Running head: LITERATURE REVIEW

Forensic Science
Nikki McTague
The University of Texas at El Paso

RWS 1302
Dr. Vierra
November 4, 2016

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Abstract

This literature review consist of question at can give the audience a better understanding
of forensics science. The questions ask what can each field of forensic science does, the types of
physical evidence can be found at a crime scene, if blood, sperm or semen be detected on an item
of clothing or objects and what is the CSI effect doing to the society? The main purpose is to
inform students or adults about the field of forensic science and get them interested in the career.

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Introduction

Forensic science consists of many fields and disciplines. Forensic science helps solve the
crime and convict the criminal. They conduct multiple of test and analyses. Many people ask the
common questions about forensic science. In this literature review Im going to answer questions
that many people are asking today, which are:

What can each field of forensic science do?

What types of physical evidence can be found at a crime scene?

Can the presence of blood, sperm or semen be detected on an item of clothing or

other materials/objects?

What is the CSI effect doing to the society?

This literature review examines how forensic science uses different types of field and evidence
to prove if the criminal is guilty or innocent. Maybe after reading this literature review the
audience will get a better understanding of the forensic science field.
What can each field of forensic science do?
There are different kinds of disciplines in the field of forensic science. Each one has a
certain task to do to solve the crime. The different kinds of fields are anthropology,
criminalistics, digital and multimedia science, engineering science, general, jurisprudence,
odontology, pathology, biology, psychiatry and behavioral science, toxicology.
Saferstein (1995) acknowledged that criminalistics plays a role in the forensic science
field. The National Research Council (2009) reports that some activities require the skills and
expertise to be a scientist in biology or in chemistry. Also many laboratories base on nuclear,
mitochondrial DNA analysis, toxicology and drug analysis. (pg.38) The AAFS claims that there
is a bunch of disciplines in the field of forensic science. Anthropology is to recovery and

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documentation of the skeletal remains and associated evidence at the scene and determine how
they died.
Criminalistics examines and identifies hair, fibers, blood, seminal and other body fluid
stains, drugs, paint, glass, botanicals, soil, flammables and safe insulating material; restores
obliterated, smeared or smudged markings; and identifies firearms and compares fired bullets,
tool markings, and footwear impressions. digital and multimedia science can access mobile
phones/ devices, digital audio, photography, and video recording devices are nearly everywhere;
most businesses and many local and state governments have security cameras/devices that can
yield a surprising amount of photos/video. Engineering science applies to incident investigations
may involve bridge or building collapses, automobile collisions, air and rail accidents,
explosions, shootings, and stabbings. Odontology is the application of dental knowledge,
primarily for the identification of human remains.
Pathology is the practice of medicine concerning injury analysis and performance of
autopsies to determine cause and manner of death and is the medical specialty in the study of
diseases. Biology is the application of the life sciences, and analyzes the crime scene for any
body fluids or any organisms. Psychiatry and Behavioral science often spend a significant
amount of time working with attorneys and judges. Toxicology is the study of adverse effects of
drugs and chemicals on biological systems. It also involves the application of toxicology for the
purposes of the law, or in a medicolegal context. (types of AAFS disciplines)
Figure 1(Yuir Kate, A. D. (2015). Quotes gram. Image retrieved from
http://quotesgram.com/forensic-science-quotes/ )

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What type of physical evidence can be found at a crime scene?

There are so many different kinds of evidence found at a crime scene. it can range from
hair and finger prints to a knife and gun. Most of the time you dont know what the criminal in
might use at the time. Some of the evidence that can be easily found is hair, fingerprints,
footprints, drugs, guns, knives and any body fluids.
Yacine (2012) emphasized that forensic science is used all over the globe. most of it
includes integration, bloodstain, and DNA. During the course criminal investigation any type of
physical and biological evidence are encountered. One of the most common evidence is hair.
There are techniques which you can distinguish the difference between human and animal. (pg.1)
She explain why hair is the most common type of evidence. Like animals shred from their
bodies, hair humans shred hair doing normal activities. Human shed an average of 100 hairs
daily particularly during a physical contact. (pg.2) Saferstein (1995) emphasized that physical
evidence is effectively in the use of investigation. The common types of physical evidence are: 1.
Blood, semen, and saliva; 2. Drugs; 3. Fiber; 4. Fingerprints; 5. Hair; 6. Firearms; 7. Tool marks;
8. Tire marks; 9. Foot prints. (pg.62) most of the time the criminal clean ups the blood or any

