This research project identifies and explores the complexities associated with the detection and recovery of firearms evidence, namely casings, from areas in which snow is prevalent. By reviewing established crime scene ...
As crime escalates throughout the United States, it is important
that law enforcement personnel are aware of, and educated, in the vast array
of forensic science disciplines that can, in many cases, aid in the
identification ...
Considering the continued opioid epidemic, it is important to
understand the local drug trends to support public health initiatives. In
2020, the Public Health Laboratory (PHL) within the D.C. Department of
Forensic ...
In the realm of forensic science, fingers are normally thought of
as evidence for identification; however, it is imperative that the forensic
science community understands other valuable evidence that fingers can
provide ...
Touch DNA, also known as Trace DNA, is an important aspect of
criminal investigations, as the perpetrator is unaware of the DNA they have
left behind. While there are multiple ways to extract touch DNA, it has been
established ...
A picture is worth a thousand words because of its power and influence. They are an unbiased representation of fact and why crime scenes are documented with powerful cameras like the Nikon Digital Single-Lens Reflex. Modern ...
Quantitative PCR (qPCR) plays a critical role in the field of
forensic biology to determine the amount of “amplifiable” human specific
DNA. If too much or too little DNA is present, it can result in profiles
difficult ...
Macroscopic age-at-death estimations provide age ranges that give
broad and often insufficient insight to an individual’s chronological age.
Accurate age estimations can become more complex for a forensic
anthropologist ...
Quantitative PCR (qPCR) is the preferred method of quantitation in
forensic DNA analysis, used to determine the amount of amplifiable human DNA
present in evidence or reference samples. A standard curve is created ...
Sometimes a shoeprint can help in narrowing down the number of
suspects in a crime scene, so having an efficient recovery method for them
can be helpful (Andalo et al., 2012). Photogrammetry has been proposed as a
simple ...
In forensic investigations, when an unknown decedent is found, the
postmortem interval is a critical data point in establishing identification
as well as reconstructing circumstances surrounding the death event. When ...
Fingerprint identification has been at the core of Forensic Science
for more than 100 years. It remains one of the most valuable tools to assist
law enforcement in identifying suspects and solving crimes. Over time
techniques ...
Depression is the most common mental disorder in the United States. A person with this
disorder is generally described as feeling sad, discouraged and in general, disinterested in life. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a ...
Mixture deconvolution involves the ability to reliably decipher and separate component genotypes of individual contributors at each tested genetic marker. The ultimate objective of this study is to develop an understanding ...
Analysis of DNA mixture evidence does not always yield distinct profiles. This process is further complicated with low template DNA (LT-DNA)samples often seen in forensic casework. Traditional qualitative methods use ...
One of the many items of evidence found at a crime scene that can yield breakthrough clues if handled and processed appropriately is adhesive tape. Through fracture matching and DNA analysis, a person can be linked to the ...
A pillar of the crime scene processing curriculum, Locard’s Exchange Principle states that every place one goes, they take something with them and also leave a trace behind. The ultimate goal of crime scene processing is ...
Shooting scene reconstruction and the identification of where the
shooter and weapon most likely were located, can be critical pieces of
information for law enforcement and crime scene investigators. During an
extensive ...
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) assisted law enforcement with over 29,000 missing children cases in 2019 and has completed more than 6,800 age-progressed images in its history of working on ...
Bloodstain Pattern Analysis (BPA) is one of the most important forensic crime scene techniques to date. Fluid dynamics with blood remain relatively similar across the board, which is why many researchers remain focused on ...