Research Report Part 2

Running head: RESEARCH REPORT TOPIC OUTLINE

RESEARCH REPORT TOPIC OUTLINE 5

Research report topic outline

Name of student

Course

Name of professor

Date of submission

Part 1A

Real or physical evidence

Physical evidence refers to anything that can be used as prove to a crime that happened and is connected to the criminal. Some examples of physical evidence include a knife that has blood on it, shoe impression, fingerprints, DNA, weapons, documents or glass. Real evidence describes evidence that is tangible and is often used interchangeably with physical evidence.

It is used to describe the items that are collected as prove arguments at a trial or hearing. Physical evidence has a wide variety of issues. This research report will focus on exploring fingerprints and DNA as aspects of physical evidence. The report will also examine the strategies, advancements and innovations in the criminal evidence regarding to fingerprints and DNA.

A search for fingerprints is usually done on a body before it is moved to the mortuary since it is also a source of physical evidence. The technology used in collecting the fingerprints and analyzing them has been refined from one decade to the other. Fingerprints are necessary as individualizing evidence since they can link an individual to crime due to their uniqueness. There are no people who have the same fingerprints.

Identification is made when a fingerprint from a crime scene is linked to another one from a suspect or a database. DNA is a new technology that allows the crime investigators to match the biological samples acquired from a crime scene to a criminal. DNA evidence is admissible in court and therefore is frequently used. The evidence is linked to DNA profiles of offenders through national, state and local DNA databases known as the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS).

Part 1B- Tier 1

Selected topic name

Real or physical evidence

Definition of key terms

Physical evidence -Involves objects that are found at the scene of a crime.

Real evidence-Describes evidence that is tangible and is often used interchangeably with physical evidence

Fingerprints- used as individualizing evidence since they can link an individual to crime due to their uniqueness.

DNA-A new technology that allows the crime investigators to match the biological samples acquired from a crime scene to a criminal.

Crime scene-A place that is under investigation because a crime took place at that location

A criminal-An individual who is guilty of a crime

History

During the late 1980’s and early 90’s, States started passing laws that required offenders convicted of several offenses to give their DNA samples. The DNA samples could be used to identify the criminal and their link with the offense they have been convicted of committing. Currently, all States and federal government have passed laws that require the provision of DNA samples for some categories of criminals. Fingerprint identification was developed for offender’s record keeping. It was developed to facilitate the storage and the retrieval of criminal histories of offenders by the State.

Current strategies

All the aspects of the criminal justice system have computer programs that are associated with the work of law enforcement ranging from DNA testing to collection of fingerprints. The number of electronic systems that are now available to make the criminal justice work more effective is growing rapidly. Criminals are also using some of these technologies; therefore the professionals in law enforcement need to remain a step ahead in technology to fight unlawful usage.

Current and/or pending advancements and/or innovations

The database systems test and profile DNA, fingerprints and they also offer crime mapping programs. This technology has allowed professionals in the criminal justice to find information and exchange easily and cheaply between them. Fingerprinting is more advanced due to the presence of image enhancements that makes the prints clearer. There are biometric tools that efficiently analyze the fingerprints and also the professionals have portable tools that are allowing them take prints in the field.

Recommended advancements and/or innovations

Research and development equipments that will allow crime laboratories to conduct DNA analysis quickly to ensure the timely analysis of samples for a less cost. This will reduce the capital investment for the crime laboratories while raising their capacity to process more cases. There is also need to improve technology in order to be able to examine very small traces collected from the crime scene. Another recommendation is for DNA portable labs that can be taken to crime scenes and test multiple samples at a low cost and with immediate results.

Justification for recommendations

Technology recommendations will ensure that all the innocent suspects have been eliminated from criminal investigations. DNA samples take a period of time before they are processed; there is need for immediate results to avoid the long wait that causes backlogs of cases in the courts.

Plausibility and logistics of the implementation of recommendations

The use of DNA and fingerprints can be improved by providing funds to the criminal justice system and the governments assisting to ensure that technology realizes its full potential in solving crimes. Also, to clear the pending backlogs of DNA samples for serious crimes, the criminal justice needs funding to improve the capacity of crime laboratories.

Anticipated impact of implementation of recommendations in regards to the collection and utilization of criminal evidence in the criminal justice system

Implementation of the recommendations will help solve crimes and prevent some of the Nation’s serious violent crimes from happening again. Suspects will be cleared and the persons accused mistakenly and convicted will be exonerated, and there will be increased accuracy and fairness in law enforcement.

Tier 2

Dangers posed by genetic identification and wrongful convictions have been associated with deep causes that are more than the choice of a specific identification technology. The criminal justice avoidance to be surprised by the available new technologies that are rapidly approaching can be an occasion for investigating more on the causes that continues to make the criminal justice system error-prone. Fingerprints and DNA are some of the most used items in the physical evidence. They help the crime investigators to easily know the perpetrators of a crime. The fingerprints are collected and then matched to a DNA profile that is easily found on the State’s computer database. Physical evidence that has been tampered with is inadmissible in court.

References

Allen, C., Taylor, C., & Nairns, J. (2015). Practical guide to evidence. Routledge.

Bachman, R., & Schutt, R. K. (2013). The practice of research in criminology and criminal justice. Sage.

Cole, G. F., Smith, C. E., & DeJong, C. (2015). The American system of criminal justice. Nelson Education.

Eck, J. E., & Weisburd, D. L. (2015). Crime places in crime theory. Crime and place: Crime prevention studies, 4.

Erol-Kantarci, M., & Mouftah, H. T. (2013). Smart grid forensic science: applications, challenges, and open issues. IEEE Communications Magazine, 51(1), 68-74.

Garland, N. M. (2015). Criminal evidence (7th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.

Murphy, E. (2013). Mismatch between Twenty-First-Century Forensic Evidence and Our Antiquated Criminal Justice System, The. S. Cal. L. Rev., 87, 633.

Neubauer, D. W., & Fradella, H. F. (2015). America's courts and the criminal justice system. Cengage Learning.

Siegel, L. J., & Worrall, J. L. (2013). Introduction to criminal justice. Nelson Education.

SwaSwanson, C. R., Chamelin, N. C., Territo, L., & Taylor, R. W. (2012). Criminal investigation (11th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.