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mess they made. So the forensic scientist use luminol to detect any blood or any chemicals like
bleach in a dark room so that the luminol reveals the item in a florescent light. Inman (2001)
reports that some type of the evidence is related to the criminal in the event. It can either be
blood from a stabbing, bullet form a deceased person, or broken glass from a burglary are all
physical evidence. We lose hundreds of hairs a day, hairs that appear to have been forcibly
removed immediately increased the relevance to the crime. (pg.105) According to the National
Research Council claims that there are many of evidence is the forensic science fields. The is fire
debris, blood patterns, firearms and tool marks. (pg38) They examine certain items and
determine if it contains blood, saliva, and semen. The death could either be from a rape victim or
murder victim. They also search for knifes, guns and any other weapon that the murderer used.
Other forms are based on finger prints, writing samples, tools and bite marks. Most of the time
the evidence cannot be found, so forensic scientist uses different method and even have to look
around the scene to find even more evidence that the criminal might have try to hide. This image
shows the different type of evidence there is and what category it falls into. For example,
firearms and toolmarks fall under physics/pattern interpretation, and seized drugs fall under
chemistry/ instrumental analysis.
Figure 2 (The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). (2016). First scientific
area committee meeting for forensic science to be webcast. Image retrieved
from https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2015/02/first-scientific-area-committee-meetings-forensicscience-be-webcast)

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Can blood, sperm or semen be detected on an item of clothing or other materials or objects?
Evidence that is mostly found on clothing or objects are usually body fluids. Blood saliva
and semen can be found on any pieces of clothing or objects. On the clothing there will be
multiple stains and sometime the stains can be hard to find because on the clothing color or
because the stain cannot be found by the naked eye. Depending on the evidence forensics have
conduct different kinds of examination and tests.
There are multiple of test you can do to find out who was the criminal. Carroll (2014)
claims that the evidence is processed through a lot of tests and can be found on anything we
touch. Carroll gives good details on how she performs each test. When they bring the evidence in
the forensic lab, the blood, semen and saliva sometimes it is not noticeable on the clothing if the
color are dark or is the same color. If there is a red/ brown color, then if might be blood and
yellowish colors can be saliva. To actually find the areas that have a stain but the naked eye cant
see you use an obelic light or a flash light and then you shine the light from the side so the stain
can pop out more so it can be visible. Another way to find blood, semen, and saliva is to use the
Alternate Light Source or known as the ALS. It has lights of different wave lengths, and to
determine biology fluids 415-500amps of light that we cannot see with the naked eye. What this

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machine does is that it shines light on the object and by using a filter on a camera or eye
protection. The evidence will filter out all light except from the item that is florescent. ALS has
to be used in darkness and on dark colors you use different wave lengths. Blood does not
florescent under the light but semen, saliva, sweat, and urine florescent more under the light. To
test DNA, you get a swab and try to get a blood sample then add pentothal and hydrogen
peroxides and if it turns a bright pink then it is blood. Another test is the hemin trace test which
detects human specific test, it looks like a pregnancy test. You take the blood and add it to a
buffer, and then add it to the card, you put a couple of drop in. if there is are two lines then it is a
positive reaction and one line it is a negative reaction. To detect semen, you use the asphalting
test, take a swab of the evidence and put a couple of drop of the asphalt, the test only takes about
30 seconds and if you see a pink to purple color then you are dealing with semen. Another way
to do this test is to cut piece of the fabric and put the drops on it and see if it has a pink or purple
reaction. This method is more effective because you are getting it from the direct source.
Another test is the P-30 test; it is similar to the hemin trace test which is a cartage that looks like
a pregnancy test. You get a small piece of the evidence and place it into a tube and add a buffer.
After thats done insert into a vortex to shake it up. The color might change, put a few drops into
the cartage and if there are two lines then it is a positive reaction and one line it is a negative
reaction. Or instead of putting the liquid in the cartage, you can put it in a test tube and add a
couple of drops and if it turns a dark pink or purple then semen is detected.

What is the CSI effect doing to the society?

