Scientific & Forensic Evidence

Scientific evidence and forensic investigation are linked as the results of forensic investigation are usually presented in court as evidence. Whether in a criminal investigation proving the guilt or innocence of a defendant, or in a civil trial to determine liability, scientific evidence offers challenges to lawyers and judges from a procedural perspective. Typically, the admittance of the evidence requires testimony by an expert and a foundation of scientific methodology that courts accept as standard. Research in this area will often require an examination of resources in the substantive scientific area in addition to the procedural requirements for admitting the evidence. Note also that the use of scientific evidence may have different requirements under state and federal jurisdictions.

Strategies
Use the online catalog to find books in the law library collection. Search terms such as "scientific evidence", even as a phrase will bring up a large number of results with little relation to legal materials. The better strategy is to search for the subject heading "evidence, expert" along with terms that relate to the underlying science, such as "DNA" or "fingerprints." Using these terms as keywords in searches should reduce the number of false hits.

Use the online catalog to find books in the law library collection. Search terms such as "scientific evidence", even as a phrase will bring up a large number of results with little relation to legal materials. The better strategy is to search for the subject heading "evidence, expert" along with terms that relate to the underlying science, such as "DNA" or "fingerprints." Using these terms as keywords in searches should reduce the number of false hits.

Selected Databases
DePaul subscribes to a number of commercial databases where relevant materials can be located through search and browsing. Some of these are sources of commentary while others are sources of primary and historical materials. These are available to DePaul University students, faculty, and staff via links on the Law Library's web site and the A-Z database list at the General Libraries' web site.

Academic Search Premier
Indexes journals in the social sciences, humanities, general science, multicultural studies and education.

AccessScience
Full-text online version of the McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science & Technology. Also includes biographies of scientists, late-breaking science and technology news, learning resources and study guides.

American Chemical Society Publications
Search across the ACS Journal Archives and the current ACS Journal Web Editions.

Applied Science and Technology Abstracts
Indexes journals in the physical, mathematical and computer sciences; with abstracts

ArticleFirst
Indexes periodicals in many academic fields; with abstracts.

Biological Abstracts
Indexes journals in the life sciences.

Biological and Agricultural Index
Indexes journals in biochemistry, biotechnology, ecology, forestry, nutrition and veterinary science.

Books 24x7: ITPro
Search thousands of full text IT handbooks covering programming languages, software, networking, operating systems and more.

Computer Abstracts International
Indexes articles from 200 leading computer science journals. CAI focuses on in-depth, scholarly information.

Computing Reviews
Reviews of current articles and books in computer science from the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM). Includes a ten year-plus archive of reviews and articles, personalized alerts, customized searching and browsing.

EBSCO Host
Indexes journals in many academic fields; with full text and some full-image articles. Choose an individual subject module or multiselect.

Electronic Collections Online
Indexes journals in many academic fields

FirstSearch
Indexes journals in many academic fields; with full text and some full-image articles. Choose an individual subject module or multiselect.

FirstSearch
Online books on forensic science and criminal justice.

General Science Full Text
Indexes journals in the physical and life sciences; with abstracts.

Hein Online
Indexes law reviews and other legal journals; with full-image articles. Primarily historical; coverage varies by title.

IEEE Computer Society Digital Library
Indexes selected IEEE journals, conference proceedings and transactions. Full text available for all articles.

Lecture Notes in Computer Science
The LNCS series reports the latest results from all areas of computer science and information technology research. Titles include both conference proceedings and individual books. DePaul also owns these titles in print.

MEDLINE
Indexes biomedical and life science journals. To simultaneously search MEDLINE (1966-) and OLDMEDLINE (1958-1965), use NLM Gateway.

NLM Gateway
Gateway for simultaneous searching in National Library of Medicine databases: MEDLINE/PubMed, OLDMEDLINE, LOCATORplus, AIDS Meetings, HSR Meetings, HSRProj, MEDLINEplus and DIRLINE.

PDR Electronic Library
The Physicians' Desk Reference offers a range of pharmaceutical databases and Stedman's Medical Dictionary.

PubMed
Indexes biomedical journals from MEDLINE and additional life science journals. Also links to molecular biology databases of DNA/protein sequences and 3-D structure data.

Science Citation Index
Indexes references lists in scientific and technical journals. Recommended for advanced research on where authors and articles have been cited.

ScienceDirect
Indexes journals in science, health and social sciences. DePaul subscribes to a limited amount of the full text in this database; sort titles by Subscribed Journals to see which journals are available online.

Scientific American Archive
Search full-text articles in the Scientific American.

SPIN
Indexes physics and astronomy journals; with abstracts and some full-image articles.

TOXNET
11 databases on toxicology, hazardous chemicals, etc.; includes data (Hazardous Substances Data Bank), literature (TOXLINE) and chemical identification and structure databases (ChemIDplus).

