Evidence:
1C: Hair Sample #1 (Synthetic):
2C: Note, match to Mike Kelly's handwriting:
3C: Hair Sample #2: White Male:
4C: Blood Sample, AB (match to Kooladria Jones)
5C: Earring, fake gold, female:
6C: Shoe, female size 8:
7C: Fingerprint, Ulnar Loop (match to Mike Kelly):
8C: Bag of Potential Illegal Substance (Cocaine):
Scenario:
Kooladiria Jones comes to Mike Kelly for cocaine (Exh. 8C). She enters the deserted warehouse and walks into the back rooms where Mike Kelly has a drug lab set up (in interrogation, Mike Kelly admitted to having a Masters Degree in chemistry). Mike Kelly hands over the drugs (Exh. 8C), however, when Kooladria cannot pay, he pushes her against the wall where she knocks her head against a cabinet (producing Exh. 1C). Kooladria Jones then begins to fight back against Mike Kelly, tearing out some of his hair (Exh. 3C) and also getting her earring torn out in the process (producing exhibits 4C and 5C). Kooladria Jones then proceeds to flee from the scene, leaving behind her shoe (Exh 6C). Later at the crime scene, forensic evidence analysts discovered a leftover beaker with Mike Kelly's fingerprints (Exh. 7C) and the drug lab's motto/title on a scrap of paper (Exh 2C).
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Crime Scene
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Blood Typing: Major Types of Blood
There are four types of blood, based on the ABO system (A, B, AB, and O) and then the Rhesus system classifies them as negative or positive. In the picture, the different blood types as classified by the ABO system are illustrated, including their antigens and antibodies.
Blood Typing: Blood Mixing and Transfusions & Positive and Negative Blood
Have you ever wondered why people bother with blood typing? Or why people who donate blood have to have their type verified first?
Is because blood typing is very important when doctors make transfusions or mix different kinds of bloods. In fact, there is a whole field devoted to taking blood samples and studying them: its called Phlebotomy.
There are several different kinds of blood (A, B, AB, O, positive or negative, etc). They are usually based on two systems, the AbO system (A, B, AB, and O) and the Rh system (positive or negative). The Rh system classifies blood as positive or negative depending on whether or not it contains the RhD antigen. If it does, it is positive, and if it does not, it is negative and likely to make anti-RhD if exposed to the RhD antigen through transfusion. Therefore, when you receive a blood transfusion, the type of blood you receive should match your own blood type. If it doesn't, your immune system may form antibodies and begin attacking the donor blood because it does not recognize it. However, a person with blood type AB can receive from either A, B, or O individuals but can only donate to another person with AB type blood. Someone with blood type A can donate to either an A or AB, but can receive from O (because it does not have any antibodies) and other people with type A blood. Type B blood can be donated to either AB or B and can receive from either B or O. Type O blood can donate to any of the other types (A, B, AB) but can only receive from O.
Blood Typing: Lab Analysis/Comments
Blood Typing Lab:
We did a blood typing lab using simulated blood to learn how to determine the different kinds of blood based on the ABO system. 
Sample #1 (Type A): Blue precipitate formed on the bottom of the slide in little flakes with the Anti-A serum. Nothing happened with the Anti-b serum.
Sample #2 (Type B): Orange precipitate formed when Anti-B serum, nothing happens with Anti-A serum.
Sample #3 (Type AB): Blue precipitate formed in small grains on the bottom of the slide when Anti-A serum was added, and yellow precipitate formed in small flakes when Anti-B serum was added.
Sample #4 (Type O): No change when either serum was added.
Hair and Fiber: A History & Techniques Used to Identify
Hair and Fiber analysis is a field in forensics that has evolved and become key as evidence in trials across the nation. Hair and fiber analysis has played an important role in solving crimes, used in the Leo Rank Trial of 1913 to match the hairs of the victim with the crime scene. Hair analysis was also used in the Trial of Sacco and Vanzetti to match hairs found in a cap to those taken from Sacco. Here are some links to famous criminal cases which involved the use of hair and fiber analysis:
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/SaccoV/s&vaccount.html
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/frank/frankaccount.html
Most comparisons of hair and fiber are done with a microscope, although fibers can be run through a spectrometer (spectroscopic analysis) to determine the unknown material. A forensic scientist will take hairs from the crime scene and samples from the suspects to try and make matches. Samples from the suspects should number about 15-25 strands from different locations so as to get an accurate match.
