FSC1005S
Applied Methods of Crime Scene Investigation: The Real CSI
Instructor: Shelby Scott
HISTORY OF FORENSIC SCIENCE AND
C R I M E S C E N E I N V E S T I G AT I O N
R O O T S O F C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N
• Forensic science as a relatively
new career field
• Traced to approximately 1248
• China:
• Interdisciplinary nature of forensic
science and crime scene
investigation
• Pioneers in other fields relevant
to development of crime scene
investigation
Source: information.dk
R O O T S O F C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N
• ‘Kin policing’ in early clan life
• All clan members were responsible for
determining sanctions to impose on violators
• Absolute
• ‘Among ancient Hebrews, law enforcement
responsibility of kings, high priests, and elders
• Individuals appointed to apprehend and punish
• Continued into Roman rule
Source: crotos.com
R O O T S O F C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N
• Ancient Babylon
• Codified laws into ‘Laws of Hammurabi’
• Approximately 1700’s B.C.
• One of the earliest and most complete written
legal codes
• Foundation for establishment of a judicial system
• Early example of
Source: history.com
R O O T S O F C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N
• 5th century B.C., Romans adopted first
written laws
• Twelve Tables (‘ ’)
• Rights and responsibilities of the Roman citizen
• Legal procedures
• Property ownership, building codes
• Punishment for crimes
• Police officials called Quaestorees Parricidi
• Through conquest of Mediterranean, Romans
influenced law systems of Western Europe
Source:
museodelprado.es
R O O T S O F C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N
• From collapse of Roman Empire through
early Middle Ages, formal law enforcement
essentially non-existent as tools for social
control
• Individual offenses punished through:
• Trial by ordeal
• Trial by combat
• Court of the Star Chamber
Source: ksnt.com
R O O T S O F C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N
• 13th century, emerging EU powers developed
structured law enforcement systems
• Classification of crimes
• English defined the legal age of reason
Source: rmwraps.com
R O O T S O F C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N
• 13th century, emerging EU powers developed
structured law enforcement systems
• Enforcement methods:
• Hue-and-cry system
• Watch-and-ward system
• Office of Sheriff
Source: rmwraps.com
H I S T O R Y O F C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N
POLICING
• 1750: Henry Fielding established the Bow Street
Runners in London, England
• “Thief takers”
• First professional police force
• Practices developed still in use:
• 1829: Metropolitan Police of London
• 1842: Investigative unit was founded
Source: heartoflondonbid.london
H I S T O R Y O F C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N
POLICING
• 1810: French Sûreté
• Founded by Eugène François Vidocq
• Only criminals can fight crime
• Believed in obtaining intimate criminal
knowledge
• Planted undercover investigators in prisons
• Preventative role
Source: smcp.com
H I S T O R Y O F C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N
POLICING
• North America saw benefit of formal, uniformed
police presence
• 1834:
• 1838:
• 1840:
• Canadian legal traditions overall can be traced earlier
• Provincial police forces in rural Eastern Canada (1867)
• 1873: Expansion into North and West
• North-West Mounted Police
Source: grunge.com
H I S T O R Y O F C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N
CRIMINOLOGY VERSUS CRIMINALISTICS
• Criminology • Criminalistics
Source: thenewsminute.com Source: saintleto.edu
H I S T O R Y O F C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N
PHILOSOPHIES IN CRIMINOLOGY
• Atavism • Positivism
• Criminals born to commit crimes due to • Criminals exist because crime is the
biological deviance product of social causes
• Cesare Lombroso (1835 – 1909) • Alexandre Lacassagne (1843 – 1924)
H I S T O R Y O F C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N
IM PA C T O F C R IMI NO L OG Y O N C R IMI NA L I S TI CS
• How do these philosophies relate to
criminalistics?
