Another name for Forensic Science

AKA Criminalistics

From latin meaning forum- a public place in roman times where senators and other debated judicial matters

anything that can prove or disprove a fact

Example: documents, testimony, blood

Evidence is examined in crime labs

Science of motion, behavior and effect of projectiles like bullets.

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Study of bones to determine age at death, sex of victim and document markings

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"Every contact leaves a trace"

Trace Evidence

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"Law on the books"

Created by legislative acts (government) such as Congress who make LAWS

Based on Constitution

Laws made by judges

Stands by a decision made by a judge (stare decisis)

AKA Case Law

AKA private Law

deals with Relationships between individuals

About Property, contracts, marriage, divorce, wills

Assigns BLAME

Preponderance of evidence needed

AKA Public Law

Enforcement of rights when act is deamed offensive to society

Misdemeaner- minor crime

Felony- major crime

Right's all people have based on the constitution.

Police must tell this to the people they arrest

"May remain silent and right to attorney"

Frye Standard

(Based on Frye vs. US case of 1923)

Dictates what scientific evidence is admissable in court.

Also known as "General Acceptance"

Jury decided evidences authenticity

Daubert Ruling

(Developed after Daubert vs. DOW Pharmaceuticals case in 1993)

Higher standards of admissable evidence  

Expert witness must have testable theories, be peer reviewed, show error analysis

Judge decides if evidence is allowed

Role of Forensic Scientist

1. Collect and Analyze Evidence

2. Be an expert witness in court

3. teach others proper techniques at crime scene

Triad of Forences

1.Law    - is broken

2. Science  -process to collect evidence

3. Medicine   - types of evidence found associated with human body

Material

Evidence that is relevant and significant to a particular case

Hearsay

Testimony by a witness who does not have first hand knowledge. They relay info on what others have heard or seen. Not admissable in court.

Junk Science

Theories based on distorted or flawed hypothesis that are untested. Does NOT follow scientific method

Expert Witness

Someone who specializes in a subject (like anthropology) who presents their expert opinion based  on  their expertise, training and knowledge and evidence analysis. Must have credentials. Did not actually witness crime

Odontology

the study of teeth to identify bodies  and bitemarks

Entomology

The study of insects. In forensics, used to determine time of death based on stages of insect development

Palynology

Study of pollen, spores and dust

Polygraphy

The use of a lie detector test

Pathology

The investigation of sudden, unexplained or violet deaths. They also study disease.