Hair and Fiber: Pictures/Analysis from Lab & Guesses/Justfication of Findings
Here are a few pictures from the Fiber Identification lab:
Guess: Wool (on high magnification)
Guess: Cotton Fibers (fibers are translucent, the picture is a little dark) 
Guess: Acrilan (red, spindly, thin fibers)
Guess: Viscose Rayon (many thin, black fibers running together in one direction).
OTHER FIBERS:
1. Guess: Rubber Band
------Description: Yellowish-tan, uneven surface with black pits and lines and rough edges.
2. Guess: Linen
------Description: Looks like clear spaghetti, with some multi-colored particles on different strands. Rins in many directions.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Handwriting: A History
Handwriting has a long history, dating back to the beginnings of civilization when the Sumerians wrote on wet clay tablets. Thoughout the years, handwriting has not only become a way of documenting events and transactions, but a symbol of a culture.
Handwriting can be used in forensics as a means of identifying people and forgeries, and has also been used in psychology, called Graphology. Graphology can be used to determine personalities or mental disorders, useful in many feilds.
Specialists can use handwriting analysis in forensics to identify forgeries and ransom notes. Becuase each style of handwriting is distinct, it is very hard to imitate another's handwriting as your own handwriting characteristics will often show through.
Handwriting: Innaccuracies in Analysis
Although handwriting analysis has been proven useful in forensic science, it has many shortcomings that can make its authority in investigations and court questionable. In the past, convincing forgeries have made people question the 'science' of handwriting analysis.
Amongst a very precise science like Forensics, handwriting analysis can appear more speculative than things like fingerprinting, hair and fiber analysis, and DNA analysis. Here are some reasons why handwriting analysis can be proved ineffective in an investigation:
-Handwriting, although hard to imitate, can be copied by a professional. There have been instances in the past where professionals have fooled analysts. Handwriting is not always the only thing forged--- paintings, currency, and government documents like passports have been forged in the past and can be used by criminals to cover their tracks.
-To correctly match handwriting to a person, you need a sample of that persons natural handwriting (called an exemplar). Exemplars can be hard to find, as it is difficult to match capitol letters, cursive, and print.
-Ransom notes can simply be printed from any computer in the world. Printers are now available on a huge (and occasionally public, like libraries and stores) scale.
-A persons handwriting will change with age and physical weakness.
Handwriting: Techniques Used to Identify Handwriting/Forgeries
A forensic scientist will look at the handwriting in question and compare it to the known sample. Here are some things to look for when you're comparing handwriting:
-Where are the i's dotted? Directly above the letter? Is it a dot or a circle? How about the t's?
-How big are the letters? How close are they together? How much space is between words?
-How hard does the writer press the pen/pencil to the paper?
-Is the writing in a straight line? Does the writer tend to gravitate up or down?
-Do the letters flow together or is each letter printed separetly?
-How do the capital letters connect to the lowercase ones?
-Do the individual letters slant one way or another?
-Are there any unusual characteristics about the writer's handwriting? A's, t's, k's, g's, and q's are a few examples of letters that can vary widely from person to person.
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Monday, August 24, 2009
Fingerprints: A History
Fingerprints were first used in ancient Babylon and China as a way for people to 'sign' clay tablets as business transactions. Later on, it was noted that no two fingerprints were alike as the English began using them to create binding contracts in 1856, starting with Sir William Hershel.
Throughout the next 50 years, many studies were published over the use of fingerprints in identifying people, including articles in the Scientific Journal by Dr. Henry Faulds and a book 'Fingerprints' by Sir Francis Galton in 1888.
By 1892, the first criminal identification using fingerprints was made in Argentina. In 1903, the New York State Prison began to systematically collect and file prints in a database. Between 1905 and 1908, The Us Army, Navy, and Marine Corps joined the bandwagon and began to use fingerprinting.
Later on, in 1999, the FBI stopped manually taking fingerprints on paper and instead used computerized AFIS (Automated Fingerprint Identification System) to catalog prints. There are currently hundreds of millions of fingerprints on file.
Fingerprinting remains an effective method of identifying people because, while physical features change, fingerprints do not. No two people have the same fingerprints, and fingerprints can be classified to narrow down the suspects.
Here is one of the comments I posted in response to an ongoing debate (check out the comments for more!) that gives my opinion on the question of whether or not the government should be able to record and file every US Citizen's fingerprints. A good portion of the ficticious case was speculation-- comments are appreciated!
------I agree that fingerprinting and things like retinal scans or DNA tests can be combined to provide more accurate results, but even if a fingerprint has been on a surface for days or weeks, it offers a solid database of suspects and a pool of people to question about the crime scene.
