Forensics:

- Use method of science

- Deals with past events: chaotic, start with observations, cannot be repeated
- Application of methods of sciences and social science to the criminal and civil investigations

Coroner System:

Public safety agency

In Ontario, Coroners act determine if inquest is necessary, determine answers to the 5Ws,
collect and analyze information about death to prevent further deaths
Sole jurisdiction in suspicious death investigations

Forensic odontology:

- Use of dentition for individual identification

- Comparisons of bite marks in criminal cases
- Analysis of negligence in dental malpractice cases

Buried remains:

- Decompose slower than remains on the surface

Taphonomy:

- Climatic conditions
- Autopsy procedures before burial
- Body size and age of deceased
- Estimate time of death
- Identify cladenstine graves and deliberate burials
- Identification of deceased

Locards Exchange Principle:

- Every criminal leaves and takes evidence from the crime scene

Geotaphonomy:

- Study of changes in the surrounding environment due to decomposing remains

Rigor Mortis:

- Not permanent

Forensic Serology:

- Urine and blood

- Semen and saliva

Fingerprints:

- Individual characteristic
- With ridge patterns can be classified
 - Remain unchanged
- Friction ridges: contain sweat glands

Forensic Anthropology:

- Identification of remains
- Morphoscopic: sex determination based on different regions of skeleton
- Events before and after death
- Estimate age, sex, cause of death

Toxicology:

- Blood sample taken from heart and peripheral vascular source

Forensic Pathology:

- Examination of dead bodies

- Tissues and organs dissected during autopsies
- Dead and alive

Events:

- Peri mortem: time of death

- Livor mortis: discoloration of body settling of RBC after blood stops circulating

Blood Spatter:

- String method: area of origin

- Blood droplet: angle of impact ~ 90degrees = circular
- Arterial pattern: pressure of pumping oxygenated blood OUT of an injury; bright red
- Pointed end faces direction of travel

Area of convergence:

- Intersection of straight lines through long axis of individual blood stains

Linear blood stain pattern:

- When a knife covered with victims blood is swung; cast off spatter

Amount of spatter:

- Falling on a hard, nonporous surface = less than falling on a soft, porous surface

Expirated blood:

- Diluted blood with air vacuoles

Firearm:

- Blood in muzzle = firearm present during injury

Human blood:
 - More viscous than water
- Less than surface tension of water
- White blood cells best source of DNA

Impact spatter pattern:

- Forward and backward blood

Passive stain:

- Dripping of blood due to gravity

Diameter and pattern of blood:

- Depends on FIND THIS!!!

Phenylcyclidine:

- Originally surgical anesthetic

RAM:

- Data will be destroyed when shutting off computer

Digital crime scene: preservation required

Pre-employment drug screening:

- Urine

Visible Data:

- Accounting records
- Pictures
- Spreadsheets

Chronic alcohol abuse:

- Fatty accumulation of the liver

TLC:

- Not used in digital forensic investigation

Amphetamines:

- Antidepressants

Morphine:

- Abstracted from opium

THC:

- Marijuana
Decaying cadaver:

- Fluid found in vitreous humour

Cyanide:

- Interrupts the ETC

QUIZ 5

Liquids:

- Flash point and fire point

Blow fly larvae:

- Leave corpse at the end of the 3rd stage

- Adult blow flies dont play a significant role in estimation of time of death
- Cannot be linked directly back to remains
- 3rd instar = ferocious eater
- Infestation of living beings myiasis
- Can retain toxins throughout larval and puparial stages

Psychometric tests:

- Cannot be performed by forensic psychiatrists or family physicians

Backdraft:

- Burning after oxygen smoldering

Flash point:

- Temp at which a liquid gives off sufficient vapors to form an ignitable mixture

Conduction:

- Transfer of heat through direct contact

Low explosive:

- Gun powder
- Ammonium nitrate and fuel oil

Class characteristics:

- Writing attributes observed in a group of writers derived from a penmanship style learned

Spoliation:

- Intentional/negligent destruction of evidence

Albert Osborn:

- Field of questioned documents

Sequence of insects:

- Not affected by type of insects invading first

Forensic document examiners:

- Employed by govt agencies and private organizations

Fraudulent writing:

- Tracings
- Normal hand forgeries
- Freehand simulations

Midterm 1

1. Indicator of time of death: rigor mortis, livor mortis, algor mortis

2. Mechanism of death: biochemical and physiological abnormalities
3. T-shaped incision during autopsy: inframammary incision
4. Forensic serology: examination of body fluids
5. Carbon monoxide binds to hemoglobin to disrupt oxygen transport
6. Biotaphonomy: study of remains in regards to their decomposition and destruction