Roots of Forensic Science Flashcards
T or F: Forensic science is a relatively new career
True
When was Forensic science first traced to?
1248 (China)
- believed that post-mortem death could give information about how the death occurred.
What was Kin policing referred to as?
“Early clan life”
What was Kin policing?
All people were responsible for determining sanctions, and imposing violations that were absolute.
Who was responsible for punishing and apprehending criminals?
Kings, and Queens were appointed to punish and apprehend.
What type of punishment was kin policing organized into?
Serious offences: banishment and death
Vs. Less serious offences: corporal punishment, and property transfer.
- All criminals were branded/marked
When was the “Laws of Hammurabi” proposed?
Anceient Babylon (aprox 1700 BC)
- One of the earliest and most complete written legal codes
How many rules did the Law of Hammurabi have?
282 rules, that were carried out by messengers.
T or F: The Romans adapted the first written laws
True
Who proposed the “12 Tables”
The Romans (3-5th century BC)
What did the 12 tables say/depict?
- Rights/responsibilities
- Legal procedures
- Property ownership
- Punishment of crimes
“Quatores paradici” is a modern translation for what?
Police
Who was considered the first modern detective?
The Quastores paradici
The collapse of the Roman empire led to what?
Non-existent law enforcement as tools of social control
Within 3-5th century BC how were individuals tried?
- Trial by ordeal
- Trial by combat
- Trial by star chamber
T or F: 13th century EU powers developed structure of law
True
What were the two enforcement methods within the 13th century?
Hue and cry, and Watch/Ward
Hue and Cry:
Vocal cries alerted neighbours
Watch and Ward:
Guarding the city/village at night.
- apprehended suspicious persons
- A modern night watch
Who established the Bow street runners?
Henry Fielding (1750)
What were the Bow street runners?
“Thief runners”
- Initially tasked with robbery charges
- Only accepted a case if people could pay fees.
What was the first formal police force?
Bow Street runners
When was the first formal detective established?
1810, French Surete
Who established the French Surete?
Eugene Francois Vidoq
What did Francois believe?
- Only criminals can fight crime
- Obtaining information from criminals (habits/methods), and sending police officers undercover (prison).
T or F: Canada saw benefit in a formal police force
True
- traced earlier than the 1600’s
When did the Canadian provincial police become rural?
1867
When did the expansion of the North-west mounted police occur?
1873
What is the difference between Criminology and Criminalistics?
Criminology: Study of criminals within society
- The exploration of criminals and their treatment
Vs. Criminalistics: Study of evidence within a crime - Known as Forensic science
What are the two philosophies in forensics?
Atavism, and Positivism
What are the two philosophies in forensics?
Atavism, and Positivism
Atavism:
Criminals are born to commit crime, it is biological deviance
Who proposed atavism?
Caesar Lombroso
Who was “the father of modern criminology”?
Cesear Lombroso
Positivism:
Criminals exist since crime is a part of social causes
Who believed in positivism?
Alex Lacassagne
Who was the “father of forensic science”?
Alex Lacassagne
Alphonso Bertillion
Proposed 11 measurements of the body (Anthropometry)
- “Bertillion method” implemented (1883)
- Widely accepted until (1920’s)
- Foundation for the “mug shots”
Edmond Locard
Developed methodology of “cause of death”, and its association with evidence.
Who was “the father of modern criminal investigation”?
Henry Gross
Henry Gross:
Recognized the role of science in determining legal matters.
- Wanted legal professionals to understand forensics
- Unified law and science
- Coined the term “criminalistics”
Sir Edward Henry:
Introduced the Metropolitan police force
- Classification and use of “finger prints”
- Formalized ideas of Galton
- His systems included classified prints (Loop, Whirl, Arch).
Who began to use an attic above a police department?
Locard, he established the first formal lab (France).
Locard was specifically interested in what?
Microscopic evidence, particularly dust.
Locard was specifically interested in what?
Microscopic evidence, particularly dust.
What was Locard’s exchange principle
“When two objects come into contact there is always a transference of each object onto another”.
Henry Rhodes:
Used the scientific method for crime scene investigation.
What did Rhodes propose about crime scene investigation?
Stated the objective of crime scene investigation was to determine . . .
1. How the crime occurred
2. Order of events
Who was the founder of American Criminalists?
Paul Kirk
Paul Kirk:
Analyzed evidence of the “Sam Shepard” case
- Stated physical evidence is always at a crime scene, and it is only compromised due to human error.
Sir Alec Jeffrey’s:
British geneticist
- 1980’s believed that individual I.D can be determined through DNA (concept of genetic fingerprint)
Who paved the way for current techniques used in DNA analysis?
Sir Alec Jeffrey’s
