The Importance of Trace Evidence - Essay Example

The Importance of Trace Evidence Name Institution The Importance of Trace Evidence Usually, tiny fragments of physical evidence like fibres, odour, semen, hairs, glasses, fabric, Primer residue, chemical compounds, skin, glitter, or feathers found at a crime scene can assist in telling the story of what happened at the scene (Blackledge, 2013). Such evidences are collectively called trace evidence. Usually, they result when a movement or action disburses small particles, or when two dissimilar objects touch (Chaplinsky, 2011). In Australia, trace evidence is at the centre of forensic science. Actually, it has played a vital role in revolutionising forensic science during the recent decades; including during the digital age when x-ray diffraction are used to trace evidence (Rendle, 2003). Some scholars have argued that the significance of forensic evidence varies in terms of their identifying value, where trace evidence is a little downplayed compared to the DNA and fingerprints. At any rate, trace evidence is extremely valuable, as it can help solve crimes that other forms of evidence cannot, such as when there are missing DNA samples (Johnson, 2013). This essay argues that the application of trace evidence forensic science data should be emphasised, and its value upgraded, as it is a crucial source of information within the intelligence framework. This paper examines the importance of trace evidence, as an emerging issue. The Greenough Family Massacre is relied on as a case study for analysis. Case history The Greenough Family Massacre refers to a murder, where a farmhand, who was apparently high on drugs, axed a family to death. In 1993, on February 21, in a small town of Greenough in Western Australia, William Patrick Mitchell hacked Karen MacKenzie and her three children -- Daniel, Katrina and Amara -- to death. Investigators searched the crime scene for evidence but could not find anything that connected the murderer to the killings. However, five weeks later, an opportunity arrived when the investigators started relying on trace evidence (Westaustralianvista.com, 2008). Importance of trace evidence Trace evidence shows what objects were used in commission of a crime, or who was responsible for a crime (Carlton, & Kessler, 2012). As indicated in the case of the Greenough Family Massacre, advertent gathering of materials from the crime scene provided plenty of information regarding the origin of the hair and semen samples, as well as the fact that an axe had been used in the killings. Five weeks after the murders, it is alleged that Gabrielle Croft, a psychiatrist, assisted the police by profiling the murderer and even giving out an address and name. Croft met the leading investigator to the case and gave them important information, such as regarding a fingerprint the investigators had missed (Phillips, 2008). This led the forensics to return to the crime scene to redo the forensic, to search for any solitary fingerprint on the door, toilet. From this, it could be reasoned that the significance of trace evidence within the framework of crime scene investigation should not be downplayed. Indeed, much is learned regarding what happened at the crime scene using trace evidence, including whether a body or material was shifted, as well as the side from which an individual was assaulted. During the investigation in the Greenough Family Massacre, the forensic scientists may have scrutinized the optical, physical, as well as the trace evidence’s chemical properties. As FBI (2015) explains, forensic scientists use a range of tools to seek and make a comparison of samples. They also examine the sources or comparison of each material collected. Trace evidence helps reconstruct the events, or sequence of events, that emanated. While trace evidence has traditionally been used to defend a line of investigation in a court of law, it should be acknowledged that within the principles of forensic science, trace evidence collection begins at the scene (Forensicsciencesimplified.org, 2015). Put differently, the significance of trace evidence is found in its capacity to reconstruct the scene of crime. It also helps reconstruct the series of events that happened at a scene through identification of the various connections between varied cases or, more generally, systematic analysis of the extensive degree criminal phenomena. It is, therefore, a critical information source within the context of intelligence work (Houck, 2003). For instance, while it can help back up the idea that 65 fibres originated from William’s hair, it also provides investigative leads when comparative material are absent. Hence, the significance of incorporating forensic evidence with other aspects of the investigative procedures should be emphasised. It should, therefore, be reasoned that the application of trace evidence forensic science data should be emphasised, and its value upgraded, as it is a crucial source of information within the intelligence framework. Trace evidence serves to link the suspected criminals to materials found at the scene or generally the crime scene (Houck, 2003). Usually, it provides a lead to a certain line of investigation. Additionally, it assists in putting together fragments of investigative puzzles based on which the investigators can understand the direction the perpetrator arrived at, or the tools used by a perpetrator (National Forensic Science Technology Center (NFSTC), 2013). By helping to provide answers to these questions, it can substantially affect the trial's outcome. Above all, such answers can only be found when tiny fragments of evidence are carefully examined. In many cases, the test methods for forensic evidence will call for chemical analysis and require magnification (Houck & Siegel, 2006). This is what happened in the bid to solve the Greenough Family Massacre. In the case, a fundamental piece of evidence that connected William to the murder was a hand lotion he used. It could be reasoned that chemical analysis of the lotion, including the odour, may have been used. Odour also provides samples of trace evidence (Jurczyk-Romanowska, 2010). Trace evidence presents