FORENSIC

• Proximal refers to toward the point of attachment; away from the point of attachment.
• Superior refers to toward the head; toward the feet.
• Supine refers to lying on the back-side; lying on the belly-side.
• Anterior refers to the front-side; back-side.
• In the 1800’s, scientists began studying skulls.
• In 1932, the FBI opened the first crime lab.
• The Smithsonian Institute began working with the FBI on identifying human remains.
• Soldiers killed during WWII were identified using anthropological and osteological techniques.
• Bones are held together by cartilage, ligaments, and tendons.
• Until about 30 years of age, bones increase in size.
• Deterioration after 30 can be slowed with exercise.
• Osteobiography tells much about a person through the study of the skeleton.
• The bones of a right-handed person, for example, would be slightly larger than the bones of the left arm.
• Forensic scientists realize that bones contain a record of the physical life.
• Informative features about the age, sex, race and stature of individuals based on bones is based on biological differences between sexes and races (males are generally taller and more robust) as well as differences due to ancestry (certain skeletal features of the skull).
• However, it is imprecise because so much human variation exists and because racial differences tend to homogenize as populations interbreed.
• Differences do exist and the more features you survey, the more precise your conclusions will be.
• Determination of sex from the pelvis is the best method.
• The pelvis is the best bones for determination of sex due to adaptations to childbirth.
• Females have a wider subpubic angle, a sciatic notch > 90°, a broad pelvic inlet, a broad, shovel-like ilium, and a flexible pubic symphysis.
• Common sense is the best guide for collection and preservation of drug evidence, keeping in mind that the package must prevent the loss of the contents and/or cross-contamination.
• Drugs must be accurately weighed during the collection process, including the drugs and the packaging material, and recorded the weights.
• Living plants should be stored in non-airtight containers, such as bags.
• Drug identification involves a two-phase plan, or scheme of analysis, consisting of a screening test that is nonspecific and preliminary in nature to reduce the possibilities to a manageable number, and a confirmation test that is a single test that specifically identifies a substance.
• Schedule V drugs, such as opiate drug mixtures that contain nonnarcotic medicinal ingredients, must show low abuse potential and have medical use.
• Schedule IV drugs, like darvon, phenobarbital, and some tranquilizers such as diazepam (valium) and chlordiazepoxide (librium), have a low potential for abuse and a current medical use.
• The challenge of forensic drug identification comes in selecting analytical procedures that will ensure a specific identification of a drug.
• Schedule III drugs, such as all barbiturate prescriptions not covered under schedule II, codeine, and anabolic steroids, have less potential for abuse and a currently accepted medical use.
• Schedule II drugs, like cocaine, PCP, and most amphetamine and barbiturate prescriptions, have a high potential for abuse and medical use with severe restrictions.
• The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 establishes five schedules of classification for controlled dangerous substances based on their potential for abuse, physical and psychological dependence, and medical value.
• Schedule I drugs, such as heroin, marijuana, methaqualone, and LSD, have a high potential for abuse and no currently accepted medical use.
• Some items cannot be stored in plastic containers, for they may chemically interact with the plastic.
• Liquids can be kept in their original containers, assuming they have a tight seal, or they can be placed into an appropriate container, like a conical tube, and sealed in order to minimize evaporation.
• Lab equipment used to manufacture drugs should be placed in shock-proof containers.
• Drug paraphernalia made from glass or other potentially sharp objects should be stored in solid containers only.
• Blow flies are attracted to dead bodies and often arrive within minutes of the death of an animal.
• Adult flies lay eggs on the carcass especially at wound areas or around the openings in the body such as the nose, eyes, ears, anus, etc.
• A forensic entomologist’s job may include identification of insects at various stages of their life cycle, collection and preservation of insects as evidence, determining an estimate for the postmortem interval or PMI, and testifying in court to explain insect-related evidence found at a crime scene.
• Eggs hatch into larva (maggots) in 12-24 hours.
• Most insects used in investigations are in two major orders: Flies (Diptera) and Beetles (Coleoptera).