Week 13

Instrumentation

Lesson Objectives: After the lesson and interactive discussions, the students will be

able to:

1. Understand the importance of instrumentation in criminal justice system.

2. Draw a conclusion why is instrumentation significant in crime solution;

3. Understand the purpose of instrumentation specialized crime investigation in the

solution of crime.

4. Understand the proper method of the instrumentation as applied to specialized crime

investigation.

What is Instrumentation?

Instrumentation is the application of instruments and methods of physical sciences in

the investigation and detection of criminal such as:

Ballistic

Dactyloscopy

Chemistry

Polygraphy,

Forensic Identification of Physical evidence and others

Such application of instruments and methods of physical sciences in the investigation

and detection of crimimal is otherwise known as criminalistics.

Forensic Ballistics

The term ballistics refers to the science of the travel of a projectile in flight. The flight

path of a bullet includes: travel down the barrel, path through the air and path through a

target.

What is Forensic Ballistics?

Forensic ballistics is the science of analyzing firearm usage in crimes. Forensic ballistics

involves analysis of bullets and bullet impacts to determine the type. Separately from

the ballistics information, firearm and tool mark examinations also involve analyzing

firearm, ammunition, and tool mark evidence in order to establish whether a certain

firearm or tool was used in the commission of a crime.

Forensic Ballistics or otherwise known as Firearm Identification is a discipline of forensic

which is concerned with the determination of whether a bullet, cartridge case or

ammunition component was fired in a particular firearm.

Firearm Identification is a comparative examination, where the ammunition components

of unknown origin (recovered from the crime scene of in the body of the victim) are

compared with bullets, cartridge cases, and by test firing the firearms of the suspect.

The known and unknown items are compared microscopically using a bullet comparator

microscope.
This modern method of crime detection and identification determines whether the bullet

extracted from the body of the victim or recovered from the crime scene came from a

firearm allegedly fired by the suspect.

Forensic Dactyloscopy

What is Forensic Dactyloscopy?

In very simple terms, Forensic Dactyloscopy means the scientific investigation of

fingerprints and toe or foot prints to identify the owner. The prints are most commonly

used as a method of identifying criminals. This type of scientific evidence is often

produced and explained by expert witnesses in criminal trials. However, there are

several purposes for collecting and recording individual's prints but they are all related in

one way or another with providing proof of identity

Dactyloscopy is the identification of a person through the examination and comparison

of fingerprints. It is also known as the Classification of fingerprints. Fingerprint is the

reproduction on some smooth surfaces of the pattern or design formed by ridges on the

inside of the end joint of the fingers and thumbs.

Forensic Chemistry

What is Forensic Chemistry?

Like the other forensic sciences, Forensic Chemistry plays a very important part in the

speedy investigation and in the administration of justice.

Forensic Chemistry is a branch of Chemistry which deals with application of chemical

principles in the solution of legal problems. This Science has an advantage over
extracted confessions, eyewitnesses and other circumstantial evidence. It is regarded

as the highest form of uncontestable and conclusive piece of evidence with the utmost

legal significance. The value of the findings of the Forensic Chemists in convicting the

guilty, as well as in clearing the innocent suspect, is well recognized.

Many different analytical methods may be used to reveal what chemical changes

occurred during an incident, and so help reconstruct the sequence of events. "Forensic

chemistry is unique among chemical sciences in that its research, practice, and

presentation must meet the needs of both the scientific and the legal communities. As

such, forensic chemistry research is applied and derivative by nature and design, and it

emphasizes metrology and validation.

Forensic Polygraphy

Polygraphy, otherwise known as Scientific truth verification, refers to the scientific

method of detecting deception with the use of the polygraph. Polygraph is an instrument

or device capable of recording changes in blood pressure, pulse, respiration and skin

resistane in the physiological phenomena that may be used as bases for the application

of a reliable technique of diagnosing truth of deception. The Polygraph is commonly

called as lie detector; polygraph machine; deceptograph and truth verifier. It is

administered by a trained polygraphist, lie detector specialist, Forensic

psychophysiologist or polygraph examiner by asking questions to the subject

relevant to the case under investigation.

What is Polygraph?

The polygraph is a mechanical means of detecting deception. The polygraph is a

machine that measures physiological responses to psychological phenomenon. The

polygraph records blood pressure, pulse, breathing rate, and electro-dermal reactivity

and changes in these factors when questioned. Interpretation of the resulting chart

serves as the basis for a judgment about truthfulness. Once again, the theory is that a

person experiences increased stress when providing deceptive information and the

corresponding physiological responses can be detected, measured, and interpreted.

While this general theory is well founded, the accuracy of the polygraph depends largely

on the skill of the operator and the individual who interprets the results of the polygraph

examination (Raskin). No one can be forced to take a polygraph and polygraph results

are seldom admissible in court. Often investigators threaten suspects with a polygraph

examination in order to judge the nature of their reaction to it, or to induce a confession.

Forensic Identification of Physical evidence

What is forensic 'identification' of physical evidence?

