^ 1. Forensic specialists figure it out! BY CAROLE MOORE

Transcription

1 ^ 1 Forensic specialists figure it out! BY CAROLE MOORE

2 ^H hen Leo Waters of New Bern, N.C., ^^ I H B stepped outside prison gates in 2003, H I it was the first time he had been free ^H ^H in 21 years. Following his 1982 con- V viction on robbery and rape charges, Waters received two consecutive life sentences. Today, Waters is free and has been declared innocent. Another man has been charged with the crimes. The hero in this case doesn't carry a gun or a badge; it isn't a person at all. Its science forensic science, to be exact. Forensic science is a blend of science and technology used to answer questions in criminal and civil cases. The results of forensic investigations can help determine the outcome of those cases. Its a field that changes constantly as technology advances. The modern forensic technique that freed Waters is the analysis of DNA, a genetic material that is as unique as a fingerprint. DNA comparison, a process that was not used when Waters was convicted, was later conducted on old evidence to prove innocence. Forensics is a very old science. Some ofthe forensics you see on TV, such as identifying people by their fingerprints, were in practice hundreds of years ago. As early as 1247, a Chinese writer reported solving the murder of a man killed with a sickle by observing that flies were attracted to the victim's blood, which was still on the murder weapon. If you like challenges, the Field of forensics could be your ticket to tomorrow. Career World talked to four pros in the field for their take on this rewarding, but very demanding, profession. skull and uses clay to build a sculpture showing how the person may have looked. Few forensic artists work at their craft full-time; Wolfson has also sculpted for Madame Tussaud s wax museums, created bizarre creattxres for special effects in the movies, and crafted prosthetic limbs. Some law-enforcement agencies have officers who also double as forensic artists, as few can afford to have full-time artists on staff. "You can be one ofthe only people in the entire world who can do this job," Wolfson points out. "It is also nice to know that I get paid to play with clay and paint all day." Just the Facts: College degree not required, but knowledge of human anatomy, art, and sculpture is key. $: Wolfson charges $1,000-2,000 per job and often donates his services to solve cold cases. Forensic Anthropologist In her laboratory at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, Midori Albert sees dead people a lot of them. As a forensic anthropologist, Albert helps find and recover human remains. She also assists in identifying them. Forensic anthropologists determine individual physical characteristics that might help investigators identify a body and pinpoint the cause of death. Unlike forensic archaeologists, who work with the whole scene (body included), forensic anthropolo- Forensic Artist Seth Wolfson of New York City is an artist^ but you won't find his creations in art galleries. Wolfson specializes in forensic sculpture and helps police put names to skeletal remains. First a forensic anthropologist analyzes a skull to determine race, gender, and age; and analyzes the skeleton and clothing to determine weight and height. Wolfson then re-creates the Febmaty/March 2007 Career World 17

3 gists focus on obtaining as much information as possible from the deceased. Forensic anthropologists work at universities, with medical examiners, and on teams, such as those traveling into the jungles of Laos and Vietnam to locate and return the remains of U.S. servicemen lost in combat more than 30 years ago. Albert, who also teaches at the university, says forensic anthropologists must be problem solvers. She discovered her own passion for the field when she was in middle school and found a book about "bog people" well-preserved bodies many hundreds of years old. HOT LINK Interested Albert says that she once was studying a human in a forensics career? Check out American Academy of Forensic Sciences {go to the Resources menu, and select Choosing a Career). head (which, she notes, is heavier than one might think) when her attention suddenly focused on the hair, lashes, and half-open eyes. "Time stood still. It made me realize these are really people," she says. "Sometimes the human side gets lost." Just the Facts: Doctoral degree required. $: Varies and depends on the jobs location and duties. Forensic Entomologist When insects talk, Florida's Jason Byrd not only listens he also understands them. Byrd is a forensic entomologist. He studies insects as part of a death Investigation. By knowing the types of insects found in an area and how their life cycles work, he helps police learn how a person died, whether the body was moved before or after death, and whether the person was poisoned. Insects, such as flies, are attracted to decomposing organic material. A body left outside serves as a place to deposit eggs. By examining how developed the larvae are. Byrd is able to tell how long a body was in the location, where it was found, and whether it was moved from one place to another. For example, an entomologist received maggots taken from a dead man found in a field during the summer months. The medical examiner wanted to determine when the person died. A body in a cool environment decomposes and attracts parasitic insects at a slower rate than a body in a hot temperature. Temperature also affects insects' development; blowflies in particular develop quickly in warm temperatures. By knowing the temperatures in which the body has decomposed and comparing it with the rate of the insects' development, the forensic entomologist can establish a minimum time of death. In this case, the entomologist reported the blowfly eggs were laid from 68 to 72 hours prior to their collection by investigators. Because flies would have laid their eggs almost immediately, it was rel- 18 Career World Febmary/uarch 2007

4 atively simple to pinpoint the time of death. Byrd says he found high school boring, but when he discovered entomology, things turned around. "It's amazing how interesting education can be when you find something you enjoy," he says. Just the Facts: Doctoral degree required. $:$5O,OOO-S15O,OOO. Forensic Document Examiner Linton Mohammed not only can see the handwriting on the wall, he can tell you who wrote it. Mohammed, a forensic document examiner (FDE) who lives in San Diego, examines and compares signatures, handwriting, typewriting, machineptinted documents, inks, paper, and writing instruments. For example, he and other FDEs look at handwritten notes, such as those left at some crime scenes, to determine who wrote them. FDEs can also tell when someone has changed a document. Mohammed recalls a case in which three wealthy sisters presented different wills each claimed had been written by their father. When he examined the wills, he says, "All three were forged." Just the Facts: Minimum of a four-year degree, preferably in a science-related field, plus a two- to three-year apprenticeship with an FDE. $: The salary range for FDEs and most other forensic technicians is $30,000-$ Investigate Forensic Specialties There are dozens of avenues in the forensic disciplines, each focusing on a very specific aspect of crime solving and answer finding. Is one right for you? Forensic accountants examine financial documents and records to identify crimes. Forensic architects find out what went wrong in the building process when construction problems surface. Forensic engineers study buildings, bridges, airplanes, and other structures that have failed or fallen. Forensic firearms examiners (or ballistics experts) study bullets, casings, and guns to figure out how and if those items were invoived in a particular crime. Some also examine related tools and weapons used in break-ins or assaults. Forensic nurses apply nursing science to cases involving traumas and/or deaths, including issues involving health-care delivery and diagnoses; they often provide expert court testimony in related cases. Forensic odontologists (or forensic dentists) identify human remains based on dental evidence and conduct analysis of bite marks. Forensic pathologists perform autopsies to determine what caused a person's death. They may also help police investigate the circumstances of a death. Forensic photographers take and analyze photographs of crime scenes and victims. Forensic toxicologists determine whether drugs, alcohol, or other chemical substances played a role in a person's death. Is the signature real? Wbo really wrote it, and when? Ask a forensic document examiner, Jihe Linton Mohammed. Forensic wildlife experts investigate the causes of death of animals in the wild to determine illegal killings. (Sometimes they will find that the culprit is, in fact, another animal.) Febaja[y/Mardi2007 Career World 19

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