Faith Kandie

Independent Research I
Howard High School
Ms. Mary Curtin
 Forensic
Science:
Methods to
Solve Cases
Agenda

› Forensic Professions
› Methods
› Inefficiencies of the system
› Most effective method
Forensic Anthropologist

› Analyze bones
› Develop biological profile by:
gender, age, and cause and time
of death
Forensic Anthropologist cont.

› Observe length of bones and

teeth
› Traumas: Sharp, blunt, gunshot,
& fractures
Crime Scene Investigator
› Investigating scenes
through blood
spatter, fingerprint,
& DNA analysis
Forensic Pathologist

› Examine deaths of
people (Autopsies)
› Discover cause and
manner of death
Methods
Fingerprints
❏ Analysis of fingerprint on surfaces; porous,

non-porous smooth, & non-porous rough

❏ Patent and latent impressions

❏ 4 types: arches, loops, whorls, & composites

DNA
❏ Carrier of genetic information

❏ Short Tandem Repeats (STR): Short sequence that

repeats itself; helps identify variation among people

❏ Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR): Amplifies a section

of DNA
Inefficiencies
Wrongful convictions
› False fingerprint identification &
misreading of evidence
› Problem of monopoly
Solutions to inefficiencies
› Decrease amount of monopoly
› A threshold of evidence met before
placing suspects in a lineup
› Forensic investigations performed early
Conclusion

1. Forensic jobs contribute to

strengthening the system
2. Finding correct suspects is
beneficial
 DNA
5 times more likely to identify a
suspect and 9 times more likely to
arrest a suspect than fingerprints
 1.

“Physical evidence can not be

intimidated. It does not forget.
It sits there and waits to be
detected, preserved, evaluated,
and explained.”

-Herbert Leon Macdonell

QUESTIONS?
Thank you!
Citations
https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/241389.pdf#page=118
https://www.degreequery.com/become-forensic-anthropologist/
https://slideplayer.com/slide/6280856/
https://www.crime-scene-investigator.net/
http://www.sheriffclevelandcounty.com/crime-scene-investigation.htm
https://health.howstuffworks.com/diseases-conditions/death-dying/10-thin
gs-to-know-about-forensic-medicine3.htm
https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2017/05/body-evidence-7-question
s-forensic-pathologist/
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Basic-fingerprint-ridge-patterns_fig2_
275719955
https://bitesizebio.com/19816/how-are-crimes-solved-by-pcr/
https://www.open.edu/openlearn/science-maths-technology/science/acros
s-the-sciences/dna-profiling
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/309763280609207607/