Reprinted From: Computer Forensics International
In 1911, it was fingerprints. In 1990, it was DNA. "In 2014, its digital evidence that's now playing a lead role at determining the fate of criminal defendants," says Mark McLaughlin of Computer Forensics International. The ability to place someone at the scene of a crime is typically done by eyewitnesses, or
Digital Evidence
through something unique they leave behind like fingerprints or DNA. And when a solid chain of custody is made, it...
Fingerprints give police new clues for solving crime By Rebecca Morelle Science reporter, BBC World Service Article Source and Introductory Video: As darkness falls across the suburbs of Leeds, calls start to flood in to Chris Barley's radio from police HQ. It is prime time for criminal activity, and it is going to be a busy night for West Yorkshire's crime scene investigators too. A break-in has been reported nearby, and the forensic officer gets on his way. When you're gathering evidence at...
Don’t be fooled… some elements of society pay attention to TV news and Cop Shows, and thus the criminal element learns new tricks to prevent detection. Wearing gloves and covering up body hair are two of the most often used preventative measures, but according to Rob Knight, a microbial ecologist, bacteria on the hands may soon be replacing latent prints and DNA.
Speaking at the a conference in Vancouver recently , Knight said that bacteria on your hands leave a "print" on a computer mouse...
Edited by; Don Penven from National News Services
ORLANDO, Fla. –
A novel forensics technique introduced in Casey Anthony's murder trial recently has the promise to do what the noses of highly-trained cadaver dogs are able to do...
sniff out the odor of decomposition and locate hidden bodies.
That technique had never before been used in a criminal case until the trial of the young Florida mother, who is charged with killing her 2-year-old daughter Caylee. It could end up being the most...
Reprinted from Fox News
Jack the Ripper?
A self-described "armchair detective" and a Finnish molecular biologist have claimed to have discovered the identity of the serial killer known as Jack the Ripper, who brutally murdered at least five prostitutes in the East End of London in the autumn of 1888.
A report in the Mail on Sunday names the killer as Aaron Kosminski, a Jewish Polish-born immigrant who lived in the East End and would have been 23 years old at the time of the...
University of Texas at Dallas
Predicting which people will commit murder is extremely difficult, according to a new study by criminologists at The University of Texas at Dallas.
Dr. Alex Piquero, Ashbel Smith Professor of criminology and co-author of the paper, said he and his fellow researchers were motivated by the lack of scientific literature on distinguishing people who will commit homicide from those who will not.
According to the study, the similarities outweigh the differences between...
Reprinted From Fox News
Wheat Field by Vincent Van Gogh
Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh, whose mysterious death by gunshot near Paris in 1890 has long been scrutinized, may have been murdered, a leading forensics expert claims.
The Post-Impressionist artist revealed on his death bed he had shot himself in a wheat field in Auvers on July 27, 1890, just days after placing a large order for paint and other supplies. But Dr. Vincent Di Maio, an expert on gunshot injuries who was a key witness...
Investigation of the violent crime part 2. Develop a viable theory about what happened at the crime scene in order to arrive at a motive.
INVESTIGATION OF THE VIOLENT CRIME (Part 2.)
Dr. Thomas O’Connor
Program Manager of Criminal Justice and Homeland Security
Director, Institute for Global Security Studies
Austin Peay State University
601 College Street
Clarksville, TN 37044
http://www.drtomoconnor.com/3220/3220lect03.htm
Continued from Part 1.
ESTABLISHING THE VICTIM'S...
Television and film have shown us great, albeit far-fetched – and many times ridiculous! – variations on the forensic scientist and detective, over the years.
Lee Lofland--The Graveyard Shift
David Caruso, fiery orange hair ablaze against the blue-tinged Miami background,
slowly takes off his sleek titanium Maui Jim sunglasses, his stone-cold,
magisterial face reminiscent of a life lived with almost too much manliness,
his SUV parked behind him, exploding (for no apparent reason at all)...
A crime scene investigation begins well before the CSI enters a structure, an open field or wooded area. Usually the radio dispatch message is brief and seldom reveals the full nature of the incident. Most often this is done to avoid drawing on-lookers and the media who may be monitoring the dispatch frequency.
By: Don Penven
Approaching the Scene:
The crime scene investigator returns the microphone to its clip and begins the drive to
the latest assignment. A crime scene investigation...
When the victim went online to check the funds-transfer activity in her bank account, she found that it had been cleaned out by cybercrooks to the tune of almost half a million dollars.
By Ellen Messmer - Originally Published at: Digital Forensic News
It started out as an ordinary workday for Michelle Marsico, who runs a business based in Redondo Beach, Calif., handling escrow funds for clients in real estate. But when she went online to check the funds-transfer activity in her commercial bank...
Digital detectives are the newest cadre of specialists in the war against crime, and in-depth training and firsthand experience are basic requirements before the trainee ever touches a computer or smart phone.
By Don Penven
The personal computer (PC) has ushered in a completely new way of living for people worldwide. Every day of the week, hundreds of millions of people spend countless
hours on their PCs, tablets and mobile devices to handle their emails, surfing the Internet, add to or modify...
M-D Dive Team
Most crime scene investigations are conducted using primarily land-based procedures. But the earth’s surface is 70% water, which requires a thorough understanding of underwater investigation techniques for a successful outcome.
Underwater Crime Scene Investigation
By: Don Penven, Technical Support Group
Most crime scene investigations are conducted using primarily land-based procedures. But the earth’s surface is 70% water, which requires a thorough understanding of...
The position of cartridges, cartridge cases, and bullets at the crime scene is just as important to the determination of origin as the position of drops of blood.
From the Journal of Forensic Identification
Vol. 53, No. 4, July/August 2003*
Gregory A. Parkinson
State Attorney's Office
15th Judicial Circuit
Palm Beach County, FL
ATF Bulletin - Automated Firearms-Ballistic-Technology
Background
Today's understanding of crime scene interpretation, combined with long-term experimentation under...
There are a number of benefits to preparing an interview sheet. By writing out key questions in advance, the investigator has the opportunity to think about all of the questions that need to be asked during...
By: Don Penven
For many years, the author has interviewed countless subjects on issues ranging from purse snatching to homicide. Despite these experiences, I could not simply review background information on a case, then walk into a room and conduct an effective interview of the...
