Scene Of Occurrence Research Articles

A REVIEW STUDY ON DETECTION OF COCAINE FROM FINGERPRINT RESIDUE

Illicit drug trafficking and drug abuse are highly reported crimes around the world. Detection of criminals in such types of cases are often very difficult. It is expected that criminals’ fingerprint residue will have traces of such evidence and will leave behind at scene of occurrence. Researchers have reported so many analytical techniques i. e. Raman Spectroscopy, Mass spectrometric analysis techniques such as PS-MS, LC-MS-MS, and imaging techniques such as ATR-FTIR for extraction and quantitative analysis of such drugs from remnants. This study is an attempt to trace the evidences of cocaine from fingerprint residue and to detect external deposition of cocaine either from primary contact or secondary contact can be detected based on concentration variations. Excretion of cocaine metabolites through sweat can be detected from fingerprint residue using mass spectrometric analysis techniques as well as immunoassays. The result of this study will encourage the researchers for the extraction of drug particles from fingerprints and apprehend the people involved in crime related to drugs.

Analytical Instrument and its Utilization in Soil Forensic: A Review

In the present paper, we give an overview on the importance of the analytical instrument used in the field offorensic science for the elemental analysis of soil evidence collected from the scene of occurrence. The forensicscientist must rely upon the elemental composition of major and trace elements for the soil sample comparisonand discrimination. Variation in the composition of soil sample allows considerable discrimination through theinstrumental technique even there is a little amount of sample. Through this paper, reviews on the techniqueswhich are extensively used in forensic sciences have been reported. Report summaries based on soil analysisapplication and techniques employed for the elemental composition like X-ray fluorescence (XRF), SEM/EDX,inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectrometry, and XRD. ATR-FTIR for mineral identification.

Differentiation of high velocity ammunition type from Gunshot Residue (GSR) metal element originating from different firearm

The examination of GSR collected from the scene of occurrence is critical to the forensic science community because it provides answers to problems such as distinguishing between entry and exit wounds, estimating the range of fire, and linking an individual to the use of a firearm. Insufficient information exists on the differentiation of ammunition type through the analysis of GSR. This study investigated the potential of differentiating between ammunition types through the analysis of its metallic residue using Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence spectroscopy (EDXRF) and Scanning Electron Microscope Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). Three firearms (AK-47 assault rifle, Self-loading rifle, and Carbine rifle) were adopted for the study. Overall, a series of 10 shots were performed from each firearm at three different collection mode (45°, 90° & Barrel wash) The residues were subjected to a non-destructive analysis by energy dispersive X-Ray fluorescence (EDXRF-7000, Shimadzu) without sample preparation and Scanning Electron Microscope Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence spectroscopy. Gunshot residues originating from 9mm Carbine, AK-47 and Self-loading rifle produced common metal element including Lead (Pb), Copper (Cu), Mercury (Hg), Antimony (Sb) and Zinc (Zn). Considering that, analysis of the sample residue was carried out EDXRF and SEM-EDS; it was unreliable to predict the ammunition type from the particles that originated from the firearm-ammunition employed. In this study element profile of Gunshot residue give some identical point which can helpful in identification of ammunition.

A prospective cross-sectional study on the cases in a tertiary care hospital about the patterns of head injury caused by falling from heights

