Fingerprint: Bloodstain Pattern Analysis and Bite Mark Evidence

1.
What are the three types of fingerprints found in the human population? How often does each occur? there are loops which 60 through 65% of people have in the population. Whorls only 30 to 35% of people have this particular print , and arches and only about 5% have this particular fingerprint.

2.
What is a medulla? What do forensic scientists use this for? it cells that run through the hair. they use it for showing if chemicals have been in the hair such as bleaching or dying and to look at the shape and pigment of the hair.

3.
What is a precipitin test? What is it used for? it is used to show the difference between animal and human blood. the human blood will mix with the serum to form a cloudy ring between the blood and serum.

4.
What makes fingerprints individual? How do scientists match a fingerprint to a specific person? the ridges seen in the fingerprint is what makes it so unique, due to where they begin end and other characteristics. however the fingerprints show in different fingers show the same characteristics within the ridges they are in different locations, and scientist use point by point comparisons to reach a conclusion whether fingerprints are the same.

5.
How are fingerprints discovered at crime scenes? usually it is easy to be seen on items like plastic prints, however scientist are using a reflected ultraviolet imaging system to aim uv light where fingerprints might be, and if there a fingerprint will reflect the light back.

6.
Of the three types of physical evidence discussed in this module, which one do you think you would be most interested in working with in an investigation? Why? I feel like analyzing the blood is the most interesting because comparing blood with something has interested me because I've been curious as to how we can distinguish the blood from a human to an animals because I've seen on crime shows where people try to use animal blood to throw off investigators.

7.
What do you think would be the most challenging aspect of collecting and analyzing hair samples? Why? i feel like it would be the most challenging is trying to match the hair to a particular person because over time hair property/structure changes with age which can make it harder to analyze.

8.
Why do you think forensic scientists study bloodstain patterns? What can be learned from them? it is done to tell the various ideas that could have happened at a crime, like a circular distortion of bloodstain can help show angles when the blood hit the surface and how it traveled.

9.
Out of the types of evidence discussed in this module, which one do you think is the most important piece of evidence? Why? probably fingerprints because it is like zebra stripes, and zebras do not have the same pattern and it is usually easy to spot and analyze and it may be tricky to find an exact match but it can be very effective.

10.
Why was the bite mark evidence so important in the Bundy case? If the case happened today, do you think investigators would have more information to work with? because if it wasn't for the bite mark he would not have been convicted of the crime along with the photographic evidence because it was almost a direct link to him but if this crime happened today there would be a lot more evidence and we have a lot more knowledge on how to solve for crimes.