Say, for example, that a CEO is murdered in a hotel lobby. Prints lifted off the letter opener which was used as the murder weapon include those of the hotel manager, three desk receptionists, the janitor, and two unknowns. Becuase the hotel's staff was working in close proximity to the crime scene, they are automatically considered as suspects and questioned. The other two unknowns prove to be a salesman that had checked in last week and a disgruntled employee that had worked under the murdered CEO. The salesman, receptionist, and employees were questioned and they confirmed the murderer's arrival and depature at the hotel surrounding the date of the murder.
Although there were 6 innocent people, by questioning them and having everyone's fingerprints, the invesigators were able to make the connection between the murderer and victim. Forensics is about making connections-- between DNA samples, fingerprints, handwriting, hair, fibers, and much more.
Fingerprints: Types
Direct Fingerprints (also called Visible or Patent): Fingerprints that have come in contact with substance and then left an impression on a smooth surface that are visible to the naked eye.
Latent Prints: Fingerprints, formed from from sweat or oil on your fingers, that are left on a surface. They are not visible to the naked eye, but can me made so by dusting or chemicals.
Plastic Prints (also Impressed): Fingerprints left in a malleable or soft material, like clay, paint, or wax.
Fingerprints: Techniques to Develop Prints on Hard/Porus/Smooth/Nonabsorbent Surfaces & Procedures for Collecting/Lifting Prints
Hard, Smooth, and Nonabsorbent Surfaces(tiles, glass, lacquered/painted wood): Use Carbon or Charcoal powder for light-colored surfaces. Use grayish-white powder for dark surfaces). Fluorescent powder, visible under ultra-violet light, can also be used. The powder will stick to the sweat and oils left behind and leave a visible print that can be lifted.
Soft and Porous Substances (cardboard, paper, cloth): Chemicals are used, such as Iodine, Silver Nitrate, and Ninhydrin. Iodine is used in a fuming process to photograph the prints. Silver Nitrate can be used a last resort when other methods do not work as it renders the other tests ineffective. A 3% solution is dusted on the print and then an ultraviolet light will reveal the prints as reddish-brown. Ninhydrin is made into a .6% solution by dissolving it in ethyl alcohol or acetone and sprayed on the print, causing it to turn dark purple in an hour or two.
Fingerprints: Basic Patterns & Shapes
There are eight basic kinds of fingerprints listed in this picture. The loop is the most common, although most people have many different kinds of prints on different
fingers.
Here are some pictures I took of my own fingerprints:
My left hand.
Right hand, middle finger= Ulnar Loop
Right hand, pointer finger= Ulnar Loop
Left hand, middle finger= Tented Arch
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Bibliography (Includes Picture Sources as Well)
1. http://www.globalsecurity.org/security/systems/images/print-types.jpg (pic)
2. http://www.onin.com/fp/fphistory.html
3. http://www.reachoutmichigan.org/funexperiments/agesubject/lessons/prints.html
4. http://www.usmarshals.gov/usmsforkids/fingerprint_history.htm
5. http://www.handwritingforensics.com/
6. http://odec.ca/projects/2004/fren4j0/public_html/types_prints.htm
7. http://www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/fsc/backissu/july2000/deedric1.htm
8. http://www.keratin.com/aa/aa012.shtml
9. http://www.crimeandclues.com/hair_evidence.htm
10. http://www.castleviewuk.com/Frameless/Forensics/off-site_subjects/hair.htm
11. http://www.sd281.k12.id.us/thornton/papers/Forensics%20of%20Hair%20Analysis.ppt
12. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spectrometer
13. http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/SaccoV/s&vaccount.html
14. http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/frank/frankaccount.html
15. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://schools-wikipedia.org/images/594/59443.png&imgrefurl=http://schools-wikipedia.org/wp/a/ABO_blood_group_system.htm&usg=__1IrZKjst0GAwOgR8tuOMI9t7usg=&h=279&w=400&sz=42&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=rod_iGx23r5ixM:&tbnh=86&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dblood%2Btyping%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1 (Pic)
16. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.carolina.com/images/en_US//local/products/detail/700101_d_bit.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.carolina.com/product/carolina%26%2523153-%2Baborh%2Btyping%2Bsynthetic%2Bblood%2Bkit.do%3Fkeyword%3Dsynthetic%2Bblood%26sortby%3DbestMatches&usg=__pmJz-uqjs79AW75n9mBmn4lLPBI=&h=250&w=250&sz=7&hl=en&start=109&um=1&tbnid=AKkRa7bQSrXspM:&tbnh=111&tbnw=111&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dblood%2Btyping%26ndsp%3D20%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26sa%3DN%26start%3D100%26um%3D1 (pic)
