NCJ Number
88292
Date Published
1982
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This chapter provides an overview of the criminalistics function in police services, with particular emphasis on the basic concepts of physical evidence.
Abstract
Following a brief review of the scope and limitations of criminalistics, about half the chapter is devoted to the basic concepts of physical evidence, including the problem of identity, methods of direct identification of an individual, the direct identification of identity, practical versus absolute identity, associative evidence (indirect identity), relation of probability to physical evidence, class characteristics and similarity, comparison, individuality, rarity, and exchange (transfer of material from one item to another). A section on advancing technology considers progress in serology, the use of live closed circuit television by criminalists to testify at a distant court during actual trial proceedings, and the development of a nationwide computer system to tie every laboratory in the nation together by a computer terminal. A discussion of evidence collection considers processing the crime scene and protection of the crime scene. Remaining topics are the equipment for field operations and determining laboratory needs. Twelve footnotes are listed.