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Month: July 2017

Forensic Evaluation of Soils for Presence of Decaying Flesh

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I. Introduction

I.1 Forensic Searches for Human Remains The nature of police work is such that sometimes only vague clues are available regarding the location of a clandestine grave (e.g., “in farmer Brown’s bottom field.”). However,oftentimes without information of this type even the best available forensic tools have little hope of finding a grave. A variety of forensic tools can be used to locate clandestine graves. These are more efficient once the general location of a suspected grave site is identified. The forensic methods range from non-invasive techniques to extremely invasive techniques, and include aerial photographic surveys of suspected areas, ground level photographic surveys, magnetometer and metal detectors, dogs trained to search for cadavers, ground penetrating radar, infrared photography, vegetation differential (pioneer plants), and penetro meter. Treatments such as wetting the site and then using ground penetrating radar and/or magnetometer, plowing the siteand looking for color differential or other evidence of disturbances, and finally perform the actual forensic exhumation are also performed [1].

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Crime Mapping and Spatial Analysis in National Forests

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We examined the spatial distribution of crime incidents on USDA Forest Service lands using a geographic information system and several spatial analysis techniques. Our primary objective was to examine whether patterns existed in the spatial distribution of crime and to explore the relationship of patterns to other geographic features using the Forest Service and other databases. We analyzed a database containing over 45,000 spatially referenced crimes such as felonies, infractions, and misdemeanors. Other spatial data layers included transportation networks, administrative boundaries, hydrology, elevation, and digital orthophotographs. Results at a regional scale showed crime densities concentrated in forests adjacent to population centers and transportation corridors. Nearest neighbor, quartic kernel density estimation, and quadrat analyses identified crime patterning and hot spots. Our results suggest that managers can use these spatial techniques as decision support tools to better understand the relationship between natural resources and crime.

Crime mapping has occurred for over 100 years but it is only recently that geographic information systems (GIS) have begun to...

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Best Practice In Forensic Entomology—Standards And Guidelines

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Abstract Forensic entomology, the use of insects and other arthropods in forensic investigations, is becoming increasingly more important in such investigations. To ensure its optimal use by a diverse group of professionals including pathologists, entomologists and police officers, a common frame of guidelines and standards is essential. Therefore, the European Association for Forensic Entomology has developed a protocol document for best practice in forensic entomology, which includes an overview of equipment used for collection of entomological evidence and a detailed description of the methods applied. Together with the definitions of key terms and a short

Introduction
Forensic entomology is the name given to the study of insects (or even other arthropods such as mites and ticks) that form part of the evidence in legal cases [25], but it is mainly associated with death enquiries. Knowledge of the distribution, biology and behaviour of insects found where a body has been discovered can assist many types of forensic investigation by providing information on when, where, and how...

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An Introduction to the Environmental Physics of Soil, Water and Watersheds

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Summary

This book is intended to provide the basic physical knowledge required to understand the processes involved in the sustainable use of the earth's land and water resources. Description of the physical science of soil and water processes is carried through to application at the watershed scale. Consideration of processes at this scale is necessary since this is the scale at which land-management decisions begin to be made and at which activities with environmental and water-quality implications occur.

The book is introductory in the sense that no prior knowledge of physics or calculus is assumed. Arithmetic and elementary algebra are used. No experience of computer-spreadsheet use is required of the reader, though the utility of such aids to calculation is illustrated on a few occasions. Though elementary in this sense, in some issues consideration is given to ideas at the frontier of research and understanding.

How theory can be applied to field data is illustrated using many examples...

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Writing a Police Statement

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BACKGROUND
Requests for police statements regarding a patient’s medical condition or injuries are common. A lack of training in their preparation, coupled with ignorance as to their fate, combine to make the task one which is generally viewed as a necessary paperwork evil.
OBJECTIVE
This article aims to provide practical guidelines and a suggested format for use when preparing a police statement.
DISCUSSION
Police statements prepared by medical practitioners are important documents whose intended audience is overwhelmingly nonmedical. A small time investment made in the preparation of a concise, objective report in language likely to be understood by the lay person will assist the courts in understanding complex medical issues and may obviate the need for the doctor to appear in court as a witness. A structured statement ‘proforma’ can be readily customised and will both reduce time in preparation of reports and serve as a prompt for inclusion of essential details....

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The Forensic Evaluation Of Burned Skeletal Remains: A Synthesis

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In recent years, research and case experience have greatly augmented knowledge regarding the effects of extreme heat on skeletal remains. As a result of this effort, enhanced interpretation is now possible on such issues as the extent of recovery, reconstruction, trauma, individual identification, size reduction, thermal effects on histological structures, color variation, the determination if remains were burned with or without soft tissue, DNA recovery and residual weight. The rapidly growing literature in this area of forensic science includes experimental research that elucidates the dynamics of the thermal impact on skeletal structure and morphology.

