1. Introduction Flashcards
What does Forensic Medicine focus on?
The body (living or dead)
What does Forensic science focus on?
A variety of specialties including
-DNA
-Drugs
-Ballistics
-Documents
-Physical evidence
-Fingerprinting
Give the murder rate of UK vs Columbia
UK: 1.23 per 100,000 pa
Columbia: 33 per 100,000 pa
What should we consider when thinking about evidence?
-Interpretation (found at crime scene, physical objects or measurements)
-Reliability (How it can be trusted, and to what extent)
-What can/can’t be deduced
Give the procedures in a case (in English based system)
-Evidence is provided from experts, witnesses, police
-Prosecution vs Defence
-Verdict is reached, given by judge, jury.
What is presumption of innocence?
-Innocent until proven guilty
-Prosecution has to prove guilt
-Defence does not have to prove innocence
What is reasonable doubt?
If any reasonable uncertainty remains based on the evidence, the defendant must be acquitted, as the prosecution has failed to meet its burden of proving guilt “beyond a reasonable doubt.”
What must be demonstrated in a court case to convict defendant
-Actus Reus (Criminal action was committed)
-Mens Rea (intention to commit the criminal action)
Give a limitation in forensic science with regards to actus reus and mens rea?
-It Is easy to establish actus reus, with a guilty action being supported by evidence from a crime scene
-However it is hard to establish mens rea, as we cannot directly observe one’s thoughts
What does “Actus non facit rum nisi mens sit rea” mean?
The act does not make a person guilty unless the mind is also guilty
What is forensic science?
The application of science to criminal justice, involving analysis of physical, chemical and biological evidence.
What can forensic science be used to do?
-Reconstruct past sequence of events
-Link a suspect to a crime scene
Outside of the criminal justice system, what may forensic sciences be used for?
-Art
-Archaeology
-Sport
-International politics
-Disaster
Who is the founder of forensic science?
Edmond Locard
What are the key aspects that Locard’s Exchange Principle suggests?
-“Every contact leaves a trace”
-“Only human failure to find it, study and understand it, can diminish its value”
Where was the first forensic laboratory set up?
Lyon, France by Locard
Give some units that may be found in a a forensic science laboratory
-Voiceprint
-DNA lab
-Firearms
-Documents
-Photography
-Psychiatric profiling
-Toxicology
Describe what the physical science unit of a forensic science lab would handle?
-Chemical and Physical analysis
-eg Chemical tests, spectroscopy, microscopy, drugs, material fragments, explosives
Describe what the toxicology unit of a forensic science lab would handle?
Drugs and poisons in body fluids and organs
What is voiceprint analysis?
Proving that a voice belongs to a certain person
What is psychiatric profiling?
What can we tell about the criminal from the way they commit the crime?
What is forensic anthropology?
Analysis of skeletal remains
What is forensic odontology?
Using teeth to identify victim remains or criminals
What is identification in forensics?
Determines the general nature or class of evidence (e.g., identifying a substance as blood or a tool as a hammer).
What is individualisation?
Links evidence to a specific source with high certainty (e.g., matching a fingerprint to a specific person or a tire tread to a specific vehicle).
What is reconstruction in forensics?
-The process of using physical evidence, witness statements, and scientific analysis to recreate the events of a crime.
-Focus is understanding the facts and creating a theory
What is reenactment in forensics
-Recreating the events of a crime or incident to test hypotheses, validate evidence, or demonstrate how something occurred. It often uses simulations, models, or actors to replicate conditions and actions.
-Focus is visually explaining or demonstrating the sequence of events
