
Information is transmitted upwards starting from LDIS
NDIS became operational in 1998
CODIS-Participating States
Forensic Science Techniques
DNA fingerprinting
Fingerprint analysis
Chemical analysis
Drug analysis
Fire/Explosive analysis
Hard drive imaging
– Creating a duplicate of hard drive contents allowing analysis
of data that has been deleted
Human Identity Testing-A Closer
Look (DNA based forensics
project)
Knowledge of core STR’s allows discrimination
between people
Allows for determination of whether 2 DNA samples
are from the same person, related people, or non-
related people
STR pattern more or less unique because core STR
patterns are inherited genetically. The more STR
probes used to analyze a person's STR pattern, the
more distinctive and individualized that pattern
Human Identity Testing-A Closer
Look
Steps
– Devise a plan
– Obtain primers for each Core STR loci. Each primer has a unique flourescent label
– Do PCR with labeled primers and DNA sample
– Run through Genetic Analyzer (ABI Prism 310)
– A graph similar to the following is obtained
Two different individuals
– Each individual has a unique pattern of these Core STR loci. The probability of a
random match is 1 in 3 trillion
Human Identity Testing with Multiplex STRs
AmpFlSTR® SGM Plus™ kit
DNA Size (base pairs)
D3 TH01
amelogenin D8
D19 VWA D21 D16
D18 D2
FGA
amelogenin D3
D19
D8 VWA D16
D21 D18 D2
FGA
TH01
Simultaneous Analysis of 10 STRs and Gender ID
Job Prospects
Most forensic science laboratories have
backlog of work(>600,000 samples in CODIS)
This backlog of work indicates there is great
demand for forensic scientists and forensic
laboratories
This demand can be expected to continue for
the next 5 to 10 years
New Crime Lab Opening-LA
regional crime lab
Around 2005 a new LAPD/Sheriff’s Dept
Crime Lab will open on the Campus of
CSULA
Estimated cost of $97 million
Will be state of the art Forensic Laboratory
Job Opportunities
Call your local criminal 2 currently open jobs
forensics lab and ask them – FORENSIC SCIENTIST –
of open positions CHEMIST
(Posted 11/25/02)
Look for job postings in the The Fort Worth Police
Criminalistics/ Criminal Department Crime
Justice Department at King Laboratory
Hall – TRACE EVIDENCE
EXAMINER
Check out (Posted 11/20/02)
[Link] The Dallas County Human
[Link] Resources/Civil Service
large and frequently Department
updated listing of jobs
References
[Link]
ml
[Link]
html
[Link]
Forensics: Solving the Crime (Innovators Series No.
9) Tabatha Yeatts, Denise Sterling, Oliver Pr, 2001
Katherine Roberts, Assistant Professor of
criminology, California State University, Los Angeles
