Sometimes the forensics techniques taught in classes and workshops, or the tools or equipment at an examiner’s disposal simply won’t work given the specifics of the crime scene. In such cases crime scene officers must try to think outside the box. This is how improvised forensics tools are developed. One example of an improvised tool is the Blue Light Special which was developed in 1994. At that time the only lights available to view semen, urine, and saliva samples at the crime scene were too large and too expensive to be used on field work. The blue light special fits on the head of a flashlight and has an amber viewing shield with a 455 nm blue filter included with the unit allows you to see semen, urine, and saliva stains right at the scene. Without such a portable light, you would have to collect everything at a scene that might possibly contain evidence. By identifying the evidence at the scene, you have the advantage of knowing what needs to be packaged and processed right away. Another improvised tool was developed when a crime scene officer needed to take pictures of a crime scene from a bird’s eye view but too far in overgrown woods to call in a truck. So he rigged a camera to the end of a pvc pipe. This is now called the Eagle-eye pole. A recent improvised tool is used to look for dust footprints on the floor. Normally a crime scene officer would have to hold a flashlight near the floor but this can be very uncomfortable. So one person attached a small light to the end of a broomstick on a 45 degree angle therefor the officer does not need to get so close to the floor to look for footprints.
This article relates to forensics scientist because the improvised tools mentioned in the article can be used by any crime scene officer. These tools are developed to try to make it easier for crime scene officers to find evidence at a crime scene.
This article was well written but the article just jumped from tool to tool. The tools were not connected at all except for the fact that they all where improvised.
3 comments:
The first aspect of this review that I found interesting was how Jake explained how improvised forensic tools were developed. Another aspect I liked it how he gave an example of one of those tools. It was a good idea to talk about the Blue Light Special and how it came to be because of a need for a smaller, less expensive tool. Another aspect I liked was how he talked about the Eagle-eye pole and how it was created to get bird’s eye views of the crime scene.
This review was really good but it could have been made better by a few more examples. While Jake did include a few, it would have been nice to know a few more tools. Also, this review could have been made better if there was a little more information on the history, such as inventions, how decided to change things, and so on.
This article taught me something that I did not know before. I did not know that people were constantly changing how forensic procedures are carried out to better fit todays needs.
I liked that he explained the importance of the methods by telling about how all of them could be used at crime scenes exactly how the new methods were superior to the old ones. It helped me understand what the point of developing these improvised methods was. I thought that he summarized the article well, making it interesting and including most of the important points. I also liked that he included stories about how the methods were invented. They were interesting and enjoyable.
I thought that the critical part could have included more details about what the article could have done better. That part of the article was very short and not too interesting. There was also nothing about how the article is important to the world, only how it related to forensics
I was impressed by the fact that twenty years ago they had to bring evidence to a lab to see fluid. That must have been a ridiculous amount of work.
I thought Jake did a very good job in describing the new forensics tools were created. He also did a good job in describing the specifics of the tools. He summarized the importance of the creation of new forensics tools, such as the Blue Light Special, which was developed due to the need of a less expensive and smaller tool. I also like how he included the importance of each tool and how they can be used at a crime scene.
This summary could have been better if it included more example of the origins of forensic tools and how they have been altered over time. He could have also included how these tools are used in the world today.
Overall, I thought that this was a very well written summary. I learned many things I was not aware of before. I had no idea that forensic tools were constantly being altered and the amount of new tools being created.
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