Crime Scene Investigation Project
In biology, our first project was the Crime Scene Investigation Project. This project began with our teacher, Colleen, introducing us to forensic science. We learned about exoneration and how DNA affected our justice system. The whole class was split up into 3 big crime scene groups. In each of those groups we paired up with random partner. We analyzed our crime scene and wrote a total of 4 evidence reports for each person. For example, the reports I wrote were about toxicology, trajectory of a bullet, iodine fuming, and the nucleic DNA.
Skeletal remains are the remains of the vicim of the crime and we can determine a lot from just the bones. We can calculate the height of the victim, gender and approximately how long the body has been dead for. Mitochondrial DNA is the process of analyzing hair and/or teeth. This can help us with narrowing down the amount of victims in our crime scene which is very helpful. Blood evidence is how we identify our suspects and victims. For example we can type blood that has been around the crime scene and match it up with people that have the same kind of blood. This can help us find out the suspect of the crime. The last thing we had to write about was the Coroner's Report. This report was basically everything we have analyzed and learned from the body. It is how we record our data.
Forensic anthropology was probably the most interesting area to research and discover. It was interesting to see how much you could calculate just from the remains of the body. I really enjoyed writing about this, along with doing the actual procedure on the crime scene. I honestly thing though that there was too much writing in this project. It is more writing than we have done in humanities this year, and it was a bit overwhelming for a lot of us. I got a lot out of this project but I think that we could've learned all of this in a different way. I think I did really well on the labs and I studied very hard for the blood typing quiz in this class. I wish my effort I put into studying for the quizzes would reflect in my grade. I got a bad grade on it and am very upset by this.
Evidence Report 1
Luke Stetler
Crime Scene: #1
Evidence being examined: Bullet hole
Forensic science used: Trajectory of a bullet
Summary of the science:
The first time that a time a gun was able to be identified was nearly 160 years ago. This means that they are able to match the grooves on the bullet to the grooves on the inside of the gun. It was thought that they could use this skill for historians to help identify when a certain gun was made. It turns out that it was also very useful to help investigators in a crime scene to find out what gun shot a bullet that killed a victim. This was very helpful to investigators because they could now know what gun they were looking for before they get to a suspect's house or search the crime scene a little bit further.
Firearm investigation is the science that is used in the examination of shootings and other subjects alike. Closely related to ballistics, this science is used to find the trajectory of a bullet or some other flying object. This means that they examine the flight path of a bullet from when it leaves the firearm to when it hits the target. When a crime scene is thought to be a shooting the investigators collect items such as firearms, bullet shells, live ammunition, cartridge cases, bullets, trace materials, (such as glass, paint chips, shoeprints, gunshot residue, explosive residue, plant fibers, mineral fibers, Etc.) and any other item that may have have been damaged by the bullet.
The study of firearms is divided into 3 different studies, internal, external and terminal ballistics. The study of the internal ballistics is the processes inside the gun, including the time between when the trigger was pulled and when the bullet exited the gun. After that, external ballistics studies the bullet’s flight path between the bullet leaving the barrel of the gun and it striking its target. Finally, terminal ballistics, also known as impact ballistics, studies the projectile/bullet striking the target.
When studying the trajectory of a bullet there are many steps involved. First have to locate the entrance wound. Then carefully insert a laser pointer into the entrance wound. Move the pointer around until it exits at the exit wound. Then look at the laser pointer on the wall, then document what you see and what you think it is telling you. Next insert a wooden dowel in the entrance wound and exit the exit wound. All of these steps should give investigators a good idea of where the gun was positioned at the time of the shooting. You could also use the blood splatter analysis to determine the angle of impact.
Since the first time this science was used in the 1900’s there have been many advancements in the study of forensic technology of studying firearms. In the early 2000’s there was a program implemented into law enforcement called The Integrated Ballistic Identification System. This system saves the images of bullets and cartridge cases so that they don’t have to get a new picture every time there is a gun involved in a crime scene.
After analyzing the trajectory of the bullet, the evidence suggested that the bullet could have been shot from the victims hand. The bullet also could have been shot be someone standing very close to the victim. It looks like the victim passed out on the table and someone came in and shot him. He could have been poisoned before hand to insure his death and someone made it look like he committed suicide. They could have shot him to also cover up that he was poisoned.
