Comments

I really like how you have pictures on you blood typing page of what we did to give people a general idea. -Hamp Beddoes

You have done well with your blog and have a lot of really good information.
-James Laraia

Crime Scene Investigation

Michael E. Kelly decided one morning to eat out for breakfast. After a mental debate he chose to go to Salt Works II, a decision that he would ultimately regret. As he was driving into the parking lot, Kooladria Jones and Ralph Johnson were waiting for a good car to break in, and since Mike Kelley decided to park away from the mysteriously empty Salt Works II parking lot, the happier the evildoers were. While Mike Kelly was ordering his breakfast, Kooladria and Ralph were secretly breaking into his car. Unfortunately, his wallet was in the car. During the process, the evil duo stole Mike Kelly's money and nearly left until Ralph noticed a diamond ring, an expensive diamond ring. One found only in a showcase lying right on the passenger seat. A happy couple took the ring and Ralph wrote a note stating "I have your diamond ring". The two ran off.
After finishing a refreshing meal of brains and eggs, Mike Kelly went to pay for his breakfast but realized he left his wallet in his car's cupholder. He ran to his car and noticed the windows had been broken. Realizing what had happened, the flustered Mike Kelly called the police first and then went to the cashier. He explained the situation and being such a high valued customer, he was allowed to pay back Salt Works II. However, he waited patiently for the police to come.

Crime Scene Data

My Group was given the following items

1. Exh.: 1a - Male Black Hair (Ralph Johnson)
2. Exh.: 2a - A man's foot print
3. Exh.: 3a - Type A Blood
4. Exh.: 4a - Synthetic Hair (Kooladria Jones
5. Exh.: 5a - "I have your diamond ring" (Ralph Johnson)
6. Exh.: 6a - Ulnar Loop Thumb Print (Mike Kelly)
7. Exh.: 7a - Mike Kelly's wallet

Blood Lab Findings

*Photo Courtesy of Daniel Smith




We students were handed out blood-typing kits to determine how different types of blood reacted with different serums. This kit comprised of simulation AB, A, B, and O blood with simulation antigen A and B serums. My group tested each blood type with both serums and we recorded the results.

AB: Formed precipitate with both antigen-A and antigen-B serums
A: Formed a precipitate with only antigen-A serum, no reaction with antigen-B serum
B: Formed a precipitate with only antigen-B serum, no reaction with antigen-A serum
O: Formed no precipitate with either antigen-A or antigen-B serum

Positive and Negative Blood Types

Positive and Negative blood types are determined whether or not they contain the Rhesus Factor. Positive blood types contain this factor while negative blood types don't. Rh+ blood types contain Rh antibodies in the blood stream while Rh- blood types don't. This is important during a woman's pregnancy for she wants to have the same Rh factor as her baby or else horrible consequences may happen.

Blood Transfusions

In modern day, blood transfusions are needed for those who have been in horrific accidents, suffer from a certain disease, or are going through surgery. Certain types of blood are required for each patient and tests are regularly performed on all imported blood. Viruses such as HIV, Hepatitis, and Malaria that are carried through the blood must not be able to reach the blood stock. Due to strict procedures blood transfusion goes through, wrong blood types hardly occur except in rare cases. If blood is transmitted into a patient but his blood is not compatible with the donated blood, there is a slim chance a life threatening reaction may occur. However, the odds of a blood transfusion gone wrong are in the thousands, but I would like to see that number reach as close to zero as possible.

Major Types of Blood

Blood Type AB : Red blood cells that are covered with A and B antigens on the surface but the blood stream does not carry either A or B antibodies. Are universal recipients but can only donate blood to other AB blood types.

Blood Type A : Red blood cells that contain A antigens on the surface and the blood serum flows with B antibodies. Donate only to type A's and AB's.

Blood Type B : People whose red blood cells are coated with B antigens and whose blood serum contains A antibodies. Donate only to Type B's and AB's.

Blood Type O : Red blood cells (RBC's) that are cloaked only by a cell membrane. However the blood carries both A and B antigens. The universal blood donor but can only receive type O blood.

Fiber Lab Analysis

Complimentary of Lina Lipari

What I think is an acrilan fiber.

Some wool fibers that are characterized not only just the color but animal - like qualities

Cotton fibers.

Rayon fabric.

The other stations there were no pictures but they contained rubber bands and linen. The rubberband was difficult to analyze due to its thickness but I managed to obtain a semi - good look at the band. The linen was similar to the other fibers.

Lab Pictures

Techniques developed to Identify Hairs/Fibers

Hair:

At a crime scene, hairs that are left may be from the head of a young white male, the fur of a lion, the head of an elderly Asian woman, or really any mammal. To identify hairs at a crime scene, the forensic scientist will take the hairs at the scene and will compare it to samples from the attacked to the arrested. At first glance under a microscope, hairs generally resemble their category such as a long blond fine hair is most likely to be head hair of a young Caucasian. Gender can be determined from hair if they have tissue samples.

