Recently in Hair/Fiber Category

 

 

I found a website that discusses fiber and hair evidence analysis.  This article has six different chapters.  The articles are very interesting, it talks about the first time in 1936 that trace evidence was used such as hair and fiber.  It goes on to talk about different cases were hair and fiber evidence were used as evidence.  This article is very insightful.  It gives a lot of detail and information about this topic.  It is also an easy read, which sometimes articles on this topic can be hard to follow.  Towards the end of the article it also talks about different trace evidence that police also can use like glass, dirt, dust seeds and paint.  It goes on to tell the reader how these particular items can lead police to the suspect. My favorite chapter is caught by a hair.  This chapter shows how one piece of hair can make the difference between a case going cold and it going in a new direction.  With this particular case, the hair evidence let police to the killer and a conviction. 

I find it very interesting how such a piece of hair or some dirt can provide so much information for police.  Most killers try to clean up any trace of themselves, but it's hard to notice if a hair fall out or something came off your clothes or shoes.  Without cleaning the room inch for inch, criminals will almost always live some evidence that they were there.  Lucky for us, we can use this trace evidence to find the criminal. 

Here is the website:

http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/criminal_mind/forensics/trace/1.html

 

http://www.centredessciencesdemontreal.com/autopsy/flash.htm

Above is a link to an interactive game called, "Autopsy of a Murder."

After a little introduction to the crime, you will be given 5 pieces of evidence to click on.  Once you click on a piece of evidence, you will be asked to click the answer to which you think is the best accessory to analyze the evidence.  You are given 5 choices: photograph, measurements and diagram of the crime scene, polilight, revealing prints, taking samples.  Once you choose one, it will tell you if it is relevant or not, and if it is, give you more information about your choice.

You will also be given the option of 4 labs (genetics, chemistry, ballistics, or fingerprint) to test your evidence in.  Once you have chosen the correct lab, it will give you a little background information before entering the lab.  If you scroll over the name of the lab, it will give you details as to why each lab is important.  You will then click on all equipment available and learn about it (some equipment have animations, so be on the look out for those).  You can also click on the person in each lab and learn about them (training required, their role, as well as what they do).  If you so chose, there is a the pioneer file where you will learn about a person from history who held that position and read a short snippet about a famous case they worked on.

Though it is not the most exciting game ever, I felt it was very informative and I read a lot about information I hadn't previously known.