Web of Science
Provides ability to acquire and manage science and scholarly research information via a single point of access. Contains Science Citation Index, Social Sciences Citation Index, and Arts & Humanities Citation Index.

Wilson Select Full Text
Indexes journals in many academic fields.

WorldCat
Catalog of books and materials in libraries worldwide.

Selected Web Sites

Reddy's Forensic Page

Zeno's Forensic Science Site
Website
Zeno's site links to a wide variety of forensic sites, and is considered on of the leading gateway sites to forensic science resources on the Internet. Among the multitude of topics are DNA, Drugs, Explosives, Fingerprints, Firearms, and Toxicology. Zeno's site is commendable in that links are current and working.

Reddy's Forensic Page
Website
A site similar to Zeno's, as a clearinghouse of forensic materials. Created and maintained by Reddy P. Chamakura, a forensic scientist with Police Laboratory, New York City Police Department. This site is considered one of the starting points for research in forensic science.

JUSNET - The Justice Information Technology Network
Website
The National Institute of Justice is the research and development agency of the U.S. Department of Justice. NLECTC is a program of NIJ's Office of Science and Technology. Links to a wide variety of forensic sciences sites.

Crime Scene Investigations

Crime Scene Investigations
Website
Tutorials and links to various aspects of crime scene investigation and evidence collection and preservation materials.

Science and Technology Resources on the Internet
Website
Created by the Gelman Library at the George Washington University, Washington D.C. Materials and links cover a wide variety of forensic science topics.

Arson

Arson and Explosives from ATFOnline
Website
From the Bureau of Tobacco Alcohol and Firearms.

The National Association of Fire Investigators
Website
The site features news and articles relevant to fire investigation.

The Ignitable Liquids Reference Collection
Website
The Ignitable Liquids Reference Collection is a compilation of reference materials used by forensic analysts to conduct fire debris analysis. The ILRC consists of a comprehensive set of physical specimens of ignitable liquids and accompanying characterization data used in the analysis of fire debris samples in accordance with the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) E-1387 and E-1618 standard test methods. (From the description of the database at the site.)

U.S. Fire Administration
Website
Part of FEMA, the organization's site features statistics. news, and technical material on various aspects of arson and fire control.

Chemicals

Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA)
Website
The government site mandates safety standards for workers exposed to chemical and other hazardous substances. The site features links to safety and health topics on various substances and types

DNA

DenverDA.org
Website
From the Denver District Attorney's Office. An extensive archive of DNA information as it relates to evidence and use at trial. Organized by topic with links to relevant opinions from all 50 states. The site also contains commentary via a collection of articles.

DNAResource.com
Website
From The Law Firm Smith Alling Lane. Tracks policy and legislation relevant to the use of DNA by the courts.

Further Resources on DNA
Website
From Eric Martz at the University of Massachusetts. Contains technical information and tutorials on DNA from a scientific context.

Mitochondrial DNA Analysis at the FBI at the FBI Laboratory
Website
Reprinted from Forensic Science Communication, July 1999, Volume 1, Number 2.

Short Tandem Repeat DNA Internet Database
Website
While the use of STRs for genetic mapping and identity testing has become widespread among DNA typing laboratories, there is no single place where information may be found regarding STR systems. This web site is an attempt to bring together the abundant literature on the subject in a cohesive fashion to make future work in this field easier. Facts and sequence information on each STR system, population data, commonly used multiplex STR systems, PCR primers and conditions, and a review of various technologies for analysis of STR alleles have been included in this database. Addresses for scientists and organizations working in this area have also been included as well as a comprehensive reference listing of material on STRs used for DNA typing purposes. (From the Description of the database at the site.)

Drugs

RXList
Website
A database that offers technical and other information about pharmaceuticals. Entries are located by drug name search, including fuzzy search for names that are similar to the search term.

Firearms and Ballistics

FirearmsID.com
Website
An introduction to forensic firearm identification.

Images

The Urbana Atlas of Pathology
Website
From The University of Illinois College of Medicine. The site contains hundreds of images of organs and tissue, organized by anatomic type.

The Internet Pathology Laboratory for Medical Education
Website
From The Florida State University College of Medicine. The site features images, commentary, and tutorials on human anatomy and various health conditions. The topics are far-ranging, from anatomy to various pathologies. Firearms and ballistics are among the topics contained in the mini-tutorials.

Insects (Entomology)

Iowa State Entomology Index of Internet Resources
Website
A directory and search engine for insect-related resources on the Internet. The organization of the site as a portal is by content-type, taxonomic group, and by entomological sub-division. Each heading is further sub-divided into multiple categories. The site also has a keyword search feature.