Sources used:
http://www.practicalhomicide.com/Research/AmazingAdv3.htm
http://www.firearmsid.com/A_historyoffirearmsID.htm
http://forensicsciencecentral.co.uk/firearms.shtml
Crime Scene: #1
Evidence being examined: Bullet hole
Forensic science used: Trajectory of a bullet
Summary of the science:
The first time that a time a gun was able to be identified was nearly 160 years ago. This means that they are able to match the grooves on the bullet to the grooves on the inside of the gun. It was thought that they could use this skill for historians to help identify when a certain gun was made. It turns out that it was also very useful to help investigators in a crime scene to find out what gun shot a bullet that killed a victim. This was very helpful to investigators because they could now know what gun they were looking for before they get to a suspect's house or search the crime scene a little bit further.
Firearm investigation is the science that is used in the examination of shootings and other subjects alike. Closely related to ballistics, this science is used to find the trajectory of a bullet or some other flying object. This means that they examine the flight path of a bullet from when it leaves the firearm to when it hits the target. When a crime scene is thought to be a shooting the investigators collect items such as firearms, bullet shells, live ammunition, cartridge cases, bullets, trace materials, (such as glass, paint chips, shoeprints, gunshot residue, explosive residue, plant fibers, mineral fibers, Etc.) and any other item that may have have been damaged by the bullet.
The study of firearms is divided into 3 different studies, internal, external and terminal ballistics. The study of the internal ballistics is the processes inside the gun, including the time between when the trigger was pulled and when the bullet exited the gun. After that, external ballistics studies the bullet’s flight path between the bullet leaving the barrel of the gun and it striking its target. Finally, terminal ballistics, also known as impact ballistics, studies the projectile/bullet striking the target.
When studying the trajectory of a bullet there are many steps involved. First have to locate the entrance wound. Then carefully insert a laser pointer into the entrance wound. Move the pointer around until it exits at the exit wound. Then look at the laser pointer on the wall, then document what you see and what you think it is telling you. Next insert a wooden dowel in the entrance wound and exit the exit wound. All of these steps should give investigators a good idea of where the gun was positioned at the time of the shooting. You could also use the blood splatter analysis to determine the angle of impact.
Since the first time this science was used in the 1900’s there have been many advancements in the study of forensic technology of studying firearms. In the early 2000’s there was a program implemented into law enforcement called The Integrated Ballistic Identification System. This system saves the images of bullets and cartridge cases so that they don’t have to get a new picture every time there is a gun involved in a crime scene.
After analyzing the trajectory of the bullet, the evidence suggested that the bullet could have been shot from the victims hand. The bullet also could have been shot be someone standing very close to the victim. It looks like the victim passed out on the table and someone came in and shot him. He could have been poisoned before hand to insure his death and someone made it look like he committed suicide. They could have shot him to also cover up that he was poisoned.
Sources used:
http://www.practicalhomicide.com/Research/AmazingAdv3.htm
http://www.firearmsid.com/A_historyoffirearmsID.htm
http://forensicsciencecentral.co.uk/firearms.shtml
Evidence Report 2
Luke Stetler
Crime Scene: #1
Evidence being examined: Paper found in trash
Forensic science being used: Iodine Fuming
Summary of the science:
The iodine fuming technique has historically been recognized as one of the earliest techniques used for finding fingerprints. Iodine fuming was a preferred and recommended method to be used on paper products. While frequently placed in the 'chemical techniques', the development of latent prints with iodine fumes is not a chemical action, but a physical one. Chemical reactions are those in which the application of a chemical will bring about a change in the physical properties of the latent residue. Ninhydrin interacts with the physical qualities of amino acids in the latent residue. However, in iodine fuming, natural body fats and oils in the material of a latent print temporarily absorb the iodine vapors. This results in a change in color, from clear to a dark brown. But the effect slowly fades. The color change can be made permanent by the application of certain materials, but the developed latent can usually be photographed at the greatest intensity of color change and then allowed to fade. The fixing of the iodine print with other applications can add additional processing by other chemical and physical means. The temporary nature of iodine developed latents, requiring fixing agents that preclude further processing techniques. This is because of the rarity of this method being used.
When using the iodine fuming method there are many steps involved. First place the evidence in a concealed container. Then put iodine crystals in a petri dish and place it in the concealed container. Let it sit for 15 minutes. The gases that the crystals give off react with the amino acids in peoples fingerprints and they turn a dark brown. Then use these fingerprints to compare to the fingerprints you have already collected from the suspects.