• Influenced others to generate
systems/methods
• From forensic perspective, role of
Lombroso and Lacassagne in history:
• Influence first forensic scientists
Source: history.com
H I S T O R Y O F C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N
IM PA C T O F C R IMI NO L OG Y O N C R IMI NA L I S TI CS
• Alphonse Bertillon (1853 – 1914)
• Followed Lombroso, but different in approach
• Lombroso:
• Bertillon:
• Systematic approach to criminal identification through 11 measurements of the body
• Anthropometry
• Officially implemented in 1883 (‘Bertillonage method’)
• Widely accepted until 1920’s
• Problematic
H I S T O R Y O F C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N
IM PA C T O F C R IMI NO L OG Y O N C R IMI NA L I S TI CS
• Edmond Locard (1877 – 1966)
• Another key player in the history of crime scene investigation
• Also impacted by criminology and the philosophies therein
• Lacassagne was his predecessor
• Encouraged him to study law alongside medical work
• Developed methodology for examining:
H I S T O R Y O F C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N
IM PA C T O F C R IMI NO L OG Y O N C R IMI NA L I S TI CS
• Late 1800’s and early 1900’s: contributions to forms of classification and identification
• 1883: Alphonse Bertillon
• 1892: Sir Francis Galton
• 1898: Paul Jesrich
• 1901: Karl Landsteiner
• Advances impacted by field and pioneers of criminology
• Formed basis for criminalistics
H I S T O R Y O F C R I M I N A L I N V E S T I G AT I O N
IM PA C T O F C R IMI NO L OG Y O N C R IMI NA L I S TI CS
• Hans Gross (1847 – 1915)
• Professor of criminal law
• Recognized role of science in
determining legal outcomes
• Published the ‘Handbook for Examining
Magistrates as a System of Criminology’
• Coined the term:
Source: columbuscountylaw.com
I M P O R TA N T F I G U R E S
IN THE HISTORY OF FORENSICS AND CSI
• Alphonse Bertillon (1853 – 1914)
• Hans Gross (1847 – 1915)
• Sir Edward Richard Henry (1850 – 1931)
• Edmond Locard (1977 – 1966)
• Henry T.F. Rhodes (1893 – 1969)
• Paul Kirk (1902 – 1970)
• Sir Alec Jeffreys (1950 – present)
Source: independent.co.uk
I M P O R TA N T F I G U R E S
IN THE HISTORY OF FORENSICS AND CSI
• Sir Edward Richard Henry (1850 – 1931)
• Metropolitan Police Force
• ‘Classification and Use of Fingerprints’ (1990)
• Henry Classification System
• Fingerprint patterns to classify prints
Source: wgtvnews.org
I M P O R TA N T F I G U R E S
IN THE HISTORY OF FORENSICS AND CSI
• Edmond Locard (1877 – 1966)
• 1910: began using attic above law rooms to perform work
• Interest in
• 1912: assisted police in solving the Marie Latelle case
• Formal recognition of the Locardian laboratory
• Locard’s Exchange Principle (1920):
“When any two objects come into contact, there is always
a transference of material from each object onto another”
I M P O R TA N T F I G U R E S
IN THE HISTORY OF FORENSICS AND CSI
• Henry T.F. Rhodes (1893 – 1969)
• Use of the scientific method for
crime scene investigation
• “The process of crime scene
investigation is scientific”
• Published ‘Clues and Crime’ (1933)
• Stated that the objective of crime
scene investigation was to determine:
Source: nu.edu
I M P O R TA N T F I G U R E S
IN THE HISTORY OF FORENSICS AND CSI
• Recall, the scientific method as:
• Systematic method to ensure scientific
integrity:
1. Formulate a question
2. Generate a hypothesis
3. Collect data by observing and
experimenting
4. Interpret data
5. Draw conclusions
Source: istockphoto.com
I M P O R TA N T F I G U R E S
IN THE HISTORY OF FORENSICS AND CSI
• Paul Kirk (1902 – 1970)
• Founder of American criminalistics
• Published ‘Crime Investigation’ (1953)
• Analyzed evidence in the Sam Sheppard case
(1955)
• Physical evidence always present at crime scenes
• Illustrated importance of recognizing evidence
Source: port.ac.uk
I M P O R TA N T F I G U R E S
IN THE HISTORY OF FORENSICS AND CSI
• Sir Alec Jeffreys (1950 – present)
• British geneticist
• 1980’s: individual identification can
be made based on DNA
• Paved way for current techniques
of DNA analysis
Source: bbc.co.uk
DEVELOPMENT OF FORENSIC LABS
IN CANADA
• Recall Locard established first dedicated forensic laboratory in early 1900’s in
France
• In Canada:
• Montreal: Laboratoire de Sciences Judiciaires et de Médicine Légale (1914)
• Dr. Wilfrid Derome
• Following the Locard model
• First established in Canada, third established in the world
• Toronto: Laboratory of the Attorney General in Ontario (1932)
• Dr. Edgar Frankish
• Renamed Centre of Forensic Sciences in 1966
DEVELOPMENT OF FORENSIC LABS
THE CRIME LAB
• Scientists are civilians (specialists or
technologists)
• Analyze evidence
• Testify in Court
• Full-service laboratory includes:
Source: thestar.com
DEVELOPMENT OF FORENSIC LABS
THE CRIME LAB
• Operate under established protocols and
guidelines
• Ensures integrity of scientific analyses
• Laboratories may become accredited (legally
recognized)
• American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors
• Uphold quality assurance and quality control
• Requires extensive reviews and examinations
• Credentials of personnel
• Administrative practices
• Use of evidence controls
• Type of examination methods Source: cfsgov.ca
