NCJ Number
19968
Date Published
1975
Length
143 pages
Annotation
THIS ANALYSIS ADDRESSES THE TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY AND POTENTIAL UTILITY OF ADVANCED FORENSIC SCIENCE CAPABILITIES IN SOLVING THE MAJOR CRIMES OF MURDER, RAPE, BURGLARY, ASSAULT, ROBBERY, AND LARCENY.
Abstract
THIS INCLUDED METHODS TO IDENTIFY PHYSICAL EVIDENCE SUCH AS FINGERPRINTS, HAIR, BODY FLUIDS, PAINT, GLASS, SOIL, METAL, FIBERS, AND TOOL MARKS. A BRIEF REVIEW OF PRESENT AND PROPOSED INDIVIDUALIZATION TECHNIQUES HIGHLIGHTS THE PRESENT LACK OF EFFECTIVE CAPABILITIES IN THIS AREA, AND RESERCH PROGRAMS AND ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY WHICH COULD PERMIT THIS EVIDENCE TO BE PRECISELY INDIVIDUALIZED ON A ROUTINE BASIS BY CRIME LABORATORIES. THE POTENTIAL UTILITY OF ADVANCED FORENSIC CAPABILITIES TO INCREASE CONVICTION RATES AND REDUCE OVERALL CRIME RATES FOR THE FREQUENTLY COMMITTED CRIME OF BURGLARY WAS CALCULATED. THE CALCULATIONS, BASED ON MODELS OF THE EVIDENCE UTILIZATION PROCESS AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, INDICATE THAT WIDESPREAD ADOPTION OF MANY OF THE ADVANCED SYSTEMS COULD REDUCE BURGLARY LOSSES BY BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OVER THE NEXT DECADE. A CONCLUSION OF THE ANALYSIS IS THAT SAVINGS FOR THIS MAJOR CRIME ALONE WARRANTS FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF PROJECTED ADVANCED CAPABILITIES INTO PRACTICAL SYSTEMS FOR WIDESPREAD IMPLEMENTATION. LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS OF INTRODUCING ADVANCED CAPABILITIES ARE ALSO REVIEWED. A LIMITED SURVEY WAS ALSO CONDUCTED OF JUDGES AND PROSECUTORS TO DETERMINE RELATIVE PREFERENCE FOR THE VARIOUS ADVANCED FORENSIC CAPABILITIES. THE RESULTS OF THIS ANALYSIS CAN BE USED TO DETERMINE PRIORITIES FOR FORENSIC RESEARCH PROGRAMS AS WELL AS TO GUIDE POLICE INVESTIGATORS AND CRIME LABORATORY ADMINISTRATORS IN DETERMINING THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF ADVANCED FORENSIC METHODS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)