PILOT COMPUTERIZED INFRARED DATA FILE FOR FORENSIC SCIENCE LABORATORIES (FROM PROJECT SEARCH - INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE INFORMATION AND STATISTICS SYSTEMS - PROCEEDINGS, 1972, BY COOPER - SEE NCJ-09380)

• NCJ Number: 48311
• Author(s): F G MADRAZO; R ELLIS; E BUNGARO
• Date Published: 1972
• Length: 15 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; Project Search (See Search Group Inc)
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE IMPLEMENTATION AND OPERATION OF A COMMERCIAL DATA FILE SYSTEM ARE DESCRIBED AS THE SYSTEM APPLIES TO THE ANALYTIC PROBLEMS OF FORENSIC SCIENCE LABORATORIES.

Abstract

THE COMPUTERIZED FILES CONSTITUTE A PART OF THE NEW YORK STATE IDENTIFICATION AND INTELLIGENCE SYSTEM (NYSIIS). THE INFRARED SPECTROPHOTOMETER IS A HIGHLY SOPHISTICATED ANALYTICAL INSTRUMENT WHICH MEASURES THE WAVELENGTHS IN THE INFRARED (IR) REGION OF THE LIGHT ENERGY SPECTRUM THAT IS ABSORBED BY A CHEMICAL COMPOUND. IDENTIFICATION OF THE COMPOUND IS MADE THROUGH THE SHAPE OF ABSORPTION BANDS, THEIR WAVELENGTH, AND THEIR INTENSITY. CHEMICAL SAMPLES MAY OCCUR IN THE GASEOUS, LIQUID, OR SOLID STATE. SINCE THE POSSIBLE BANDSHAPES ARE VIRTUALLY INFINITE AND THE MATERIALS FOUND IN A FORENSIC LABORATORY EXTREMELY DIVERSE, MANUAL SEARCH DESIGNED TO COMPARE THE UNKNOWN SAMPLE WITH A KNOWN SAMPLE IS PRACTICALLY IMPOSSIBLE. UTILIZATION OF A COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM NOT ONLY INCREASES OVERALL EFFICIENCY OF AN INDIVIDUAL IR ANALYSIS, BUT MAKES POSSIBLE THE IDENTIFICATION OF PREVIOUSLY UNIDENTIFABLE COMPOUNDS WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF AN INDIVIDUAL LABORATORY'S OPERATIONS. THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED FOR ONLINE INTERACTIVE USE. SEVERAL METHODS WERE EMPLOYED FOR ATTACHING TERMINALS TO THE SYSTEM. THESE INCLUDED THE DIRECT WIRE METHOD, THE DIAL DATA SET, AND THE DIRECT WIRE DATA SET. AT THE TIME OF THIS WRITING, THE PROGRAM WAS AVAILABLE TO ONLY ONE LABORATORY AT A TIME, BUT PROGRAMMING CHANGES TO PERMIT SIMULATANEOUS USE WERE BEING UNDERTAKEN. THE FILE AND PROGRAM COST WAS $2,500, AND TERMINAL SPECIFICATION; MONTHLY COMMUNICATION COSTS ARE ALSO LISTED. THE PROGRAM WAS USED FOR IDENTIFYING POISONS, EXPLOSIVES, NARCOTICS, PAINTS, DYES, PIGMENTS, AND POLYMERS. ON THE BASIS OF PILOT TESTING, IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE SYSTEM IS SIMPLE AND FAST, AND THAT IT PROVIDES READY ACCESS TO FILES. THE SYSTEM, THEREFORE, IS OF DEFINITE VALUE IN IR DATA INTERPRETATION, PARTICULARLY IN THE TYPE OF IDENTIFICATION REQUIRED FOR NEW OR UNKNOWN SUBSTANCES. ADDITIONAL MATERIALS ARE PROVIDED ON THE SYSTEM CONFIGURATION AND THE SEARCH PROGRAM. A FLOW CHART OF THE IDENTIFICTION PROCESS IS CONCLUDED ALONG WITH SPECTROPHOTOMETER SCHEMATICS AND A SAMPLE SPECTRUM. REFERENCES ARE ALSO INCLUDED. (JAP)