One of the most common injuries and death in India are caused by falling from heights. Although a majority of these bereavements are accidental and are due to a slip from higher altitudes like multi storey buildings, trees, construction sites, etc., alcohol consumption also plays a vital role. In such occurrences of death due to falling from heights, head injury is a very common phenomenon and it complicates the investigation procedure for the investigators and the medico legal experts to arrive at a conclusion because these injuries impersonate the injuries sustained from other accident cases like a road accident per say. Due to the absence of eyewitness in most of these cases, a detailed analysis on the pattern and the nature of the injuries is required to arrive at a conclusion. These injuries sustained vary owing to the site of impact and the stature from where the victim had fallen and the critical answer to the medico legal queries lies in a detailed autopsy of the victim’s body and a thorough examination at the scene of occurrence. On the account of a comprehensive study insufficiency in Tamilnadu, a modest attempt was made to analyse the pattern of head injuries sustained on the victims of fall from different heights and is presented as a cross- sectional study.The case study on the fatal incidents of fall from height was recorded and analysed statically in a sampling of one hundred cases which was subjected to detailed autopsy in a tertiary care hospital. In this analysis the nature and pattern of injuries, data regarding the nature of fall, the site of primary impact, period of survival and a detailed examination of head injuries were all noted. The statistical analysis was carried out using Microsoft Excel 2009.From the analysis, it is observed that the maximum number of fall from height cases seemed to be from the age group of 31 years ~40 years (30%) and males contributed to a majority of these cases (90%). Amongst head injury cases, 82% of the cases had intracranial haemorrhage and 10% had facial bone fractures. In the 82% of cases, 76% of cases had both subarachnoid haemorrhage and subdural haemorrhage. Also skull fracture was seen in 40% of the cases and the base of the skull fracture was noted almost equally in 37% of the cases. Injuries to head and cervical spine constituted to the salient features of primary head impacts, SAH alone is rare in such cases.On the account of observation and analysis, it is noted that most of these cases were accidental in nature (93%) and Males (90%) in the age group of 31-40 years were in highest number (30%). Cranial injuries with subarachnoid and subdural haemorrhage seemed to be the most common cause of death amongst victims falling from heights. Also skull fracture were seen in 40% of the cases and base of skull fracture noted almost equally in 37% of the cases. While SAH alone in rare in these cases, injuries to head and cervical spine were the key impacts of primary head impacts.

Analysis of glass fracture pattern made by .177\u2033 (4.5\xa0mm) Caliber air rifle

BackgroundGlass is the hard, amorphous solid. Glass fragments may be an evidence of great value encountered in the investigation of various types of offences. At the scene of occurrence, the glass may be fractured either as an intentional act or due to accident. Glass fractures are of paramount importance in shooting cases where firearm is used as it can provide significant information related to the occurrence and facilitates a variety of evaluations. In fact, fractography i.e. analysis of fracture pattern, is the means and methods for characterization of fractured units or fragments in order to study or identify the mechanism of such fractures. The study of fracture pattern of glass has been of long interest to the forensic community. The glass fracture pattern analysis is very useful to establish the sequence of events and to link together items of evidence and it is of paramount importance in such cases where firearm is used. Now, the use of air guns in criminal activities is an alarm to the law enforcement agencies. The main objective of this work is to analyze the pattern of the fractures on windowpane of various thicknesses with regular .177″/ 4.5 mm lead pellet fired through the .177″/ 4.5 mm caliber Air Rifle manufactured in India. The window panes were kept at front, perpendicularly and away at a fixed distance from the muzzle end of Air Rifle. Samples were measured and analyzed on some fixed parameters. To analyze the consistency, measurements were analyzed graphically and statically checked for the goodness of fit (Chi-Square Test).ResultThe graphical representation of the measurements of different samples shows regularity in the features and Chi Square test gives very significant information regarding the consistency.ConclusionThe hole diameter is ranging from 4.77 to 7.5 mm in case of air rifle. It can lead to distinguish the weapon by which fracture was made, whether it is standard or air weapon. The outcomes of this work on the windowpane by .177″/4.5 mm air rifles may be efficacious to forensic community.

