Crime scene investigation Projecct
Analysis of Skeletal Remains
Crime Scene #2
Ethan Sullivan
Since the 1930´s skeletal remains have been a very helpful resource for crime scene investigation because they can determine a lot about a crime. In the 1930’s the police and FBI started relating the analysis of skeletal remains, or forensic anthropology, to crime scene investigation. Gang murders that occurred in the 1930’s were increasing, and the police and FBI turned to forensic anthropologists for help. During WW2 and the Korean War a database of information was developed that is used today by Forensic anthropologists and such. This database is the basis for identification for anthropologists today. Skeletal remains were definitely a huge discovery for crime scene investigation that can tell us so much and will always continue to be a helpful resource.
Skeletal remains are a huge example of associative evidence because they can link a person to a crime scene. Forensic anthropologists can determine gender, height, age, ethnicity, possible pregnancies, and even careers. There several ways to determine gender, but the main way to find it is examining the pelvis and this works accurately 95% of the time.
For finding the race of the individual forensic anthropologists will normally look at the skull and jaw formations that can determine someone's ethnicity or race. An easy way to determine the age is by the conditions of the actual bones if they look more arthritic than it is an adult if not then they are normally a younger person. Lastly, to judge the height of the person it can simply be done by analyzing the different major arm and leg bones to see how tall a person is. Country of origin is also something that can be determined from the bones and this is useful information because if the victim was visiting from another country or something that country may not know they are missing or deceased and forensic anthropologists can determine that information. Also, Based on the the size of a hole in a head and it’s shape and diameter a pathologist with the help from a forensic anthropologist can determine how the victim was hurt and killed and where it occurred. There are so many different ways to link remains to a victim and so much to find out about a person from the skeletal remains.
Conclusion:
Based on analysis of the skeletal remains found in the San Juan Forest, it was determined that the victim was male. After measuring the length of the victim it was determined that the victim was between 5 feet and 5 feet 5 inches tall. The data was also helpful towards the end because 2 victims were ruled out due to height restriction and 2 victims remained the possible suspects. It was also determined that based on this information, the identity of the victim remains unknown.
Sources
http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/technique/forensic-anthropology/
http://www.exploreforensics.co.uk/skeletal-remains.html
Crime Scene #2
Ethan Sullivan
Since the 1930´s skeletal remains have been a very helpful resource for crime scene investigation because they can determine a lot about a crime. In the 1930’s the police and FBI started relating the analysis of skeletal remains, or forensic anthropology, to crime scene investigation. Gang murders that occurred in the 1930’s were increasing, and the police and FBI turned to forensic anthropologists for help. During WW2 and the Korean War a database of information was developed that is used today by Forensic anthropologists and such. This database is the basis for identification for anthropologists today. Skeletal remains were definitely a huge discovery for crime scene investigation that can tell us so much and will always continue to be a helpful resource.
Skeletal remains are a huge example of associative evidence because they can link a person to a crime scene. Forensic anthropologists can determine gender, height, age, ethnicity, possible pregnancies, and even careers. There several ways to determine gender, but the main way to find it is examining the pelvis and this works accurately 95% of the time.
For finding the race of the individual forensic anthropologists will normally look at the skull and jaw formations that can determine someone's ethnicity or race. An easy way to determine the age is by the conditions of the actual bones if they look more arthritic than it is an adult if not then they are normally a younger person. Lastly, to judge the height of the person it can simply be done by analyzing the different major arm and leg bones to see how tall a person is. Country of origin is also something that can be determined from the bones and this is useful information because if the victim was visiting from another country or something that country may not know they are missing or deceased and forensic anthropologists can determine that information. Also, Based on the the size of a hole in a head and it’s shape and diameter a pathologist with the help from a forensic anthropologist can determine how the victim was hurt and killed and where it occurred. There are so many different ways to link remains to a victim and so much to find out about a person from the skeletal remains.
Conclusion:
Based on analysis of the skeletal remains found in the San Juan Forest, it was determined that the victim was male. After measuring the length of the victim it was determined that the victim was between 5 feet and 5 feet 5 inches tall. The data was also helpful towards the end because 2 victims were ruled out due to height restriction and 2 victims remained the possible suspects. It was also determined that based on this information, the identity of the victim remains unknown.
Sources
http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/technique/forensic-anthropology/
http://www.exploreforensics.co.uk/skeletal-remains.html
Forensic Pathology
Ethan Sullivan
10/26/14
Biology P.2
According to the article History of Forensic Pathology, Forensic Pathology might be considered the most important job in the field of forensics in crime scene investigation. Forensic Pathologists perform autopsies on people, which can determine a lot BE MORE SPECIFIC A LOT - LIKE WHAT?. In order for Forensic Pathologists to determine the victim and time of death they study medical history, evaluate crime scene evidence, perform an autopsy to see about injury or disease, and they collect medical and trace evidence from the body for further analysis. Forensic Pathologists main course of knowledge is in Toxicology, Firearms/ballistics, Trace evidence,Serology (blood analysis) and DNA technology.
