Forensic Science

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Forensic Science

• James Anderson
• Jennifer Roth
• Sally Millsap

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Rutherford County Sheriffs Department
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Observe the Scene

• Gain control and secure
• Locate or separate witnesses
• Locate physical evidence
• Document everything

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Investigating a Crime ScenePhotography

• Overall shot
• General shot
• Specific shot
• (25 ft. to 1 ft.)
• Macro shot
• (1 in. to 0.03 mm)
• Every picture is included in a photo log.

35 mm camera recommended over digital
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Scene Sketch

• Rough sketch
• Prepared at scene by investigator
• Finished sketch
• Duplicate of rough prepared to scale using
  templates and exact distances
• Scale drawing
• Primarily for courtroom presentation

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Collection of Physical Evidence

• Physical Evidence any tangible article, small
  or large, which tends to prove or disprove a
  point in question.

• Latent fingerprints
• Foot and tire impressions
• Ballistics and firearms
• Entomology

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Brushing latent print with magnetic powder
Footprint ready for casting
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Gun shot victim simulation
Determining estimated time of death using maggots
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Instructor Sgt. Phillip Martin
Left BC3 participants with Sgt. Martin Right -
Developing latent prints using cyano-acrylic
pack.
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Sheriff Truman Jones
BC3 participants with Sheriff Truman Jones
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Murfreesboro Police Department
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Use of Evidence

• Reconstruct crime
• Identify participants
• Confirm or discredit alibi
• Profile suspect
• Send items to ATF, TBI, or FBI

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Evaluation of a Crime SceneOrganized /
Disorganized Scene

• Organized
• Planned event
• Targeted stranger
• Weapon/Evidence absent
• Body hidden

• Disorganized
• Spontaneous offense
• Victim/Location known
• Weapon/Evidence often present
• Body left in view

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Characteristics of Suspect

• Disorganized
• Below average
• Inadequate
• Unskilled
• Minimal interest

• Organized
• Average to above intelligence
• Socially competent
• Skilled work preferred
• Follows crime in news

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Statement Analysis

• Statement from a witness
• I left my house right after breakfast to join my
  friends at the track for the day.I drove back to
  my house, made a few calls, then went out to
  dinner with Stan Thompson.Stan dropped me off at
  my house around 1000. After I changed my
  clothes I left the house to spend the night at my
  cousin Toms. Around midnight we heard fire
  engines and got up to see what was going on.

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Statement Analysis

• Statement from a witness
• I left my house right after breakfast to join my
  friends at the track for the day.I drove back to
  my house, made a few calls, then went out to
  dinner with Stan Thompson.Stan dropped me off at
  my house around 1000. After I changed my
  clothes I left the house to spend the night at my
  cousin Toms. Around midnight we heard fire
  engines and got up to see what was going on.

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Instructor Major Jim Gage
BC3 participants with Major Gage
Sharing about statement analysis
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Areas of Focus in Forensic Science

• Anthropology
• Entomology
• Toxicology
• Serology
• Pathology
• Climatology
• Botany

DNA identification
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Contact Information

• Rutherford County Sheriffs Department
• - Sgt. Phillip Martin
• (615) -898-7770
• Murfreesboro Police Department Major Jim Gage
• (615) 893-2717

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Contact Information

• James Anderson LaVergne High School
• andersonj_at_rcs.k12.tn.us
• Jennifer Roth Central Middle School
• rothj_at_rcs.k12.tn.us
• Sally Millsap Blackman High School
• millsaps_at_rcs.k12.tn.us

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Forensic Science

• James Anderson
• Jennifer Roth
• Sally Millsap

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Lesson One
Physics I 11th/12th gradeUnderstanding Vector
ApplicationThrough Blood Spatter Analysis

• 1.2 Analyze and apply Newtons three laws of
  motion
• 1.4 Investigate kinematics and dynamics

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Why is blood spatter analysis helpful to law
enforcement?

