Forensic Lab Report Text

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anth 6 forensic anthropology case reports handout original material the following text is adapted from a case report i prepared as a class assignment in graduate school. Line drawings, photographs, inventory notes, and fordisc analyses are normally attached. Samples of these materials are available in class or through the library reserve section. State forensic anthropologist date: 8 october 199 introduction: on the 1st day of october 199 at approximately 1 a.m. William bass presented human skeletal remains to the forensic anthropology class. The remains were comprised of both os coxae, right femur, right tibia and fibula, right radius, left tibia and fibula, left humerus, left scapula, and a left clavicle see figures 1 and 2. Also, a radiograph was given to the class which includes the right tibia and fibula, the left tibia, the right radius, and the 4th lumbar vertebrae.

The class was given the instructions to estimate the individual’s sex, age, ancestry, and note and record evidence of trauma. On the popular show csi, staff from a las vegas forensic lab solve multiple crimes within the show's hour long format, presenting forensic testing as quick producers of irrefutable court evidence. But unlike the glitzy, made for television lab scenario, real life forensic laboratories' analyses of evidence are much slower. For example, when pop star michael jackson died in 2009, results of forensic toxicology tests on his brain tissue took almost a month. Tests can take weeks or even months to complete because of technical requirements of different forensic tests, limited availability or integrity of some samples, complexity of testing for illicit and therapeutic drugs and other toxic chemical agents, and the extensive record keeping necessary for legal proceedings. Sometimes tests are beyond a laboratory's scope of expertise, so it must send specimens to more specialized laboratories.

forensic laboratory testing: what is it? forensic testing is the gathering of data for analysis and for use in legal proceedings, depending on the laws of particular jurisdictions. The legal aspect of forensic testing separates it from clinical testing, explains steven wong, phd, director of milwaukee county forensic toxicology laboratory in wisconsin. This legal aspect requires a certain way of handling samples, use of specific testing methods as required by law, and following a chain of custody. The chain of custody requires documentation of every person who has handled the sample and everywhere it has been. If the chain of custody procedure is handled correctly, forensic laboratory evidence can be admitted in court with the assurance that the item was collected from the stated location and/or person in question without compromising the evidence. Laboratory staff who handle and process such specimens typically receive special training that is pertinent to both laboratory science and the legal demands of forensics.

Forensic laboratory technicians often have clinical training, while forensic pathologists have completed medical school, residency programs, and specific forensic training. Forensic pathologists conduct postmortem examinations on body tissues, blood, and/or other bodily fluids collected during an autopsy or from the crime scene and interpret the findings to determine the cause, the manner, and the time of death, and in some instances, to establish the identity of the deceased. A forensic pathologist may work in one of two death investigation systems, a medical examiner system, or a coroner system. A medical examiner is an appointed official, usually a forensic pathologist, who is responsible for the investigation of suspicious or untimely deaths for a particular jurisdiction. In contrast, a coroner is an elected official and may be a forensic pathologist but also may be any type of physician or even a lay person.

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Those cases that may be of a legal concern could be re directed to a forensic pathologist to perform the actual examination. Unlike clinical laboratories that are certified under specific standards of the federal clinical laboratory improvements act clia , forensic laboratories prove their competence to other accrediting organizations such as the college of american pathologists cap , american board of forensic toxicology, the national forensic science technology center nsftc , and american society of crime laboratory directors/laboratory accreditation board. The fbi laboratory celebrated a milestone in 2007: 75 years of forensic science service.

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In the early 1920s and 1930s, law enforcement agencies, including the fbi, were only beginning to see the value of using science to solve crimes. In 1932, when the fbi moved a few pieces of laboratory equipment into room 802 of the old southern railway building in washington, d.c. It was with the vision that the federal government could use its considerable knowledge and resources to help state and local law enforcement solve crimes and actually prevent crimes from occurring.

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The fbi and the fbi laboratory have changed more than anyone could have envisioned in 1932. Fbi laboratory examinations total one million or more each year and support law enforcement, intelligence, military, and forensic science partners around the world. The theme of the 2007 annual report is ldquo supporting the fbi mission through science and technology. Rdquo each unit described in the ensuing pages directly supports the fbi rsquo s priorities as outlined by the fbi director: protecting the united states from terrorist attack and foreign intelligence activity combating criminal activity that threatens the safety and security of society preserving civil liberties and providing leadership, intelligence, and law enforcement assistance to fbi partners. Doing so involves the core functions of collection information dissemination and integration analysis and action. These functions closely parallel those of the intelligence cycle, which intelligence community partners mdash including the fbi mdash use to guide their efforts to ensure the safety and security of the united states and its allies.

The laboratory has specialized units that respond to incidents and collect or facilitate the collection of evidence in the field. The evidence response team unit supports evidence response teams in all 56 fbi field offices. The explosives unit specializes in evidence involving explosive and incendiary devices, and the hazardous materials response unit provides support at scenes involving chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear materials. The photographic operations and imaging services unit and the special projects unit document the scene and collect data for such uses as crime scene reconstruction, courtroom exhibits and testimony, and forensic facial imaging.

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