The ultimate result of the identification is the exclusion of all other substances but one.

When a forensic examiner goes to court with the result of an analysis of a white powder

and reports to the court, for example, that that white powder contains heroin, that

forensic examiner will be as certain as to his or her findings and to the identity of his or

her findings as modern technology will allow one to be. It must be a near absolute

identification and exclude all other substances from consideration.

 Summary

Instrumentation is the use of physical science tools and methodologies in the

investigation and detection of criminal offences. Forensic ballistics is the study of

examining weapon usage in crimes, and it entails analyzing firearm, ammunition, and

tool mark evidence to establish the type of gun used in a crime. Firearm identification is

a comparison of

ammunition components of unknown provenance with bullets, cartridge casings,

and test firing the suspect's weapons. Both are used to establish whether a bullet was

retrieved from the victim's body or is a modern way of crime detection and identification.

Forensic Dactyloscopy is the scientific investigation of fingerprints and toe or foot

prints to identify the owner of a person. Fingerprint is the reproduction on some smooth

surfaces of the pattern or design formed by ridges on the inside of the end joint of the

fingers and thumbs. Forensic Chemistry is a branch of Chemistry which deals with

application of chemical principles

in the solution of legal problems. It is regarded as the highest form of

uncontestable and conclusive evidence with the utmost legal significance. Forensic

Chemists are responsible for convicting the guilty and clearing the innocent suspect.
 Forensic research is applied and derivative by nature and design, and it

emphasizes metrology and validation. Polygraphy is a scientific method of detecting

deception with the use of the polygraph, which is an instrument or device capable of

recording changes in blood pressure, pulse, respiration and skin resistane. It is

administered by a trained polygraphist, lie

detector specialist, Forensic psychophysiologist or polygraph examiner.

Polygraph examination is a mechanical means of detecting deception and is used to

measure physiological responses to psychological phenomenon. The accuracy of the

polygraph depends on the skill of the operator and the individual who interprets the

results. Forensic identification of physical evidence is the final result of the identification

and exclusion of all other substances.

Q and A

1. What is forensic ballistics?

 A. study of examining weapon usage in crimes, and it entails analyzing firearm,

ammunition, and tool mark evidence to establish the type of gun used in a crime

B. The use of physical science tools and methodologies in the investigation and

detection of criminal offences

 C. The scientific investigation of fingerprints and toe or foot prints to identify the

owner of a person

D. A branch of Chemistry which deals with application of chemical principles in the

solution of legal problems

2. What is instrumentation in forensic science?

A. The study of examining weapon usage in crimes

B. A branch of Chemistry which deals with application of chemical principles in the

solution of legal problems

C. The use of physical science tools and methodologies in the investigation and

detection of criminal offences

 D. The scientific investigation of fingerprints and toe or foot prints to identify the

owner of a person

3. What is forensic dactyloscopy?

A. The use of physical science tools and methodologies in the investigation and

detection of criminal offenses

B. The study of examining weapon usage in crimes, and it entails analyzing firearm,

ammunition, and tool mark evidence to establish the type of gun used in a crime

C. The scientific investigation of fingerprints and toe or foot prints to identify the

owner of a person
 D. A branch of Chemistry which deals with application of chemical principles in the

solution of legal problems

4. What is the purpose of forensic chemistry?

A. To apply chemical principles in the solution of legal problems

B. To identify the owner of a person through fingerprints and toe or foot prints

C. To investigate and detect criminal offences

D. To establish the type of gun used in a crime

5. What is a polygraph?

A. A scientific method of detecting deception

B. A mechanical means of detecting deception

C. A device used to identify the owner of a person through fingerprints and toe or foot

prints

D. An instrument or device capable of recording changes in blood pressure, pulse,

respiration and skin resistance

6. What is a polygraph?

   A. A machine that measures physiological responses to psychological phenomenon

   B. A machine that measures psychological responses to physiological phenomenon

 C. A machine that measures only blood pressure

 D. A machine that measures only breathing rate

7. What physiological responses does the polygraph measure?*

A. Blood pressure, pulse, breathing rate, and electro-dermal reactivity

B. Blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, and electro-muscular activity

C. Body temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and electro-dermal reactivity

D. Blood pressure, pulse, breathing rate, and electro-muscular activity

8. What is the basis for interpreting polygraph results?

A. The skill of the operator who administers the polygraph

B. Physiological responses that occur when a person provides deceptive information

C. Psychological responses that occur when a person provides deceptive information

D. Physiological responses that occur when a person provides truthful information

9. Why are polygraph results seldom admissible in court?

A. Because the accuracy of the polygraph depends largely on the skill of the operator

and the individual who interprets the results

 B. Because the polygraph only measures psychological responses

C. Because the physiological responses measured by the polygraph are not reliable

indicators of deception

D. Because people can choose to manipulate their physiological responses during a

polygraph exam

10. What is the ultimate result of forensic identification of physical evidence?

A. The identification of two or more substances that may be present

B. The identification of the most likely substance present

C. The identification of all possible substances present

D. The exclusion of all other substances but one