Study Of Pattern Of Cut Throat Injuries

STUDY OF PATTERN OF CUT THROAT INJURIES Cut throat injuries pose a different type of challenge as to the causation whether it is homicidal, suicidal or accidental. They may be the only fatal injury or may be associated with other injuries. Thus opining the manner is difficult. Only after a careful examination of the wound characteristics, blood stain pattern on body, clothes and scene; causative weapon/ object, crime scene visit and circumstances of death can one conclude the manner. MATERIAL AND METHODS A retrospective study from January 2005 to December 2013 for a period of 9 years was conducted in the Department of Forensic Medicine, M.S. Ramaiah Medical College Bangalore, South India, 6710 medico-legal autopsy reports were reviewed. Of which 36 cases had cut throat injuries. Results and Discussion Of the 6710 autopsies, 36 cases had cut throat injuries (0.54% of total autopsies). Of these 36 victims, 27 were males and 9 were females. 32 (88%) were homicidal, 2 (6%) were suicidal and 2 (6%) were accidental in manner (Table No. 2). Cut throat injury alone was the main fatal injury in 24 cases and in 7 cases it was one of the major contributing injuries causing death and in 5 cases cut throat injury though present did not contribute to death. Cut throat injury was associated with other injuries in 29 (81%) of the cases (Table No. 3). Of which 19 cases (52%) were caused by sharp weapon, and 9 (25%) cases were due to blunt force in cases of homicide. Ingestion of poison in a case of suicide and fracture of cervical vertebrae were the other forms of associated injuries. There were no associated injury in both accidental deaths and one suicidal cut throat injury. In 7 (21%) of the 32 homicides attempt was made to conceal the identity or the crime. Of which 3 bodies were hidden viz. 1 in drain, 1 was in bushes and 1 was disposed off in a lake. In 2 cases which were found in open place, identity was concealed by disfiguring the face by crushing the head. Of the 32 homicidal deaths, in 4 cases weapons were found at the scene of occurrence, in 24 cases weapons were recovered later and in 4 cases could not be recovered. In all cases of suicides and accidental deaths, causative weapon/ instruments were found at the scene of crime. Haemorrhagic shock was the main cause of death in 33 cases (91%) either solely due to the severing of the great vessels or due to the combined bleeding from other injuries. 2 of them had asphyxiated after aspirating blood into the respiratory tract. Metabolic acidosis and shock caused death in one case where the person had consumed corrosive poison after inflicting a cut throat injury. In our study, the characteristics of the wound viz. situation, location, direction, multiplicity, wound margins, tailing were observed (Table No. 4). In 14 cases, the direction was below upwards and all were homicidal. (Fig No. 2) In homicides, it is commonly over or below the thyroid cartilage, horizontal or below upwards and deeper cuts. (Fig No. 3) Cut throat injury was single in all suicides, accidental and in 20 homicidal cases. 12 out of 32 homicidal cut throat injuries were multiple and were merged at a deeper level. There were other associated injuries and defence injuries in 29 cases and 12 cases of homicides. In cases of suicides, the injury is commonly located above the thyroid cartilage, over the left side of the neck above downwards with tentative and superficial cuts. Internal jugular vein (86%) was the commonly injured structure followed by carotid arteries (61%) and hypopharynx (41%). (Table No. 5) In all cases of suicidal and accidental deaths, deeper structures like oesophagus and vertebrae were spared. (Fig No. 4) In 41.7% of the homicide cases, notches in the vertebrae and in 25% medulla spinalis cuts were detected. (Fig No. 5) Presence of lesions on bone and cartilage has been reported to be a distinguishing property of homicides. In cases of suici

A Preliminary Study on Assertion of Hand from Whorl Pattern on Thumb

Fingerprints are the most important and crucial evidence found at the scene of occurrence which proves to give a positive means of identification. Due to uniqueness of fingerprints even identical twins can be differentiated where DNA profiling proves futile. The prints on crime scene are rarely found in sequence and often incomplete. As a result of which it takes too much time for a fingerprint expert to conclude regarding the origin of questioned fingerprint. Since there is lack of established parameters which could be helpful in ascertaining the hand from which a single fingerprint belongs, the job of an expert becomes more tedious and meticulous. Therefore present study attempts to decipher some characteristics features from 200 bilateral rolled thumb prints having whorl pattern which is the second most prevalent pattern (30-35%) found in whole population after loop pattern (60-65%). As a preliminary effort only thumb prints with whorl patterns have been considered which can be specifically extended to other fingers having loop, arch and composite patterns [1]. The future perspective of present study can be elaborated by undertaking population and genetic studies [2, 3].

Mystery of Double Murder Unraveled by Forensic Clues a Case Report

A mother and her teenage son living in a house in remote area were not seen around for a week. The father of the lady living in adjoining area became suspicious and visited her house. He smelled stench emanating from the locked house and immediately informed the police. On reaching the spot, the police opened the locked door by taking out conventional metallic loop from the wooden door plank and found dead body of lady in a pool of blood on the floor while that of her son on the double bed. The scene of occurrence was examined for vital clues by the forensic experts after a week. The forensic investigators tried to establish linkages between the victim, suspect, crime scene and individual items as with any form of evidence. The presence of palm prints on the wall, blood streaks and spatters on the wall and blood droplets/drip pattern on the iron box (trunk) lying adjacent to the wall helped in knowing etiology of crime and led to conclude that the assailant had suffered an injury on his/her hand. On the basis of evidences, the forensic team advised the police to make search for suspect (s) and the police succeeded in arresting stepdaughter of the deceased who had suffered an injury on the thumb of left hand.

