Police Presentation Flashcards
Define “forensic” and “forensic science
forensic: belonging to the courts of justice
forensic science: application of scientific knowlwdge to the purpose of the law
Expert vs opinion
expert includes the supreme court of canada and provides a ready-made inference which the court, due to the scientific or technical nature of the facts, are unable to formulate.
opinion means any inference from observed facts
What are the two basic sections players are “broken down” into?
1) investigators at the scene (police and coroners)
2) investigators and groups who act on the evidence that was collected at the scene (forensic pathologist, court, medical experts etc.)
What is a coroner?
quasi-judicial investigator, independent from the police.
Where do coroners get their authority from?
the Coroners Act, a piece of provincial legislation
What is the role of the coroner?
Determines the identity of the deceased and the cause of death.
In charge of classifying death (natural, accidental, homicidal etc)
What is one of the most important purposes of a coroner?
identify risk factors to prevent future deaths
What does the coroner NOT do?
assign guilt or blame. They conduct a fact-fidning investigation. They do not necessarily have any medical training
How does a coroner learn of a death?
people who know of a death must report to a peace officer who will relay the info or to the coroner directly
What 6 things may a coroner do to investigate?
1) take possession of the body
2) examine the body
3) enter and inspect, any time or place (this includes body location present, where found, and where live person was perimortem)
4) enter/inspect a cemetery or other place where body have been chillin to look at the other body parts
5) take charge of any wreckage of a structure, vehicle, device etc
6) require a person to attend before the coroner and provide info
Three possible outcomes of a coroner’s involvement
1) natural death (medical death certificate remains with physician)
2) coroner’s investigation (a report is written, the facts as determined by the investigation are released in a report
3) coroner’s inquest (proceedings from formal court to review the circumstances of death)
A inquest is held if the coroner determines what would be beneficial?
1) addressing community concerns about a death
2) assisting in finding information about the deceased or circumstances around a death
3) drawing attention to a cause of death if such awareness can prevent future deaths
W/o medical training, how does a coroner investigate aspects that require such knowledge?
Can issue warrants
They may authorize a medical practitioner or any other qualified persons
What would this inquired person do?
a) a post-mortem examination, with or without dissection of the body
b) an analysis of the blood, urine or contents of the stomach and intestines
c) any other examination or analysis the coroner deems neccesary
What are pathologists?
specialists in the the medical field in areas including anatomical pathology, medical biochemistry etc
What does the hospital pathologist do usually and for what kind of deaths usually?
visual or full autopsy
usually done in cases where there is a belief that the cause of death is not due to a criminal act
If there is reasonable belief that there is foul play involved, who conducts the autopsy?
forensic pathologist
If specialized toxicology is required by a hospital pathologist, who does the work?
Provincial Toxicology centre
What is a forensic pathologist in Canada?
trained to investigate the death itself from a medical and legal perspective
Difference between Canadian and UD training for forensic pathologists?
1 extra year (total of 5 yeard M.D) in Canada vs. 2 years extra (totaly of 6 M.D.) in U.S.
What do they learn in that extra year?
1) perform legit medicolegal autopsies to gather facts of death
2) multidisiplinary approach and recognize proper role
3) be a proper witness in the court of law
What happens to human remains?
the coroner is responisble for the removal of the body and transpot to funeral home/morgue. This is if the body is deemed no onger required for investigation
What does the ‘busy group’ in regards to police officers do?
first on the scene. They estabalish a perimeter, protect the evidence, work alongside fire/ambulance, and locate suspect (arrest and caution). ALso determine other officers that are needed
Why must they perform proper as first to the scene
because a mistake here can destroy the validity of the evidence in the court room
What do detectives do?
conduct preliminary investigation, take charge of suspects and witnesses, and work with FIS to develop the Forensic Science questions
What do detectives need to do along thr way to the crime scene>
1) obtain warrants
2) preapare report for Crown counsel setting out the case
3) disclose all evidence to defense counsel
4) ensure that their witnesses attend court
What do crime scene investogators (IDENT or FIS) do?
generally takes charge of the scene itself and excludes everyone else from it. haystck metaphor
What does the forensic assesement Centre do?
determines what will be accepted by the lab in what order it will be examined by different sections
What are some Biology services and what do they do?
biological evidence recovery, DNA analysis and reporting
they report DNA comparisons and enter DNA into crime scene index of the National DNA bank
What are some toxicology services and what do they do?
1) detection of drugs and/or poison (cause of death)
2) unterpretation of the findings in terms of physiological and behavioral effects (“I was high and dont remember anything”, estabalishng intoxicated behavior)
3) provides training, technical and scientific support to impaired driving investigations (alcohol breathe test, drug recognition expert program)
what is the imprtance of trace evidence and explosives?
recoveringm identifying and comparing non-biological trace evidence.
they try and match seized material to the trace material
Firearm identifications?
whether a bullet was loaded and fired from a certain gun, make of the friearm from the ullet/catridge, LSO DETERMINING MUZZLE DISTANCE FROM THE TARGET
toolmark identification
determining whether a tool mark impression was made by a given tool,
determining the type of tool which may have created a mark if no tool was recovered
Anti-counterfeiting bureau two areas of expertise?
counterfeits and documents
What do integrated forensic identification services do?
the one group working out of the crime lab that attends crime scene.
specialized in blood batter analysis, disaster vicim identification, an CBRNE response examination. Also fingerprint identification access system
Definition of “expert”
provide the judge and jury with a ready-made inference which the judge and jury, due to the scientific or technical nature of the facts, are unable to formulate
Forensic entomology
study of the insects on a corpse to determine elapsed time sine death. Also if the body was disturbed or moved
Two major ways in determining elapsed time since death using bugs
1) using successional waves of insects
2) using maggot age and development
Forensic anthropology
application of the science of physical or biological anthroplogy to legal process.
what are some questions for the forensic anth?
human or not?
antemortem damage?
perimortem damage?
postmortem damage?
Forensic odontology
identification of human remains where no other method may be possible. bite marks too
What will the crown require?
the crown must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt
what will defense require?
they need full disclosure, need the info that may not be favorable to the crown case
What is the court know as?
“Trier of Fact”