crucial objective and factual information for solving a violent crime. Therefore, they tell a story and assist in re-creating the scene or crime, as well as establishing the sequence of events despite a mission witness (Mosteller, n.d.). In fact, it is based on this reasoning that, trace evidence is known as the ‘silent or mute witness’ (Houck, 2001). In the Greenough Family Massacre, despite the fact there was no witness to testify to the murder, the trace evidence helped to tell the story. For instance, in constructing the crime scene for the Greenough Family Massacre, the investigators were able to establish that William had spent much of the unfortunate day getting high drugs, such as cannabis, amphetamines, and alcohol. The initial indicator of trouble started after Daniel, Karen’s son, heard a car arrive at their house and went out to see, when he was confronted by axe-wielding Mitchell, who beheaded him before heading into the house. He found Karen sleeping in the lounge room and killed her before raping her. Afterwards, William head in Amara and Katrina’s bedroom, and killed them too. For these reasons, when careful analysis of trace evidence is performed, allowing for proper interpretation of physical evidence, the physical evidence may become unfailing and dependable compared to the testimonial evidence. This is since it will make the evidence more factual and objective in nature, compared to the testimonial evidence that is intrinsically subjective. One reason for this is since physical evidence, when compared to the testimonial evidence, is more objective particularly once documented (Almirall, 2013). Trace evidence helps close a case and decide a conviction. Once trace evidence connects an object or a person to a particular crime scene, it makes it convenient to prove the innocence or guilt of a crime (Sharma et al., 2015). Development of such a connection is usually rooted in the identification and comparison of trace evidence (Roux et al, n.d.). Since William had raped his victims, the police may have also used his semen as trace evidence to link William to the crime. Clearly, many details of the investigations have been kept out of public scrutiny, as the court had ruled that the exact way William had killed his victims remain sealed. It may have been the semen, which hammered the last nail into convicting William. In fact, once all the details of the case had been presented, William pleaded guilty to the four counts of murder, including raping them. Evidence presented showed that murderer had also interfered with Ms McKenzie's dead body and even sexually assaulted Amara. At any rate, the samples of trace evidence potentially appear similar. At the same time, the environments from which they are drawn may be complex. These make identification of unique feature and creating a connection difficult (Anon, 2003; Pyrek, 2010). Conclusion As established, the application of trace evidence forensic science data should be emphasised, and its value upgraded, as it is a crucial source of information within the intelligence framework. Trace evidence shows what objects were used in commission of a crime, or who was responsible. Trace evidence helps reconstruct the events, or sequence of events, that emanated. While trace evidence has traditionally been used to defend a line of investigation in a court of law, it should be acknowledged that within the principles of forensic science, trace evidence collection begins at the scene. Trace evidence serves to link the suspected criminals to materials found at the scene or generally the crime scene. Trace evidence presents crucial objective and factual information for solving a violent crime. Therefore, they tell a story and assist in re-creating the scene or crime, as well as establishing the sequence of events despite a mission witness. Trace evidence helps close a case and decide a conviction. Once trace evidence connects an object or a person to a particular crime scene, it makes it convenient to prove the innocence or guilt of a crime. References Almirall, J. (2013). Significance of Elemental Analysis from Trace Evidence. Retrieved from: Anon. (2003). Without a Trace? Advances in Detecting Trace Evidence. NIJ Journal 249, 3-9 Blackledge, B. (2013). Glitter As Forensic Evidence. Retrieved: Carlton, G. H., & Kessler, G. C. (2012). Identifying Trace Evidence from Target-Specific Data Wiping Application Software. Journal of Digital Forensics, Security and Law, 7(2), 113-142 Chaplinsky, J. (2011). Can Forensic Trace Evidence Provide Useful, Timely, and Accurate Intelligence? Retrieved: FBI. (2015). Trace Evidence. Retrieved from: Forensicsciencesimplified.org. (2015). Trace Evidence. Retrieved from: Houck, M. & Siegel, J. (2006). Fundamentals of Forensic Science. New York: Academic Press Houck, M. (2001). Mute Witnesses: Trace Evidence Analysis. New York: Academic Press Houck, M. (2003). Trace Evidence Analysis: More Cases in Forensic Microscopy and Mute Witnesses. New York: Academic Press Johnson, C. (2013). How DNA evidence points to Albert DeSalvo. Retrieved from: Jurczyk-Romanowska, E. (2010). Odour as trace evidence. Journal of Education Culture and Society, 56-68 Mosteller. R. (n.d.). Evidence History, the New Trace Evidence, and Rumblings in the Future of Proof. Ohio State Journal of Criminal Law 3(1), 523-541 National Forensic Science Technology Center (NFSTC). (2013). A Simplified Guide To Trace Evidence. Retrieved: Phillips, Y. (2008). Gift of the Gab. Retrieved from: Pyrek, K. (2010). Forensic Science Under Siege: The Challenges of Forensic Laboratories and the Medico-Legal Investigation System. New York: Academic Press Rendle, D. (2003). X-Ray Diffraction In Forensic Science. The Rigaku Journal 19(2), 11-22 Roux, C., Beavis, A., Benson, S., Braybon, E. et al. (n.d.). Forensic Science in the 21st Century - Will Trace Evidence Ever Reach the Next Level? Retrieved: Sharma, M, Khajja, B., Birwa, T, Srivastava, S. & Mathur, G. (2015). Trace Evidence Crack a Suicide Proved Homicide: A Case Study. Journal of Forensic Research 1(1), 1-5 Westaustralianvista.com. (2008). Greenough Family Massacre: One of the worst crimes in Western Australia. Retrieved: Read More