1. Introduction
Although many cases in forensic anthropology involve interpretation of burned bone, until relatively recently few scientific studies have focused specifically on this topic. Since thermal alterations can occur in all types of cases routinely examined in forensic anthropology, analysis is needed to address a variety of issues. These issues include recovery, reconstruction, trauma interpretation, bone recognition, weight interpretation, thermal correlations with coloration, shrinkage and structural changes, distinguishing bones

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Pelvic and Thoracic Injuries in Nearside Impact Crashes: Analysis of Contributory Factors

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Abstract

The goal of this study was to identify variables related to vehicle design which are associated with pelvic and thoracic accelerations as measured by the driver's (near side) crash dummy during new car assessment program (NCAP) testing of motor vehicles. Vehicle specific parameters were analyzed using NCAP side impact test results. Data from national automotive sampling system, crashworthiness data system (NASS-CDS) and crash injury research and engineering network (CIREN) (both National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) injury databases) were assessed to confirm NCAP test observations. In addition, door armrest stiffness measurements were performed using a mechanical tester on a sample of 40 vehicles. NCAP data showed that of 10 variables tested using multiple linear regression, vehicle weight and door crush correlated with pelvic acceleration of the driver's crash dummy (overall, r2=0.58, p=0.002, n=165). For thoracic trauma index (TTI) vehicle weight and peak door velocity correlated, significantly (overall, r2=0.41, p=0.03, n=165). Mean TTI was 63.7 g with no side airbag (n=108) and 55.6 g with

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Pediatric Forensic Pathology Is A Field Of Forensic Science

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Introduction

Pediatric forensic pathology is a field of forensic science. As such, it shares the frailties that many forensic sciences currently share. It was created by the justice system to serve its purpose and as such is an “uneasy partner” with the justice system; uneasy because the law demands a single casual theory in order to attach responsibility for precipitating or aggravating a victim’s condition while science can never supply absolute theories but rather presents findings in terms of probabilities. Forensic results in the relatively new field of DNA analysis represent the pinnacle of the scale of probability. Probabilities can be supplied in terms that approach absolute certainty. Nevertheless, even evidence of DNA analysis cannot be presented in terms of absolute certainty. As one moves down the scale from approaching absolute certainty to uncertainty, it is ironic that the terms in which evidence is presented appear to become more certain. For instance, bite-mark comparison, which has been recently tested and the results presented in the scientific...

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Pediatric Forensic Pathology: Limits and Controversies

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Chapter 1—Pediatric Forensic Pathology: Some Background

Chapter Overview
Clinical medicine serves patients; forensic pathology serves the state to find out why its citizens die. Being involved in investigating possible crime is very different from treating patients. Medicine has developed quite a strong evidence base to its practice, and this has not been mirrored to the same extent in forensic pathology. The massive expansion in the size of the knowledge base of medicine has had implications for forensic pathology. Forensic pathology is a very small operational medical specialty; pediatric forensic pathology is a subset of cases within forensic pathology, and is not an operational specialty. Knowledge in forensic pathology evolves, not always in a uniform forward progression.

Introduction
Medicine exists to serve patients. Starting with doctors’ training as medical students, everything revolves around the patient. Doctor’s obligations to patients are central. This culture, imbued during medical training, survives intact through to the practice of virtually every branch of medicine, including all the disciplines within pathology...

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Skeletal Remains Presumed Submerged in Water for Three Years Identified Using PCR-STR Analysis

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ABSTRACT:

We describe the successful identification of the remains of a saponified body found in a dam by typing of nuclear DNA. Whereas DNA extracted from soft tissues yielded negative PCR results, DNA extracted from the bone by a slightly modified Qiagen procedure allowed the typing of sex (AMG locus) and of 10 additional STR loci. An identity document was found belonging to a man missing for 3 years and comparison of the results to the DNA profiles of his son and wife confirmed the identity. The longest delay reported until now for successful nuclear DNA genotyping after immersion in river water was 18 months. This case demonstrates a delay of up to 3 years.

Recovery of human DNA from bones of severely decomposed bodies was reported for the identification of unidentified bodies like murder victims (1) or ancient human remains (2). Nevertheless, few studies concern genotyping of bodies immersed in water, the longest reported delay for successful identification being 18 months (3). The mai...

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Strengthening Forensic Science | Edwards Testimony

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A SYSTEM PLAGUED BY A PAUCITY OF GOOD RESEARCH, FRAGMENTATION, INCONSISTENT PRACTICES, AND WEAK GOVERNANCE.

