| Author | Message | ||
     natasha kay |
I am only 11 and would like to get into phorensic science i have a friend and she is interested aswell if you could tell me more then that would be very appreciated thank you my email is mush10@hotmail.co.uk natasha and daisy | ||
| Ernie Hamm |
Jury, Thanks for your kind words. They are appreciated. I recently saw a TV commercial and to paraphrase their words (with slight change), "To accumulate data is knowledge, to share knowledge is professional". Your question on the crime scene markers brought out some curiosity. We have been using and accepting these devices for years, but their actual introduction is not clearly defined in the literature. Could be a future Minutiae project? I am glad you enjoy Minutiae. If you are just receiving 'second hand' issues, you can register for your own copy through info@redwop.com. By the way, we are getting ready to launch a new service through the website. It is a reference index file and will be explain in the next issue of Minutiae as follows: "Have you ever wondered if it is possible to get latent prints from an onion, tree bark or banana leaf? Are you trying to remember the information on an article written by a particular person, but you remember only the name and not the source of the article? Well, these are subjects that the reference index file can give you some information. And yes, latent prints have been developed on the mentioned objects. The reference index file is a listing of over 2,000 articles, papers and presentations on varying topics in the area of forensics, but primarily in latent print and track evidence. The listings are from the professional journals of the International Association of Identification, The Fingerprint Society, American Academy of Forensic Sciences, Canadian Identification Society, Forensic Science Society and Information Bulletin for Shoeprint/Toolmark Examiners. These are organizations that the editor has been associated with for a number of years, starting with the IAI in 1971. The reference index file also has various unpublished papers and miscellaneous articles that have forensic interest of some sort. I started the file many years ago when I was selected to serve on the Editorial Review Board of the newly created IAI 'Journal of Forensic Identification' that replaced 'Identification News'. It was important in reviewing proposed articles to be cognizant of previously published material in the same area. The current index file, which is periodically updated, provides the title of the article, the author(s), source of information (journal, paper, presentation, etc.) and a brief comment about the material if an explanation may be necessary. An example of a listing is: "'The Rust of the Story', Ernest D. Hamm, Fingerprint Whorld (Brit.), 13:49 (1987), Comment: Latent destroyed by rusting action on weapon". The title is a bit vague, but the comment gives some explanation about the article's content. You will be able to search the file online for information on a particular subject. This is only a listing, not a source for the article itself. We will only be able to tell where to locate an article, which may be in your own agency's archives once you know in what journal to look." Once you have the source you can use other avenues, such as the software offered by the IAI which does has the articles from their publication in a format that can be downloaded. BTW, this software was developed by Onin's own 'webservant' (I think there are several, but I am referring to Number One) I am pleased to be of assistance. Keep the probing questions coming and we can all learn or get directions to learn. Ernie | ||
| jury |
Thanks for your time Ernie. You know i learned a lot reading your articles in the Minutiae, and messages you posted in this site. By the way, I am from the philippines, teaching in college of criminology. I received some of the issues of the minutiae and enjoyed reading it. This thought of asking the origin of the use of evidence locators just came in my mind when i research on crime scene photography. Thanks, hope you could give more. jury | ||
| Ernie Hamm |
I take it you are referring to the 'location markers' used in scene photographs to indicate points of interest, such as evidence, markings, stains, etc.. This is an interesting question. The use of location markers is associated with crime scene documentation through photography. While photography in crime scenes has been used for many, many years, it seems that these markers were not being used as early as the camera. 'Photographic Evidence' (Charles C. Scott-1942),'Photography in Law Enforcement' (Kodak-1948) and 'Police and Crime Photography' (Burt Murphy-1960) make no mention of such markers nor do any appear in their illustrations. However, in 'Modern Criminal Investigation' (Harry Sodermann and John J. O'Connell-1935), there is a footnote on page 96, just a footnote mind you, that "The prosecutor,Muhl, in Danzig, who is also chief of the criminal investigation department of the Free State, has invented a practical device o mark important spots on photographs. Small arrows of iron plate, black or white, with corresponding black or white ciphers, are used for this purpose. The arrows are fastened to a thin steel rod, which may either be inserted in the soil or placed in a stand.". | ||
| jury |
When was these evidence markers firstly used in the crime scene investigation? Thanks. |
