Another powerful tool is growing in prominence in aiding investigations. Familial DNA has already helped solve cases in select areas of the country. With the FBI now formally entering a collaboration, you can bet that its adoption will only continue to increase. Have you considered utilizing this technology in your agency?
Author Archives: Jeff Gurvis
VR for Crime Scenes
Virtual Reality provides many interesting applications across society. As it pertains to crime scene investigations, VR is looked at as a way to recreate the scene in a format that allows investigators to “visit” and analyze the scene without actually entering it. Obviously this dramatically reduces the chance of contamination and increases the availability of the scene to more people for longer periods of time.
https://www.forensicmag.com/article/2018/12/exploring-virtual-reality-forensic-tool
CrimePad helps in multiple homicide case
Ohio BCI lead the investigation into this case that captured national attention. All scenes were processed using CrimePad which proved to be “very helpful” to the investigation.
https://www.forensicmag.com/news/2018/11/authorities-announce-arrests-slaying-8-family-members
Test for age of bloodstains
Bloodstains have much useful information that can used to indicate various components of how an event unfolded. This is a foundational principle of bloodstain pattern analysis. Additionally, the source of blood is a focus of DNA analysis. However, there may be more that can be gleaned from bloodstains. Commonly, when we encounter bloodstains at scenes there may be questions as to when the events occurred or even if the bloodstains were part of a previous event. Now there is some interesting research in helping to determine the age of bloodstains.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180620094835.htm
Using AI and big data for investigations
The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is going to pervade the entire criminal justice arena. From predictive policing, to lead generation, and all sorts of smart searches and queries. Investigations of the future will be aided by AI to provide more efficient and effective resolutions to cases.
https://www.israel21c.org/israeli-lab-uses-ai-and-big-data-to-fight-cyber-crime/
Each camera leaves its own fingerprint
Did you know it might be possible to determine which camera/device was used to take a photograph? This is a very interesting article and possible tool that can be applied along with digital forensic investigations involving social media content.
DNA Phenotyping
Advancements in DNA have gone beyond just matching profiles of unknown samples to knowns. Now actually utilizing the genome to predict physical traits and appearance takes DNA analysis to another level. Within CrimePad, using predictive images of suspects or persons of interest to share with the entire investigative team and the entire department can create a big break in a case.
Mobile access to fingerprint databases
Visionations has been a pioneer in this arena here in the US. Using CrimePad to interface with AFIS systems in the field to generate possible leads while the scene is still being processed has been a vision for a while. Visionations is currently exploring this opportunity with all the major AFIS vendors in the US.
https://www.scotsman.com/news/mobiles-to-offer-crime-scene-access-to-fingerprint-database-1-4433048
OSAC Crime Scene Needs Assessment
The NIST Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) Crime Scene Subcommittee has identified a need where CrimePad already provides the answer….
Sherlock Holmes inspired Forensic Science
Here is a fun article for all those inspired to entire our profession due to this character and author.