Hairs vary from race, the type of hair (pubic hair), and the age of the person. The hairs can be coarse, kinky, fine, black, blond, dyed or really any of a number of traits. Hair analysis also can indicate whether or not a person has experimented with narcotics or not. Also, it displays if the hairs have been cut.


Fibers:

The possibilities for fibers are even more vast than those of hairs due to the fact many types of fibers are manufactured for different reasons. Plant fibers, animal fibers, and man-made fibers all possess unique qualities that separate each other. Due to the many types of fibers and even more types of dyes, a fiber strand may not be on only one article of clothing, but the findings will sure eliminate many possibilities the fiber strand could be.

The coarseness of the fibers also indicates what the material is. A coarser fiber is from the carpet while a finer one is from clothing. Through microscopy, forensic scientists absorb the information about the fibers and looks at the string to determine what its identity is. Scientists can easily compare evidence from the crime scene to similar fibers on the suspect. Due to recent technologies, Hair and Fiber Analysis has really been a reliable source of determining guilt or innocence.

History of Hair/Fiber Analysis

The History of Hair and Fiber Analysis did not begin until recently but has been in the arsenal of the prosecution (possibly the defense). The first known use of this technique in the United States was in Georgia during the Leo Frank trial. Frank, a New York Jewish man was convicted of raping "Little" Mary Phagan. Hairs in Frank's office matched in color with those on Phagan's head which was a key victory for the proosecution.

The last 30 year, the advent of hair/fiber analysis has grown in importance. In one situation in a video we watched in Lab class, the fibers of a man's bed were found on rape victims which was the evidence the police needed to arrest him. Through the use of microscopy, forensic scientists may match evidence in a criminal case with other evidence found on the accused. This method is a great one for it is almost impossible for anyone to not leave any hairs or fibers at any one place.

Forgery Practice

While I wasn't able to attend the forgery practice at school, so I instead asked my grandmother to write the same phrase "I have your kids. Bring $1,000,000 by 12 noon or you will never see them again!"

At first I was questioned why I wanted her to write this, so I responded 'to know how to forge your handwriting.' She was complient and commented on how her handwriting was that of a relaxed crook on the run.

My attempt at freehand forgery was awful. Anyone would have known there was a difference between the two samples of writing. The terrible forgery foiled my plans on being a con artist.

The traced forgery was more of a success than the freehand by far. It appears very polished compared to the freehand forgery because you can directly compare the forged passage with the original passage. I still have a long way to go to learn how to forge.

Indicators of Handwriting

A good forensic scientist will analyze every little detail in handwriting which ranges from how the perpetrator dots his i's to the shape and size of the letters. Except for the most experienced of con artists, it is very possible to tell if two signatures or documents were written by the same person or not. The following are indicators of different styles of handwriting.

• Line quality: Do the letters flow or are they written with very intent strokes?
• Spacing of words and letters: What is the average space between words and letters?
• Ratio of height, width, and size of letters: Are the letters consistent in height, width, and size?
• Lifting pen: Does the author lift his or her pen to stop writing a word and start a new word?
• Connecting strokes: How are the capital letters connected to lower-case letters?
• Strokes to begin and end: Where does the letter begin and end on a page?
• Unusual letter formation: Are there any letters written with unusual slants or angles? Are some letters printed rather than written in cursive?
• Pen pressure: How much pen pressure is applied on upward and downward strokes?
• Slant: Do letters slant to the left or right? If slant is pronounced, a protractor may be used to determine the degree.
• Baseline habits: Does the author write on the line or does the writing go above or below the line?
• Fancy writing habits: Are there any unusual curls or loops or unique styles?
• Placement of diacritics: How does the author cross the t’s or dot the i’s?

Handwriting Analysis : Questioned?

While a good way to apprehend a suspect, handwriting analysis is not a full proof way to apprehend the criminal. The number of ways analysis may be skewed are

1. Illnesses, exhaustion, and drugs may manipulate the handwriting of an individual
2. The quality of the handwritten piece must match the handwritten piece being compared in quality
3. Handwriting may change over time

The comparisons made between two handwritten pieces may differ from one analyst to the other leaving debate in a courtroom. Although rare, extraordinarily good con artists may forge documents or statements that look exactly like another's handwriting. While gaining popular support in forensic science, many scientists debate it is not a full proof way to sentence the accused (assuming they are guilty).

A Brief history of Handwriting Analysis

Handwriting analysis is an important tool for the keen forensic scientist and needs this skill to identify crooks in special cases. The roots of handwriting analysis are unclear but one of the first men to historically recognize different people had unique handwriting was Camillo Baldi. He lived in the late 16th century to the early 17th century was a professor at the University of Bologna. He is considered one of the earliest pioneers of graphology.

During the early 20th century, handwriting analysis became an important part in discovering one's true identity in specific criminal cases. One such famous case was the Baby Lindbergh kidnapping which occurred on March 1, 1932. This case was solved when the handwriting on the ransom note for Baby Lindbergh stuck the observer as almost exactly the same as Bruno Hauptmann. For this reason, Hauptmann was convicted and was sentenced to death via the electric chair. This form of forensic science is not the most accurate evidence in a trial for it requires more human involvement than other forensic sciences such as fingerprint analysis.

