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C r i m c e
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Un re n s
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Prepared By:
Jessica Perez
Jessica Tejera
 Crime Labs
Public Funded (Federal, State, or
Local)
Used by:
-Police
-Prosecutors
-Other Law Enforcement

Privately Funded
-Charge a fee for services
 Units in
Crime Labs
PHYSICAL SCIENCE UNIT:
-Examines drugs, glass, paint,
blood spatters and other traces
of physical evidence.

*It uses Chemistry, Physics, and

Geology
FIREARMS UNIT:
-Examines tool marks, weapons,
firearms, and bullets

*Uses Ballistics:
-The science that deals with
motion, behavior, and effects
of projectiles, specifically
firearms and bullets.
DOCUMENT ANALYSIS UNIT:
-Examines handwriting,
typewriting, word processing
and computer applications,
papers, and inks.

*Uses chromatography for ink

analysis.
BIOLOGY UNIT:

-Analyzes body fluids, DNA, blood factors,

hair, fibers, and plant life.
*Uses Biology, Biochemistry, and
Microbiology
Includes:
-Forensic Photography
-Toxicology
-Latent Fingerprints
-Polygraph Unit
Special Ties
in Forensics
ANTHROPOLOGY: the study of PATHOLOGY: investigates
remains; bones sudden violent and
unexplained death.

ODONTOLOGY: examines
bite marks, dental
identification GEOLOGY: the study of soil
and minerals
Government
Crime Labs
FBI (Federal Bureau of
Investigation):

-Has the largest crime lab in the

world.
-The Cryptanalysis unit of the FBI
works with documents found at the
scene of a crime.
-The Drug Records Examination unit
analyzes any drug records that a
suspect may have.
DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency):

-7 crime labs across the country.

-Investigate major illicit drug
activity in and out of the country
as well as in criminal cases.
-May also aid local law enforcement.
ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco, and
Firearms Bureau):

-3 regional labs
- Deals with crimes involving
alcohol, weapons, explosives,
tobacco, and organized crime.
IRS (Internal Revenue Service):

-Maintained by the Department of

Treasury
-Specialize in questioned
documents
-An IRS Special Agent is
basically a forensic Accountant
that deals with money.
USPS (United States Postal
Service)/OIG (Office of
Inspector General):

-United States postal service

has their own lab for crimes
committed through the mail.
US Fish and Wildlife Service:

-Maintain their own lab for

crimes committed in national
parks as well as crimes
involving the animals. This
includes poaching and harming
of endangered species.
Department of Homeland Security:

-2 secret service labs

-One lab guards against
counterfeiting
-The second lab provides
research for executive
protection
 s e s
C a
 O.J. Simpson Case
• WHO: O. J. Simpson
• WHAT: Accused for the
murder of Nicole Brown
Simpson and her friend
Ronald Lyle Goldman.
• WHEN: June 12, 1994

CONVICTION:
NOT GUILTY
 Units of Forensic Science that were used:
-Firearms Unit
-Physical Science Unit
-Biology Unit

In the O.J. Simpson case, O.J. was accused for the

murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her
friend Ronald Lyle Goldman. While Nicole’s body was
being examined, Dr. Lee a forensic scientist noticed
blood stains on her back that did not pertain to her,
implying that the LAPD did not collect all possible
evidence. The uncollected evidence also included a
second foot print that was also found at the crime scene
that could have been linked to an assailant. It is said
to believe that O.J. Simpson sliced Nicole’s throat
while using a knife found at the scene of a crime.
 Murder of Selena
• WHO: Selena Quintanilla
Perez
• WHAT: She was Shot to
death by the president
of her fan club,
Yolanda Saldivar.
• WHEN: March 31, 1995

CONVICTION: GUILTY
Unit of Forensic Science that were used:
-Firearms (Ballistics) Unit

On March 31, 1995, Selena was

shot to death by the president of
her fan club Yolanda Saldivar. The
forensic science unit that was
involved in this case was the
Ballistics Unit to figure out what
gun Saldivar used to murder Selena.
 How much do
YOU remember?
 Quiz
1.You arrive at a crime scene
and you find a mysterious
white substance that you
suspect to be Cocaine. What
unit of forensic science would
you use to test this powder?

Physical Science Unit

(Toxicology)
 Quiz
2. If a bullet casing was to be
found at the scene of a crime,
what unit of forensic science
would you use in order to
figure out what kind of gun it
came from?

Firearms (Ballistics) Unit

 Quiz
3. What department of forensic
science deals with drugs?

DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency)

 Quiz
4.What is the study of sudden
and unexplained death?

Pathology
 Quiz
5. What department has the
largest crime lab?

FBI
 DEMONSTRATION:

Glass
The End 