Mastering Observational Skills in Forensic Investigations

1. Chapter 1 Observational Skills

2. INTRODUCTION • One of the most important tools of the forensic investigator is the ability to observe, interpret, and report observations clearly. • The trained investigator collects all available evidence, without making judgments about its potential importance.

3. What IS OBSERVATION? • Every single moment, we gather information about our surroundings through our senses • We are not aware of all the information our senses gather simply because we can’t pay attention to everything at once! • Paying attention to the details of your surroundings requires a conscious effort.

4. What IS OBSERVATION? • Filtering information, filling in gaps, and applying previous knowledge to new situations are all useful traits……………understanding our limitations is important in forensic science. • Criminal investigations depend on the observation skills of all parties involved – police, investigators, forensic scientist and witnesses.

5. What IS OBSERVATION? • Our perception is limited, the way we view our surroundings may not accurately reflect what is really there. • EX – we will fill in a missing word in a sentence - creamy pink dessert is perceived to be strawberry flavor even though it tastes vanilla

6. How Information is processed in the brain

7. Observations by witnesses • One key component of ANY crime investigation is the observations made by witnesses. • Not surprisingly, the perceptions of witnesses can be faulty (even though the witness is convinced of what he/she saw)

8. Observations by witnesses/Eyewitness Accounts • What influences our observations/eyewitness accounts: • Emotional state (happy, sad, upset) • Anxiety (fear) • Whether you are alone or in a group • Number of people and/or animals in the area • What type of activity is going on around you • How much activity is going on around you • A person’s mannerisms (walk, stand, look, hand gestures) • Familiarity with the scene (home, school, favorite restaurant)

9. The Innocence Project • Created in 1992 • Purpose: to reexamine post-conviction cases (individuals convicted and in prison) using DNA evidence to provide conclusive proof of guilt or innocence • Evaluated 200 wrongful convictions in the US, fount that 87% of the cases resulted from flawed eyewitness testimony.

10. The Innocence Project

11. How to be a good observer • 1. we are not naturally inclined to pay attention to all of the details of our surroundings – make a conscious effort to examine our environment systematically • 2. we are naturally inclined to filter out unimportant information – consciously decide to observe everything, no matter how small, how familiar, our emotions, previous experiences

12. How to be a good observer • 3. we are naturally inclined to interpret what we see, to look for patterns and make connections – gather all available information and do not jump to conclusions • 4. we know ourmemories are faulty – write down and photograph as much as possible

13. Observations in Forensics • 2,000 years ago, crimes were solved by debate. • Today, debating and arguing are NOT forensic science. • Forensic science is strictly concerned with uncovering evidence that stands as fact and reporting this to investigators and possibly to the courts. • Lawyers partake in the more debate and try to convince the jury by constructing a plausible story around these facts.

14. What does a forensic scientist do? • Find, examine, and evaluate evidence from a crime scene and provide expert testimony to courts