American Academy of Forensic Sciences

Define forensic entomology? Entomology is the highly diverse study of insects and is a subarea of anthropology. The forensic section of entomology deals with application of the the study of how insects relate to criminal matters. In most cases they deal with time of death determinations, location of death, and determining whether the body was moved or not. Bugs eat materials inside of and outside of the body throughout decomposition. A way to use them to determine how long someone has been…

This is the infamous case of Azaria Chamberlain, who passed away on 17 August, 1980. Azaria was an infant who was tragically killed by a dingo on the night of a family camping trip to Uluru. Her parents, Lindy and Michael Chamberlain, reported that she had been taken from their tent by a dingo, but sadly her body was never found. The first inquest (investigation held to find out the cause of a certain death) supported the parents' claim; this was broadcasted live on television - a first for…

The history of the use of forensic science in criminal cases in the United States is well over a century old. With the growth of society, we have become more dependent on the Rules of Law. In response to the public’s outcry to reduce crime, law enforcement agencies have taken measure to minimize crime, and have turned to the scientific community for assistance, for help, and technical support. Today, criminal Investigation revolves around three particular questions: 1. The Who – Which is…

I am interested in the position of Forensic Lab Intern at Pierre’s DCI Forensic Lab. I am a senior student at the University of South Dakota pursuing a degree in Biology and Criminal Justice with the goal of becoming a forensic scientist. The classes that I take are to build my knowledge on lab procedure, biology, and the criminal justice field. Some of the classes I am currently enrolled in are Analytical Chemistry, Human Anatomy, and Human and Animal Osteology. These classes were selected…

Policies, Processes, and Procedures for XYZ Digital Forensics Lab are hereby established. This is a statement of current policies, procedures, rules, and guidelines that govern the facilities and equipment, methods and procedures, and analyst qualifications and training. All personnel are to conform to these provisions. 1. TRAINING DEVELOPMENT It is imperative that individuals assigned to conduct forensic examinations be highly trained with an excellent foundation of knowledge in the area of…

A popular television show, “CSI”, is impacting not only the viewers, but also the criminal justice system. On the show, a crime is investigated, analyzed, and a conviction is made in an hour. While the span of the show may be a few days to a few weeks, in reality some investigations take months, even years, before a conviction. It has created a phenomena known as the “CSI Effect” and is basically exactly what it states. How has this television show, “CSI”, played an impact on the criminal…

“Blood is one of the most significant and frequently encountered types of evidence associated with the Forensic Investigative of death and violent crimes” (James, Kish, and Sutton, 2005 p. 1). A Bloodstain Pattern Analysis is called when bloodstains are found at a violent crime scene. The Bloodstain Pattern Analysis discipline has been in existence for a long time, as early as the late 1800’s. “Bloodstain Pattern Analysis focuses on the analysis of the size, shape, and distribution of…

awful blood. For most of us, the sight of it turns the stomach, but in the court of law, blood can tell a lot more about a crime scene than you might think. Forensic bloodstain pattern analysis (BPA) is the interpretation of bloodstains for the purpose of reconstructing the events that took place in the case of violent crimes.1 Using the sciences of fluid dynamics and trigonometry, BPA examiners form opinions about what did or did not happen by examining elements of the stains such as the size,…

During the course of my 19 years as a police officer, I have had to testify as an expert in court regarding certain evidence involving shooting incidents. I am also certified as a range master for my police department where a large part of my responsibilities consist of understanding how various types of firearms work, the types of ammunition they use, and the mechanics of how the two work together in regards to the impact area they are targeting. One of the things I have yet to deal with in…

According to Brian Carrier, a digital forensic investigation is a special case of a digital investigation where the procedures and techniques that are used will allow the results to be entered into a court of law. According to university lecturer Andrew Jones, there are four underling principles of Digital Forensics. They are as follows: • Principle 1: No action taken by law enforcement agencies, persons employed within those agencies or their agents should change data that may subsequently be…