Death is due to Hemorrhagic Shock as a Result of Cranio-Cerebral Trauma-Accidental

Deaths due to fall from height, form an important area of study due to diversity of the injuries sustained, complexity of the patterns involved and various phenomenon's associated there with. The medico-legal autopsy aims at deciding whether the death was attributed purely to the height. It also helps in ruling out the various contributing factors like drugs, alcohol and co-existing natural disease. The study of pattern of external and internal injury may together indicate the primary site of impact and height from which the fall has occurred. The determination of actual or probable anatomical site of primary impact may be useful in reconstruction of the events, which led to fatal falls. Presence of multiple blunt force injuries makes it hard to differentiate between falls induced injuries and those that have been inflicted before the fall and often disagreement predominates regarding the height at which death results. Thus a careful study of total injury pattern is of vital importance in every case. In the difficult scenario of assessing the manner of death, meticulous autopsy in combination with visit to the scene of occurrence that includes observation of ground nature and presence of any intervening object is of extreme help.

Pattern of Accidental Deaths among Children: An Autopsy Study

A study of pattern of accidental deaths conducted at M.S. Ramaiah Medical College, Bangalore, between October 2007 and September 2009 in the age group of 1-18 years with aims and objectives to study percentage of accidental deaths in children, age and sex distribution, various patterns, manner of death and other factors associated with accidental deaths. Detailed information regarding the circumstances of death was sought from the police, relatives and friends, visits to the scene of occurrence or deduced by the photograph of the scene of occurrence. Accidental deaths in children constituted 3.24% (57 cases) of the total autopsies conducted. Maximum number of child deaths occurred in the age group of 15-18 years in males and 5-9 years in females. Male outnumbered the females. Majority of the children were preschool and school going and from middle and lower socioeconomic status. Road traffic accident accounted for 53% of the cases. Most of the children were pedestrians. Heavy motor vehicle was involved in majority of the cases and most of the children died due to head injury. Drowning accounts for 32% of the cases. Most of the children died due to accidental drowning while playing. Pond was the commonest place of drowning followed by sump. Thermal deaths accounts for 6.34% of the cases followed by fall from height, which accounts for the 6.34% of the cases, and only one case was due scorpion sting. Language: en

Criminality of Intention - How to Adjudge Mens REA?

A crime may be committed by an individual or in collaboration with others. In case an individual commits a crime, there would be no difficulty in assessing his criminal guilt; he would be punished according to the nature of the offence committed. The difficulty arises when several persons are engaged in the commission of an offence and different roles are played by each of such individuals. One of them might be engaged in the actual task of commission, say murder, while the other might remain standing near the assailant to put a knife in his hand, and still another might have chalked out the plan and given assistance but stays away from the scene of occurrence throughout the commission of the act. In such cases, a distinction is drawn between the acts of each of such individuals according to their mode and degree of participation or involvement in the commission of the offence for ascertaining guilt and awarding punishment. Such persons may broadly be classified into principals and abettors. In a case where two or more persons are involved, either jointly or in group and it is not possible to apportion criminal guilt of each of the participants, all the participants are held jointly liable for the offence committed by any one or all the members of the group. This is based on the contention that the presence of the accomplice gives encouragement, prtection and support to the person actually engaged in the commission of an unlawful act. The doctrine of joint liability is justified on the common sense principle that if two or more persons do an act conjointly, it is just the same as if each of them has done it individually. Since the purpose is common, the responsibility is joint. The man who actually strikes is no more liable than the man ready to place a knife in the hands of an assailant for the purpose.

Methane deaths?

In the routine performance of their jobs, three men consecutively descended into an open drainage pit to recover a fallen grate lid. Each man, in turn, was immediately overcome and died within minutes of his descent. Initial analysis of the pit's air indicated a methane level of 15%. Therefore, it was initially assumed that death was attributable to methane poisoning. Postmortem analysis of the victims' tissues, however, yielded methane levels in only faint trace quantities (0-100 mcg/100 g range). Analysis of air samples taken at various pit levels revealed that as one descended, there was a decrease in oxygen levels, from 20% at the top to 3% at the bottom. CO2 levels, however, increased from the top of the pit, and reached a level of 22% at the 6-ft. depth of the pit. The accepted lethal level is only 10%. The cause originally attributed to these deaths was shown to be in error. This paper demonstrates the importance of proper investigation of the "scene of occurrence" in order to properly certify the cause of death.