Forensic Entomology CJ 1350 - Intro to Forensics Desorae Baum 7/6/20111

!e area o" stu#y I c!ose to $rite a%out "or t!is $riting assignment is Forensic Entomology& Forensic Entomology is t!e use o" t!e insects' an# t!eir art!ro(o# relati)es t!at in!a%it #ecom(osing remains to ai# in in)estigations& I "in# t!is area (articularly interesting "or se)eral reasons& !e %roa# "iel# o" "orensic entomology is %ro*en into t!ree general areas+ me#icolegal' ur%an' an# store# (ro#uct (ests& !e me#icolegal section "ocuses on t!e criminal com(onent o" t!e legal system an# #eals $it! t!e necro(!agous ,or carrion- "ee#ing insects t!at ty(ically in"est in !uman remains& !e ur%an as(ect #eals $it! t!e insects t!at a""ect man an# !is imme#iate en)ironment& !is area !as %ot! criminal an# ci)il com(onents as ur%an (ests may "ee# on %ot! t!e li)ing an# t!e #ea#& !e #amage cause# %y t!eir man#i%les ,or mout!(arts- as t!ey "ee# can (ro#uce mar*ings an# $oun#s on t!e s*in t!at may %e misinter(rete# as (rior a%use& .r%an (ests are o" great economic im(ortance an# t!e "orensic entomologist may %ecome in)ol)e# in ci)il (rocee#ings o)er monetary #amages& /astly' store# (ro#uct insects are commonly "oun# in "oo#stu""s an# t!e "orensic entomologist may ser)e as an e0(ert $itness #uring %ot! criminal an# ci)il (rocee#ings in)ol)ing "oo# contamination& 1 %asic *no$le#ge o" t!e general a((earance o" insect o" "orensic im(ortance' an# a %asic un#erstan#ing o" t!e (ro(er met!o#s "or t!eir collection' $ill allo$ in)estigators to ma*e accurate an# re(resentati)e collections "rom t!e #eat! scene& En!ance# *no$le#ge on t!e %e!al" o" la$ en"orcement o""icials $ill (ro)i#e "or %etter communication %et$een (olice' me#ical e0aminers' coroners' an# "orensic entomologists& 2it! t!is im(ro)e# communication it $ill (romote t!e use o" entomological resources' an# more accurate collection o" entomological e)i#ence&

Desorae Baum

Forensic Entomology

!is $ill allo$ "orensic entomologists to %e more (recise in t!eir statements an# #eterminations' (articularly in t!e area o" (ostmortem inter)al estimations& !ose in)ol)e# in crime scene analysis an# t!e #eat! in)estigation (rocess are encourage# to use t!is site as a re"erence resource to en!ance t!eir in)estigation e""orts& It is im(ossi%le to #etermine $!en insect e)i#ence may (ro)e use"ul in a #eat! in)estigation& !ere"ore' all la$ en"orcement agencies s!oul# assem%le a 3Entomological E)i#ence Collection 4it3 so t!at t!ey are (re(are# in t!e e)ent entomological e)i#ence is encountere# #uring any crime scene in)estigation.

Desorae Baum

Forensic Entomology