The CSI effect is affecting the forensic science programs around the world. Many
people are joining forensic science thinking it is going to be like the television show of crime

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scene investigation but both thing are different in so many ways. One of the things that stood out
was the primary source. For the primary source I conducted a survey. One of the questions stood
out from the rest. It was the one that ask what is forensic science. It shocked me that tons people
thought that forensic science was a television show. One person even wrote on the paper CSI.
This CSI effect that is happening is affecting the society point of view of forensic science.
National Research council (2009) explains that the CSI effect focus more on the police
forensic evidence investigation. The fictional characters in these dramas often present and
unrealistic portrayal of the daily operations of a crime scene investigation and Crime laboratory.
The CSI effect specifically refers to the real life consequences of exposure to Hollywood version
of law and order. The CSI effect is changing the manner in which forensic evidence is presented
in court. The true effect of the popularization of forensic science disciplines will not be fully
understood for some time but it is apparent that it has increases pleasure and attention for the
forensic science community in the use and interpretation of evidence in the courtroom. (Pg.4849) Goldstein explains that forensic science differs from CSI: crime scene investigation and the
disciplines of the profession. Given the popularity of television programs like CSI: Crime Scene
Investigation and its spin-offs, most Americans have heard the term forensic science^ But
despite what its singular name implies, forensic science actually refers to a range of disciplines,
each with its own practices and culture. (pg.2) Weaver claims that the result results of a study of
forensic science students regarding the forensic-related television programs they watch, such as
CSI and show the students in university the real program of a forensic science profession.
Although the so-called CSI eect has received attention in the literature for the inuence of
forensic science television on jurors expectations of evidence admitted into trials, less research
explores the inuence of such television programs on university students enrolled in forensic

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science degrees. (pg.1) Researchers have also raise concerns over whether television programs
may have an adverse effect on forensic science student. students may have unrealistic
expectations of the course, if not for the career as well. undergraduates may be motivated to
study forensic science because of CSI like programs and this provides the educators to develop
resources to enhance the understanding of the basic principle of science and critical thinking.
(pg.2) Schweitzer (2007) reported that the television program about forensic science is
exaggerating and giving the audience a wrong expectation about the real forensic science. the
television program CSI is accused of having a variety of effects on American society. CSI has
raised the public's expectations for the kind of forensic science evidence that could and should be
offered at trials to such heights that jurors are disappointed by the real evidence with which they
are presented. (pg.3) CSI has fooled the public into thinking that forensic science is far more
effective and accurate than it actually is. CSI Effect" helps the prosecution or the defense, the
commentators seem to agree on one thing: that CSI is convincing the public that forensic science
not only is science, but it is super science. (pg.3)
Conclusion
In the literature review, forensic science uses different types of field and evidence to
prove if the criminal is guilty or innocent. The main purpose of this literature review was to
make the audience will get a better understanding of the forensic science field. Forensic science
helps solve the crime and convict the criminal. They conduct multiple of test and analyses. The
main purpose is to inform students or adults about the field of forensic science and get them
interested in the career. The questions that were answered were: what can each field of forensic
science does, the types of physical evidence can be found at a crime scene, if blood, sperm or
semen be detected on an item of clothing or objects and why is the CSI effect doing to the

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society? Forensic science is actually a really cool field to be studying and get to understand
better. Forensic science is not just working with DNA, it consists of other methods and test to
actually find out how the person died and see how did the crime.

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References

Brouardel, D. P. C. H. (2016). What do forensic scientists do? Retrieved from

http://www.aafs.org/students/choosing-a-career/what-do-forensic-scientists-do/
Carroll, K. M. (2014). Forensic science and crime scene investigation. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FxKwmq5HJw
Goldstein, R. M. Improving forensic science through state oversight.
Inman, K., & Rudin, N. (2001). Principles and practice of criminalistics: The profession of
forensic science. Boca Raton, Fla.: CRC Press. Retrieved from http://www.loc.gov/catdir/
enhancements/fy0646/00034316-d.html
National Research Council, National Research Council, & National Research Council. (2009).
Strengthening forensic science in the united states: A path forward. Washington, D.C.:
National Academies Press.
Saferstein, R. (1995). Criminalistics: An introduction to forensic science (5th ed.). Englewood
Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall.
Schweitzer, N. J., & Saks, M. J. (2007). The csi effect: Popular fiction about forensic science
affects the public's expectations about real forensic science. Jurimetrics, 47(3), 357-364.
Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/29762978
Weaver, R., Salamonson, Y., Koch, J., & Porter, G. The CSI effect at university: Forensic
science students television viewing and perceptions of ethical issues.
Yacine, N., & Fellag, R. (Eds.). (2012). Forensic science. New York: Nova Science Publishers.