Patterns of fingerprints

Plain Arch: A fingerprint whose ridges go from left to right but there is a small peak in the middle of the print.

Tented Arch: Same as a Plain Arch, but the peak consists of an upthrusting peak.

Ulnar Loop: A loop in a print whose loop is directed towards the thumb. Directed away from the radius.

Radial Loop: A loop that is pointed in the opposite direction of an unlar loop. Directed towards the radius.

Plain Whorl: Ridges (usually 2 or 3) that form a circular shape around a small circular ridge.

Central Pocket Loop: A plain whorl that has a ridge bisecting it.

Double Loop Whorl: An overall circular motion in ridges. Two opposite loops that form a circular whole.

Composite: A print made up of a variety of types.

Techniques to Reveal and Collect Prints

Powder: This method to reveal fingerprints should only be used on callous and impermeable surfaces such as marble and glass. It is highly advisable to use a powder that is easily recognizable on a surface the print was made. Two representations of this would be to use talcum powder on a dark surface and carbon powder on a light surface. Use a thin brush such as a paint brush and spread the powder on the affected area of the print until a distinctive print can be seen. Then, take a piece of tape, collect the powdered print with the sticky side, and place this print on a opposite colored piece of paper.

Superglue Fuming: A process of revealing fingerprints through the evaporation of super glue. This method may be used for a variety of surfaces such as porous wood to impearmeable glass. The vapor of the super glue sticks to the oils of the fingerprint and exposes it to the naked eye. An overall great method.

Fingerprint Types

Plastic: A print in a malleable material that preserves the impression of the original fingerprint. These types of prints are seen with the naked eye so there is no reason to enhance the fingerprint. Examples are prints in clay, painted surfaces, blood, etc.

Latent: Prints invisible to the naked eye left on non-malleable surfaces. These prints are only detected by the secretion of sweat on the fingertips which leaves a mark on a surface. They are detected by certain techniques such as using powders (chemicals), and apply the use of a source of light to reveal the print. These prints often lack in clarity for they are often smugged, overlapped, and other varieties of manipulation.

Patent: The prints in a dream of any forensic detective. These prints are created by the impression of a finger on a flat surface with a substance on it. An example of this is an ink print because the ink on the print deposits the print on a surface so it is visible to the naked eye.

History of Fingerprint Analysis

The first uses of fingerprinting began in Ancient Babylonia around 1900 b.c. where it was implemented as a replacement for a signature for contracts. Subsequently during the deposition of the Zhou Dynasty, Chinese magistrates impressed their fingerprints into clay seals to finalize legal papers. The Persians during 1400s also employed the use of fingerprints as a signature. A doctor in the Persian Empire realised in his observations no two fingerprints were exactly alike. This official's name is believed to be Khajeh Rashiduddin Fazlollah Hamadani.

During the European Enlightenment, many physicians and anatomists published their works on finger ridges. The first of these men was Marcello Malpighi. He is credited with classifying finger ridges (fingerprints) into 3 categories: loops, spirals, and ridges (arches). A later anatomist by the name of Purkyně published a thesis in 1823 about nine types of finger ridges. The first person to utilize fingerprinting on a large scale was William Herschel, a British Raj administrator. He enforced the use of a palm print in contracts with Native Indians which illustrated the contract as a more binding force with the Indians than a written signature.

Dr. Henry Faulds of the late 1800s to early 1900s is historically the first person to use fingerprinting as a tool to discover whether a convict was innocent or guilty. While in Tokyo, he suggested to police in a robbery investigation to test the fingerprints at the crime scene with the fingerprints of the accused robber. They did not match so the man was set free. He told Scotland Yard about his findings but was disregarded due to his negligence to provide evidence.

The first man to use fingerprinting as an acceptable use as a tool in crime scenes was Edward Henry. As a police chief, he learned about Herschel's techniques while in India and implemented them during his time as the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis. He used them for identification of criminals and soon, his policies spread around the globe.

During the early 20th century, many police forces began adopting the forensic science of fingerprinting and finalized it as a accurate source of identifying criminals. The U.S. Army added this tool as a source of identification in 1905. In 1924, Congress established the identification branch of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. By 1946, the FBI had processed over 100 million fingerprints.

The last century has brought a rapid growth of knowledge to forensic science. Modern-day police forces almost always implement fingerprint testing as a tool in a criminal investigation. Today, if a criminal unintentionally decorates the crime scene with his fingerprints, he will have only a slight glimmer of hope to escape the authority. With the advent of new technologies, a fingerprint can be traced to its origins in a matter of a few seconds.

{http://www.onin.com/fp/fphistory.html}
{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fingerprint#History_and_validity}

Bibliography

http://www.onin.com/fp/fphistory.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fingerprint#History_and_validity
http://www.biology.arizona.edu/Human_Bio/problem_sets/blood_types/Intro.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forensic_science
http://www.tcamb1.com/forensicscience.htm
http://www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/fsc/backissu/july2000/deedric1.htm
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-questioned-document-examination.htm