For decades, various forensic science disciplines have produced valuable evidence that has contributed to the successful prosecution and conviction of criminals, and also the exoneration of innocent people. In recent years, advances in forensic science disciplines, especially the use of DNA technology, have demonstrated that some areas of forensic science have great additional potential to help law enforcement agencies identify criminals. There are scores of talented and dedicated people in the forensic science community, and the work that they perform is very important. They are often strapped in their work, however, because of (1) a paucity of strong scientific research, (2) a lack of adequate resources and national support, and (3) the absence of unified and meaningful regulation of crime laboratories and practitioners. It is clear that change and advancements, both systemic and scientific, are needed in a number of forensic science disciplines to ensure the reliability of the disciplines, establish.. .

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Solvent | Perchloroethylene

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Perchlorethylene or perchlor is a chlorinated solvent produced by PPG Industries and used extensively by dry cleaning plants. Other applications include vapor degreasing, and use as a chemical intermediate and processing solvent. Perchlor is nonflammable, has low toxicity, and has an inherent stability further enhanced by PPG’s stabilizer system.

Properties and Characteristics
Perchlor has no flash point and no fire point, which gives it an important advantage over petroleum distillates such as Stoddard solvent for dry cleaning operations. As a result, along with its desirable physical properties, Perchlor has become the largest-volume dry cleaning solvent. Perchlor is relatively inert, and is inherently more stable than other chlorinated solvents. PPG’s perchlor is further stabilized to prevent solvent degradation...

General Applications
In addition to its wide use as a drycleaning solvent, PPG’s perchlor is used extensively for vapor degreasing because of its high solvency, non-flammability and high vapor density. Drycleaning—Perchlor is the preferred solvent because, in addition to its non-flammability, it provides a fast, powerful yet gentle cleaning...

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Penetrating Wounds of the Abdominal Wall

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PENETRATING wounds of the abdominal wall represent a diflcult diagnostic problem to the clinician regarding the presence or absence of intra-abdominal injury. Immediate exploratory laparotomv has usually been advised to determine if an injury has occurred to the abdominal contents. This method of treatment has prevented most of the complications of penetrating abdominal wounds, but has resulted in a large number of unnecessary operations. At the Johns Hopkins Hospital during the past io years, only 40 per cent of abdominal stab wounds were shown at the time of surgery to have penetrated. In the present report a technique is described by which it can be determined whether penetration into the abdominal cavity has occurred. METHOD The procedure was carried out in each case in the Emergency Room, using standard roentgenographic equipment . The area around the stab wound is prepared with septisol and aqueous zephanim to establish a sterile field. A number 14 French catheter is inserted through the...

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Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward

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INTRODUCTION

On November 22, 2005, the Science, State, Justice, Commerce, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2006 became law.1 Under the terms of the statute, Congress authorized “the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study on forensic science, as described in the Senate report.” The Senate Report to which the Conference Report refers states: While a great deal of analysis exists of the requirements in the discipline of DNA, there exists little to no analysis of the remaining needs of the community outside of the area of DNA. Therefore . . . the Committee directs the Attorney General to provide [funds] to the National Academy of Sciences to create an independent Forensic Science Committee. This Committee shall include members of the forensics community representing operational crime laboratories, medical examiners, and coroners; legal experts; and other scientists as determined appropriate.

The Senate Report also sets forth the charge to the Forensic Science Committee, instructing it to:
(1) assess the present and future resource

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Scent as Forensic Evidence and its Relationship to the Law Enforcement Canine

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Law enforcement agencies around the country use specially trained dogs for a variety of purposes. The primary reason is that they are cost-effective means for crime control (O’block, Doeren, & True, 1979; Lilly & Puckett, 1997). At this time, dogs still possess abilities that far exceed that of existing technology. Unfortunately, empirical evidence documenting how the canine utilizes his amazing olfactory skills is far from complete and little scientific testing of law enforcement canines has been conducted (Department of the Treasury, 1993). Only through a review of the literature in a range of law enforcement functions can even a fuzzy picture of the nature of scent, as a form of forensic evidence be perceived. This review of the literature attempts to link the commonalities found in research of different disciplines and form a better understanding scent that will drive future research. ORIGIN OF SCENT
Man has utilized the scenting power of dogs for thousands of years (Chapman, 1990). The ability of dogs (Canis familiaris) to detect human...

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Practice Guidelines For Florida Medical Examiners

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Introduction

The Florida district medical examiner system is perhaps the most effective medical examiner system devised in the United States. One reason for its effectiveness may be that Florida medical examiners have a four-tier system of statutes, rules, guidelines, and office policies that governs their practices. Part I, Chapter 406, Florida Statutes, is the Medical Examiners Act. In it, the legislature creates the medical examiner system, charges the medical examiners with the duty to determine the cause of death under specified circumstances, empowers the medical examiners with the authority to perform autopsies at their own discretion, and broadly defines relationships with law enforcement agencies and the state attorneys. Chapter 11G, Florida Administrative Code, is a set of rules written by the Florida Medical Examiners Commission and adopted by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement after public hearings. The code expands on the statutes. To some extent the code has the force of statute because infractions can result in discipline. Like statute, code is written in absolutes...

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