From what I found, the same method of Iodine fuming has been used throughout the years. There is a new chemical that they now use more often called ninhydrin. The Iodine fuming absorbs into the body fats and oils, while the ninhydrin reacts with the amino acids in the fingerprints.
When using this method on the piece of paper in the trash, we did not find many clear prints on the piece of paper. There was one fingerprint on the back that could not be identified, but this shows that there weren’t any other prints on this particular piece of paper. We also learned that this method does not always make the best fingerprints. We all ended up using the prints from the superglue fuming method. The problem is that you can’t use this method on pieces of paper so you have to go back to the Iodine fuming method.
Sources:
http://onin.com/fp/wwwbd/messages/5/2422.html?1208803433
http://www.cbdiai.org/Reagents/iodine.html
http://www.bvda.com/EN/sect1/en_1_14a.html
Crime Scene: #1
Evidence being examined: Paper found in trash
Forensic science being used: Iodine Fuming
Summary of the science:
The iodine fuming technique has historically been recognized as one of the earliest techniques used for finding fingerprints. Iodine fuming was a preferred and recommended method to be used on paper products. While frequently placed in the 'chemical techniques', the development of latent prints with iodine fumes is not a chemical action, but a physical one. Chemical reactions are those in which the application of a chemical will bring about a change in the physical properties of the latent residue. Ninhydrin interacts with the physical qualities of amino acids in the latent residue. However, in iodine fuming, natural body fats and oils in the material of a latent print temporarily absorb the iodine vapors. This results in a change in color, from clear to a dark brown. But the effect slowly fades. The color change can be made permanent by the application of certain materials, but the developed latent can usually be photographed at the greatest intensity of color change and then allowed to fade. The fixing of the iodine print with other applications can add additional processing by other chemical and physical means. The temporary nature of iodine developed latents, requiring fixing agents that preclude further processing techniques. This is because of the rarity of this method being used.
When using the iodine fuming method there are many steps involved. First place the evidence in a concealed container. Then put iodine crystals in a petri dish and place it in the concealed container. Let it sit for 15 minutes. The gases that the crystals give off react with the amino acids in peoples fingerprints and they turn a dark brown. Then use these fingerprints to compare to the fingerprints you have already collected from the suspects.
From what I found, the same method of Iodine fuming has been used throughout the years. There is a new chemical that they now use more often called ninhydrin. The Iodine fuming absorbs into the body fats and oils, while the ninhydrin reacts with the amino acids in the fingerprints.
When using this method on the piece of paper in the trash, we did not find many clear prints on the piece of paper. There was one fingerprint on the back that could not be identified, but this shows that there weren’t any other prints on this particular piece of paper. We also learned that this method does not always make the best fingerprints. We all ended up using the prints from the superglue fuming method. The problem is that you can’t use this method on pieces of paper so you have to go back to the Iodine fuming method.
Sources:
http://onin.com/fp/wwwbd/messages/5/2422.html?1208803433
http://www.cbdiai.org/Reagents/iodine.html
http://www.bvda.com/EN/sect1/en_1_14a.html
Dissection:
For my dissection I choose to do a shark. I choose to do this because Colleen told me to. That worked out because I wanted to do a shark in the first place. It was the only sea animal and I wanted to do something that is different than a land dweller. I learned much about how sharks and other sea creatures work. The fact that I found the most interesting is when we looked at the gill rakers and gills and studied how they worked. I also learned during this dissection that I like touching dead animals. My partner, (TJ Rifkin), did not touch the specimen at all so I got to do the whole dissection. I enjoyed this very much because I did not have to split up the work of cutting the animal.
Honeybees:
Honey bees are important because the pollinate thousands of acres of crops every year. They also pollinate flowers so that our world is more beautiful. We should be concerned about the honey bee decline because if all of them disappear, we will start to run our of food and that could kill a lot of people. With our population increasing, if the honey bees die, we will be in trouble.
For my project, I focused on creating a jungle gym for honeybees. I did this because I feel like the honeybees need to have fun too. Even though I did not get all of it done, I felt like the final product turned out very well. I feel like if I would have had more time to finish it, then it would have been much better and I would have made it much better.