DOCUMENTS AND EVIDENCES

MORPHOLOGICAL IDENTIFICATION Facial appearance is important o IDENTIFYING MARKS o Face may be : pale, edematous, with moles, tattoos, scars, pimples

IDENTIFYING MORPHOLOGY Face may be: oval, round, slightly square, or triangular

Height, weight, general stature must be recorded and compared to identify missing persons Clothing, jewellery and other body embellishmenst are vital for police matters IDENTIFICATION MARKERS o Tattoos, surgical scars, congenital deformities, shape of nose, old injuries, warts, other skin blemishes or markings

ESTIMATION OF A PERSONS HEIGHT VIA: o o o Multiply length from vertex of skull to pubic symphysis by 2 Multiply length from suprasternal notch to pubic symphysis by 3 Distance from tips of middle fingers with both shoulders abducted

ESTIMATION OF A PERSONS AGE VIA: o o Radiographic examinations of epiphysis whether it is open for young or close for adult Radiographic examination of tibial tuberosity of knee

7-15 years : still present 19 years and above: close

Radiographic examination of distal radial epiphysis Females: closes at 17 years Males: closes at 19 years

DNA PROFILING

DNA largely determines our physical characteristics. We inherit half of our nuclear DNA from our fathers and half from our mothers, but we receive our entire mitochondrial DNA from our mothers. The basic idea that certain stretches of DNA are believed to be unique to an individual and no one else will have the same DNA along that particular stretch, unless they were identical twin of the person in question. This technique is the most powerful and reliable tool or instrument in the forensic scientists human identification armory. DNA FINGERPRINTING o o A modern available method of identification This test is useless without something to compare it with

MITOCHONDRIAL DNA ANALYSIS o Most readily available from of identification or of DNA analysis

DNA HAIR ANALYSIS o One of the most frequently found forms of biological evidence at a crime scene from the victim and the accused is HAIR Pubic hair from a suspected rapist left on the genitalia of the victim can be used for examination and identification

GENE AMPLIFICATION o Copy making of DNA for the analysis

Live tissue and blood are the best materials, but autopsy samples can be used as long as marked putrefactive changes have not occurred to destroy the chromatin

MICROANALYSIS FOR IDENTIFICATION

ELECTROPHORESIS process of putting a substance in a gel or liquid, applying a positive and negative charge to each end, and forcing components in the substance to migrate across the gel. Commonly used in blood and DNA samples SCPECTROPHOTOMETRY process based on the wave theory of light and the principle that substances selectively absorb certain frequencies and reflects or transmits others. Commonly used in drug samples. CHROMATOGRAPHY process based on Henrys law of equilibrium that volatile compound will have a fixed ratio of molecules escaping and staying. TIME OF ELUTION accounts for the separation of components of molecules. Commonly used for hair and fibers.

MASS SPECTOMETRY combined chromatography and spectrophotometry. ATOMIC ABSORPTION/EMISSION a type of spectrometry that measures the dividing lines between different colors of a spectrum produces by a sample-activated light. Used for confirmatory purposes only. X-RAY DIFFRACTION only works with crystalline samples. HAIR, FIBER, PAINT, GLASS

CORPUS DELICITI
Means the body of crime, but it refers to that body of evidence, not the human body. It is the substance or the foundation of the crime. Two Legal Elements: 1. The Act 2. Criminal Agency of the Act it refers to the accused or the assailant whose criminal act resulted to the death or the injury of the victim. NEW TECHNIQUES IN CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION GROUND PENETRATING RADAR o A short pulse of electro - magnetic energy is transmitted to the ground and if there is an object present in the soil, a characteristic reflection will be received. Usually, a buried object causes alteration in the electrical properties of the soil. The information appears in a monitor showing patterns of pulses. AERIAL RECONNAISSANCE o When a very large area is to be searched, aerial reconnaissance is useful. It is easier to discern a pattern on the landscape from a far distance, than a near distance. A feature visible from above may not be visible on the ground. Aerial photographs taken at different angles are made to exploit the differences in shading that may highlight certain feature. THERMAL IMAGING o Heat lost from disturbed soil is different such as in burial place or grave. Buried body would release more heat than the surrounding area, therefore narrowing the search

MULTISPECTRAL IMAGING o Different materials absorb and reflect different Bands in the electromagnetic spectrum differently

GEOPHYSICAL PROSPECTION o Investigator pushes 2 metal probes into the ground then passes an electrical current between them. Soil resistance is measured in a grave or burial pit Soil resistance is lower than that of surroundings, since the grave is likely to be more moisture retaining than the adjacent areas, and higher if body is wrapped in polythene bag MAGNETOMETRY o Detects local changes in the earths magnetic field. Registers magnetic differences in iron bearing soil o A magneto-meter is a device carried at constant height DOGS o Mans best friend. Used to search live and dead human beings by use of their olfactory ability.

GRAVE EXCAVATION Bodies buried in a field of vegetation, or in the woods are difficult to locate. Footprints and other important marks may be discerned around the grave. A mound of soul is usually present over the grave which becomes compacted later and sinks to become a depression. Decay and collapse of skeletal structure of the body also causes compaction Vigor or Flush Vegetation above the grave site betrays the presence of disturbance. Climbing a tree is likely to reveal such difference

2 THINGS THAT ENCOURAGE GROWTH OF VEGETATION

1. Presence of dead body beneath surface 2. Presence of moisture above the grave

POLYGRAPH One of the most common forensic instruments used in crime investigation is the Lie Detector, the Polygraph. Allegedly detects whether or not a person is lying. However, lie detectors dont really tell if the person is lying, it only tells if the person is agitated or not.

METHODS OF EVIDENCE SEARCHING 1. SINGLE STRIP METHOD Area of the crime scene is likened to a rectangle with four sides. The search team starts in a manner parallel to one side of the rectangle proceeding to the other side of the same 2. DOUBLE STRIP METHOD This is also called the GRID METHOD, Simultaneous search of 2 teams starts from the base and sides of the rectangle 3. CIRCULAR OR SPIRAL METHOD This method of search, proceeds in a manner as to follow a circle or a spiral, either starting from the center towards the periphery or vice versa 4. WHEEL METHOD The search starts from the center of the crime scene, and proceeds outward following the spooks of a wheel 5. ZONE METHOD

The whole area of the crime scene is divided into quadrants or zones, and the search is made in each zone or quadrant

AUTOPSIES An autopsy is performed on the dead:

1. Required by law PD #1575 (Ferdinand Marcos) 2. Upon order by competent court Mayor Provincial or city fiscal

3. Written request of police authorities 4. Whenever solicitor general, provincial or city fiscal shall deem it necessary to disinter and take possession of the remains 5. When nearest kin shall request in writing The person who always performs the autopsy is a physician. Only a registered physician can legally and competently perform an autopsy much less if he is trained and skilled in doing the autopsy. The government doctors can also issue a valid death certificate to facilitate proper burial of the dead

MEMBERS: 1. Go, Rosette Erica R. 2. Wong, Shanna Marie G.

3. De Jesus, Joanne Marie 4. Lim, Karen Kristine M. 5. Hernandez, Angelica F. 6. Velasquez-Kho, Diana Y.