Transcript Hair as Evidence

What can it do for us?
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One of the most common pieces of evidence
Burned hair
Hair from a child is examined
for drugs
* Alfred Swaine Taylor and Thomas Stevenson
*1883
*forensic science text that included a chapter
on hair
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Victor Balthazard, professor of forensic
medicine at the Sorbonne, with Marcelle
Lambert (1910)
First comprehensive hair study, Le poil de
l'homme et des animaux.
Rabbit hair
Badger hair
Bat hair
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1910- Murder of Germaine Bichon
Rosella Rousseau confessed only after
confronted with hair as evidence.
Hair found under Bichon’s fingernails.
What are the possible limitations of using hair
as evidence in a crime investigation?
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What are the possible advantages of using
hair evidence?
What reasons might have prevented
investigators from using hair in investigations
before 1910?
What kinds of technology advances have
made it possible for investigators to use hair
as evidence?
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What are the possible advantages of using
hair evidence?
What reasons might have prevented
investigators from using hair in investigations
before 1910?
What kinds of technology advances have
made it possible for investigators to use harir
as evidence?
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What are the possible advantages of using
hair evidence?
What reasons might have prevented
investigators from using hair in investigations
before 1910?
What kinds of technology advances have
made it possible for investigators to use hair
as evidence?
Dr. Sydney Smith, in 1934, first used a
comparison microscope to analysis hairs side by
side.
Helped to solve murder
case.
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Bombard sample with neutrons
Sample spontaneously emits energy
Measure the energy emitted to determine the
presence and amounts of more than 60
elements.
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DNA from root or other cells stuck to follicle
And who has it?
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Warmth
Decrease friction
Protect against sunlight
Act as a sense organ
Compare hair to a pencil.
Composed of:
 Cuticle— overlapping scales;
protects cortex
 Cortex— made of keratin (protein
which makes hair strong and elastic)
and imbedded with pigment; changes
with perms, dyes, etc.
 Medulla—innermost layer; purpose
unknown
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Coronal (crown like)-
scales appear like
stacked cups (ex.
Mouse)
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Spinous (petal -like)
–triangular shaped
scales, often protrude
from the shaft (ex. cat)
ImbricateFlattened, overlapping
scales
(e.g.human)
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Scales point to end of hair.
The end of the hair is the oldest end.
Why is this important?
Medulla Pattern
Description
Continuous
One unbroken line of
color
Interrupted
(Intermittent)
Pigmented line broken
at regular intervals
Fragmented or
Segmented
Pigmented line
unevenly spaced
Solid
Pigmented area filling
both the medulla and
the cortex
None
No separate
pigmentation in the
medulla
Diagram