Insects In Legal Investigation
Website
This site was created in order to assist in the education of crime scene technicians, homicide investigators, coroners, medical examiners, and others involved in the death investigation process. A basic knowledge of what insects of forensic importance look like, and the proper methods for their collection, will allow investigators to make more accurate and representative collections from the death scene. Enhanced knowledge on the behalf of law enforcement officials will provide for better communication between the police and the forensic entomologist. Hopefully, improved communication will promote more frequent use of entomological resources, and more accurate collection of entomological evidence. This will allow forensic entomologists to be more precise in their statements and determinations, particularly in the area of postmortem interval estimations. Those involved in crime scene analysis and the death investigation process are encourgaed to use this site as a reference resource to enhance their investigation efforts. It is impossible to determine when insect evidence my prove useful in a death investigation. Therefore, all law enforcement agencies should assemble a "Entomological Evidence Collection Kit" so that they are prepared in the event entomological evidence is encountered during any crime scene investigation. (From the description located at the site.)

Organizations

The American Academy of Forensic Sciences
Website
This site was created in order to assist in the education of crime scene technicians, homicide investigators, coroners, medical examiners, and others involved in the death investigation process. A basic knowledge of what insects of forensic importance look like, and the proper methods for their collection, will allow investigators to make more accurate and representative collections from the death scene. Enhanced knowledge on the behalf of law enforcement officials will provide for better communication between the police and the forensic entomologist. Hopefully, improved communication will promote more frequent use of entomological resources, and more accurate collection of entomological evidence. This will allow forensic entomologists to be more precise in their statements and determinations, particularly in the area of postmortem interval estimations. Those involved in crime scene analysis and the death investigation process are encourgaed to use this site as a reference resource to enhance their investigation efforts. It is impossible to determine when insect evidence my prove useful in a death investigation. Therefore, all law enforcement agencies should assemble a "Entomological Evidence Collection Kit" so that they are prepared in the event entomological evidence is encountered during any crime scene investigation. (From the description located at the site.)

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Website
The home page for the FBI. Of interest is the FBI Crime Lab, and forensic science resources listed below

The FBI Handbook of Forensic Services (PDF)
Website
The Handbook describes procedures and guidelines for handling, collecting. and submitting evidence to the FBI Crime Lab for analysis.

Forensic Science Communication
Website
A publication of the FBI, with full text of articles organized by issue TOC's. Archives of articles are available back to 1999 starting with Volume 1.

The Forensic Science Service (U.K.)
Website
The Forensic Science Service is an executive agency of the UK Home Office. The site contains faq's and tutorials on various forensic science topics, with an extensive collection of links to other sites.

The National Library of Medicine
Website
Homepage for the NLM. Resources include Medline and PubMed, which are article databases for medical and scientific materials; databases for toxicology and environmental issues; and other information.

Medline and PubMed
Website
PubMed is a service of the National Library of Medicine that includes over 15 million citations from MEDLINE and other life science journals for biomedical articles back to the 1950s. PubMed includes links to full text articles and other related resources.

ToxNET
Website
Searchable database of chemical, toxic, and hazardous materials, with technical information as part of the results.

Drug Information
Website
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginformation.html

Pathology and Forensic Medicine
Website
From the Karolinksa Institute in Sweden. Extensive links to resources in Forensic Medicine and Pathology.

Scientific Evidence

Manual for Scientific Evidence 2nd Edition
Website
Text of the manual as published for use by federal judges. Available through the Federal Judicial Center. The publications link contains other litigation resources.

Selected Texts Available in the Law Library

Meeks, Jeffrey G., Barbarians at the gate [microform] : military rules of evidence 702-705, scientific evidence, and the military judge's gate keeping function under Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals. (1995)
MICR. K46 .H44 003-00101

Goldberg, Richard, Causation and risk in the law of torts : scientific evidence and medicinal product liability. (1999)
K4365 .G65

Imwinkelried, Edward J., The methods of attacking scientific evidence 4th ed. (2004)
KF8961 .I45 2004

Richardson, James R., Modern scientific evidence, civil and criminal : weight and sufficiency : admissibility : objectives of law and science : scientific tests and experiments : specific methods of proof 2d ed. (1974)
KF8961 .R531974

Moriarty, Jane Campbell, Psychological and scientific evidence in criminal trials. (1996)
KF9674 .M67

Reference manual on scientific evidence / Federal Judicial Center. 2nd ed. (2000)
KF8961.A75 R43 2000

Guidotti, Tee L., Science on the witness stand : evaluating scientific evidence in law, adjudication, and policy. (2001)
KF8964 .G85

Scientific and expert evidence / edited by Edward J. Imwinkelried, 2nd ed. (1981)
KF9674 .S351981

Ancheta, Angelo N., Scientific evidence and equal protection of the law (2006)
KF4755 .A96

Scientific evidence in civil and criminal cases / by Andre A. Moenssens ... [et al.], 4th ed. (1995)
KF9674 .M641995

Giannelli, Paul C., Scientific evidence (1999)
KF9660 .G52 1999