There are lots of scientific concepts involved in Forensic Pathology, but for the most part is related to crime scenes and criminal investigation. Forensic Pathologists will also investigate living patients to normally when sexual assault or abuse is involved. Also, once they have all their evidence in order they will come to a courthouse and testify their discoveries in court. Forensic Pathologists have lots of trace evidence, and associative evidence also when they are testifying in court. Besides that most of their time is spent in a lab performing autopsies and examining tissue samples under a microscope. It is also a job that involves a lot of standing when investigating evidence and performing autopsies.
Forensic Pathology has actually made some great advancements in recent years with the help of technology. The advances of technology.have allowed them to see fingerprints, footprints, and bite marks in closer detail. It is a lot of image enhancement that has to do with this that allows not only forensic scientists to see, but police and other criminal investigation fields to see also. For this all you have to do is grab photographs or videotapes and put them into the computer for image enhancement and then the evidence will be presented in better detail. Many laboratories are also using light advancements to enhance latent prints. Evidence photos can also be enhanced with chemicals minerals, blood, and other trace evidence could be more visible with these lighting enhancement chemicals.
First the forensic pathologist does an initial examination of the body. The initial examination is done at the crime scene. The purpose of the initial examination is to make record of all visible wounds, to declare the victim legally dead and transport the victim for further examination. Next the preliminary examination of the post-mortem is done. The purpose of this is to get a crime scene photographer to take pictures of the body then examine the body clothed and unclothed and examine the body and clothing for trace evidence. The main idea for identification of the body is to find fingerprints of the perpetrator to make for easier identification of the perpetrator. For clothing the clothes of the victim need to be examined and sent to a laboratory for examination. If it is not important or necessary these clothes will be sent to police custody. General measurements are just basically measurements of the victim and what they may look like. The purpose of X- Rays is to determine the location of the wound and gives you an in depth look of the body and the wound.
Injuries are a big deal because the injuries because they may be the biggest piece of evidence and need to be examined and photographed very carefully to be effective. Also, if you happen to have a possible murder weapon then you can match the weapon with the wounds.
Conclusion: Based on the evidence collected we know the crime scene was at the La Plata National Forest and we have discovered the skeletal remains of the victim Nathan Herron. Also, it was discovered where the gunshot wound hit and where it exited. Some of the trace evidence found was blood and hair under the fingernails which was crucial evidence. Dental records discovered and looked into also matched Nathan Herron’s dental records. Based on general measurements we were able to determine the victim was between 5 feet 2 and 5 feet 6 inches twas 18 years old and caucasian. X- rays were also taken to see the depth of the bullet wound which of course went straight through his head . Last but not least to sum things up injuries were looked at on Nathan Herron’s body and it was the gunshot wound . He had h1 wound with a gunshot straight through his head and a size of 2 mm. This is the evidence collected and analyzed so far even though the murder has not been named yet it will be determined very soon.
Sources
http://www.itsgov.com/history-of-forensic-pathology.html
http://explorehealthcareers.org/en/Career/129/Forensic_Pathologist
Project Reflection
This project was called the the Crime Scene Investigation project where we were assigned groups and a crime scene to investigate. Through this project we discovered DNA tests and learned about exoneration. My partner and I began this project by examining the scene by taking pictures and writing down field notes. Then after that we examined the skeletal remains through forensic odontology and discovered who the victim was and also mitochondrial DNA played a huge role in naming who the suspect was in the killing of Nathan Herron. There were a lot of steps leading up to the crime and figuring out who the victim and suspect were, but we could not have done this without DNA tests. DNA can do so much in our justice system and without it our justice system would not be nearly the same and DNA tests have led to a lot of exonerations also.
For crime scene 2 there were a lot of specific sciences involved for me like blood typing, skeletal remains, and mitochondrial DNA. For blood typing we looked at the blood type matches
This project was called the the Crime Scene Investigation project where we were assigned groups and a crime scene to investigate. Through this project we discovered DNA tests and learned about exoneration. My partner and I began this project by examining the scene by taking pictures and writing down field notes. Then after that we examined the skeletal remains through forensic odontology and discovered who the victim was and also mitochondrial DNA played a huge role in naming who the suspect was in the killing of Nathan Herron. There were a lot of steps leading up to the crime and figuring out who the victim and suspect were, but we could not have done this without DNA tests. DNA can do so much in our justice system and without it our justice system would not be nearly the same and DNA tests have led to a lot of exonerations also.
For crime scene 2 there were a lot of specific sciences involved for me like blood typing, skeletal remains, and mitochondrial DNA. For blood typing we looked at the blood type matches
Dissection Project
I chose to dissect a shark because sharks have always been a very fascinating creature to me and I thought it would be interesting to learn more and get a better sense of the shark. Also,I have seen many pigs and eat things from pigs and I own cats so I thought it would be really strange to dissect an animal where so many things we eat come from and to cut open a cat. During the dissection I learned that a dogfish shark has some similar features to humans and some that are completely different. For, example a dogfish shark does not breathe with it's lungs and they have a totally different function unlike humans who couldn't breath without them. What I learned about myself during this dissection was that I am more capable than I think when it comes to memorizing different parts and that if I put my mind to a task then I can succeed. This was probably my favorite project of the year because I learned many things about an animal I didn't know much about and I gained confidence in my abilities to succeed in something.