Transcript Observational Skills

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South-Western / Cengage
Learning © 2009
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Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1
Chapter 1 Observation Skills
By the end of this chapter you will be able to:
 define observation and describe what changes occur in the brain
 describe examples of factors influencing eyewitness accounts of
events
 compare the reliability of eyewitness testimony with what actually
happened
 relate observation skills to their use in forensic science
 practice and improve your observation skills
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Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1
Introduction
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1.
The forensic examiner must be able to find—identify the
evidence.
2.
The forensic examiner must be able to document—record the
evidence.
3.
The forensic examiner must be able to interpret—accurately
determine the significance of the evidence.
What Is Observation?
Our brains can filter out information.
Point out some of the details in this photo.
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Can you answer these questions?
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Write down what you saw in the previous photo.
How many people were in the picture? Males?
Females?
How many had ties on?
Did anyone have socks on?
What was in the background?
Were they standing on the grass?
Describe the background.
***What type of questions got the “best”
answers?
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What Is Observation?
Our brains fill in gaps in our perception.
 In order to make sense of what we perceive, our
brains often enrich with detail what we see,
taste, hear, smell, or feel.
 Our perception is limited. The way we view our
surrounding may not accurately reflect what was
there
 After an event, we can believe things were part
of the background even though they were not.
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Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1
What Is Observation?
Our brains apply previous knowledge to new situations.
What assumptions can you make about this scene? How
might those assumptions be wrong?
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Observations by Witnesses
are affected by:
 Emotional states.
 Whether they were alone, part of a group,
or whether others were in the area.
 What type of and how much activity was
going on around them.
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Questions:
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What was man with blue hat wearing?
What was the blond woman wearing.
How many people in commercial?
What did woman order?
Answers:
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What was man with blue hat wearing? White
shirt and jeans.
What was the blond woman wearing. Bluish
dress.
How many people in commercial? 6
What did woman order? French fries, burger,
and milk shake.
Eyewitness Accounts
 Reports from individuals about crime-scene events
often vary.
 Observations depend on the level of interest, stress,
concentration, and the amount and kind of
distractions present.
 Prejudices, personal beliefs, motives, and any lapse
in time since the occurrence can also have an affect.
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Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1
The Innocence Project
 Barry C. Scheck and Peter J. Neufeld at the
Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, starting in
1992, use DNA to examine post-conviction
cases.
 The project has found that up to 87% of the
wrongful convictions they discovered were due
to faulty eyewitness identifications.
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Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1
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How to be a Good Observer
Observe systematically—
 Start at one part of a crime scene and run
your eyes slowly over every space.
 Slowly look at every part of a piece of
evidence.
 Do not assume that later on you will be
able to remember everything.
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Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1
Are You a Good Eye Witness
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Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1
Questions About Gangster Photo
How many men did you see?
How many guns, if any?
What did you notice about the man on the left?
All of the men?
Where was the photo taken?
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What was happening?
Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1
Correct Answers to Gangster
Photo
How many men did you see? (5)
How many guns, if any? (2)
What did you notice about the man on the left?
(White hat, mustache)
All of the men? (Black suits, bowties, boutonnière and
handkerchief on one with machine gun in bag)
Where was the photo taken? (Arcade)
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Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1
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Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1
Questions:
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How many skateboarders?
What was J-LO wearing?
What was guy that jumps on car wearing?
What does motorcyclist jump over?
Who helps JLo out of car? What were they
wearing?
What color is the car JLo passes?
Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1
Answers:
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How many skateboarders? 3
What was J-LO wearing? Tan shorts and tied
blouse
What was guy that jumps on car wearing?
Black pants and shirt and beige sweater
What does motorcyclist jump over? bus
Who helps JLo out of car? What were they
wearing? African American man(tan jacket) and
dark haired man (vest and blue shirt)
What color is the car JLo passes? (red)
Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1
How to be a Good Observer
Turn off filters—
 Do not pay attention to only what you think
is important.
 On a crime scene you will not know what
will turn out to be important.
 Make a conscious effort to pay attention
to all the details in your surroundings.
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Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1
How to be a Good Observer
Leave the final interpretation of data
until later—
 Do look for patterns and make connections.
 But the more information obtained, the better
will be the interpretations.
 Remember that eyewitness accounts and
your own thinking can include prejudices.
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Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1
How to be a Good Observer
Documentation, documentation, documentation
 It is important to write down and photograph as
much information as possible.
 Keep in mind that memory is faulty.
 Remember that our brains tend to automatically
fill in gaps in our perceptions.
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Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1
Observations in Forensics
 Study situations.
 Find clues in ordinary details.
 Work backwards from the evidence to
what led up to the crime.
 Be patient.
 Practice.
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Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Summary
 The environment and our natural sensory
filters affect our ability to observe.
 Eyewitness reports can be faulty.
 Gaining good observation skills is possible.
 Forensic scientists find, document, and
accurately interpret the evidence.
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Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 1
Usual Suspect Questions:
1) What color tie is the police inspector wearing?
2) What color shoes are the police inspector wearing?
3) What color shoe laces are the police inspector wearing?
4) What is the zip code for Skokie, IL?
5) What name appeared above Redfoot on the list?
6) What word on the coffee mug appeared below the word Kobayashi?
7) How is Verbal Kint referred as by the inspector as he looks for him near the
end?
8) The agent who gets the fax has what in his hand?
9) Describe Verbal’s lighter?
10) What is in Verbal’s other hand at the end of the video along with his
cigarettes?
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Answers:
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1) What color tie is the police inspector wearing?
Red
2) What color shoes are the police inspector wearing?
Brown
3) What color shoe laces are the police inspector wearing?
None
4) What is the zip code for Skokie, IL?
60077
5) What name appeared above Redfoot on the list? Shank
6) What word on the coffee mug appeared below the word Kobayashi?
Porcelain
7) How is Verbal Kint referred as by the inspector as he looks for him near
the end?
The cripple
8) The agent who gets the fax has what in his hand? Coffee
9) Describe Verbal’s lighter? Gold
10) What is in Verbal’s other hand at the end of the video along with his
cigarettes? His watch
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