• When drops of blood fly everywhere, they obey
  normal laws of physics.
• They move through parabolic arcs before striking
  a solid object.
• Since blood is quite viscous, it forms clearly
  shaped drops on surfaces it reaches.

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Setup

• Lab stations will be set up with different
  spatter collections

• Students will break into groups and be given
  materials related to the lab.

Measuring splatter pattern
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Results

• Students will measure droplets and calculate
  point of origin

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Evaluation

• Students will be demonstrating how kinematic
  theories can be applied.
• Students need to accurately predict the origin
  location

Origin
Blood splatter calculations completed
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Links

• Mathematical Journeys Analysis Lab
• Blood Spatter Interpretation
• Mrs. Demumbreum Blood Spatter Lab
• Ward's Blood Spatter Analysis
• Extensive Links to Further Forensic Sources

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Lesson Two

• State Objectives for 8th grade
• Diversity and adaptation among living things
• 8.5.2 Identify characteristics used by
  scientists to classify organisms into different
  categories.
• A. Infer the relatedness of different organisms
  using a system of classification.
• B. Compare different organisms according to
  similarities and differences in their structures
  and function.

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Classifying Flies and Beetles

• Classification- the arrangement of organisms into
  orderly groups based on their similarities.
• Classify the Blowfly, from Kingdom to Species.
• Classify the Pine Beetle from Kingdom to Species.

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Comparing Flies to Beetles

• Tell the differences between the Blowfly and the
  Pine Beetle.
• Compare the life cycles of each insect.

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Why Identify Flies and Beetles at a Crime Scene?

• Bugs are predictable.
• Certain bugs come in at certain times.
• Most flies lay eggs in the daytime.
• These samples will be used to help in identifying
  the approximate time of death.

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Setup

• Divide students into teams and provide materials.
• Try to have posters of the life cycles, and if
  possible have samples of the insect at each stage
  of development.

Beetle life cycle
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The Fly
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Evaluation

• Students can be assigned a research project on a
  insect of their choosing and then compare
  contrast their findings to the fly or beetle.
• Students can be tested on what Kingdom, Phylum,
  or Species their insect is in.

Maggots are useful in estimating time of death.
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LINKS

• Patton High School Forensic Science
• American Board of Forensic Entomology
• Entomologist and Criminalist - M. Bencke
• Forensic Entomology
• Forensic Entomology Page International

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Lesson Three

• Chemistry I state course description
• Students study should include both qualitative
  and quantitative descriptions of matter and
  changes that matter undergo.

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The Importance of Qualitative Data in Suspect
Identification

• Data (Information) is split into two categories
• Quantitative - observations that are recorded as
  numbers, often measurements
• Qualitative data observations about the nature
  of something, recorded without using numbers

Microscope for physical evidence
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Application

• Crime scene investigators and detectives must be
  very observant of physical evidence at a crime
  scene.

Citizens need to be observant to assist law
enforcement at a crime scene.
Crime scene tape protects physical evidence.
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Setup

• During the lesson on qualitative and quantitative
  data, the School Resource Officer simulates a
  robbery of the teacher to show the importance of
  (observation) qualitative data.

Cameras provide qualitative data
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Results

• Students will be given a index card to write down
  everything they remember about the suspect.
• Students will also be given a suspect
  identification form.

Witnesses provide information for suspect sketches
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Could you complete this form?
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Evaluation

• Class discussion on the differences and
  similarities in the qualitative data observed in
  the robbery.
• School Resource Officer shares strategies for
  observation at crime scene for store clerks and
  bank tellers.

SRO Mark Meshotto Blackman High School
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Links

• Tennessee Forensic Science Links
• C.S.I. on Television
• Crime Scene Investigation

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Thank You

• Sgt. Phillip Martin
• Major Jim Gage
• Nancy Stewart
• Rebecca and Jennings Jones Foundation
• Tennessee Mathematics, Science, and Technology
  Education Center
• Business Education Partnership
• Rutherford County Schools

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Forensic Science

• James Anderson
• Jennifer Roth
• Sally Millsap