Forensic science intro picuture

The History of Forensic Science

  • Johannes Purkinje (1787–1869)

    Johannes Purkinje (1787–1869)
    devises the first crude fingerprint classification system.
  • Friedrich Miescher (1844-1895)

    Friedrich Miescher (1844-1895)
    discovers DNA for the first time.
  • Mark Twain (1835–1910)

    Mark Twain (1835–1910)
    employs fingerprint identification in his books Life on the Mississippi and The Tragedy of Pudd’nhead Wilson (1893– 1894).
  • Sir Francis Galton (1822–1911)

    Sir Francis Galton (1822–1911)
    published "Fingerprints", the first comprehensive book on the nature of fingerprints and their use in solving crime.
  • Hans Gross (1847–1915)

    Hans Gross (1847–1915)
    publishes Criminal Investigation and coined the term criminalistics. 1895: Dr. Eduard Piotrowski publishes his text on bloodstain pattern recognition.
  • Sir Edward Richard Henry (1850–1931)

    Sir Edward Richard Henry (1850–1931)
    developed the print classification system that would come to be used in Europe and North America. He published "Classification and Uses of Finger Prints".
  • Karl Landsteiner (1868–1943)

    Karl Landsteiner (1868–1943)
    first discovered human blood groups and was awarded the Nobel
    prize for his work in 1930
  • Paul Uhlenhuth (1870–1957)

    Paul Uhlenhuth (1870–1957)
    devises a method to distinguish between human and animal blood.
  • First Systematic Use Of Fingerprints (DNA)

    First Systematic Use Of Fingerprints (DNA)
    The first systematic use of fingerprints for criminal identification in the United States begins in the New York State Prison system.
  • Victor Balthazard (1872-1950)

    Victor Balthazard (1872-1950)
    professor of forensic medicine at the Sorbonne, with Marcelle Lambert, published the first comprehensive hair study.
  • Voiceprint Identification

    Voiceprint Identification
    Murray Hill of Bell Labs initiated the study voiceprint identification. The technique was refined by L.G. Kersta.
  • Oswald Avery (1877–1955), Colin MacLeod (1909–1972), and Maclyn McCarty (1911–2005)

    Oswald Avery (1877–1955), Colin MacLeod (1909–1972), and Maclyn McCarty (1911–2005)
    discover that DNA carries genetic information.
  • AFIS

    AFIS
    FBI institutes the Automated Fingerprint Identification System
  • Sir Alec Jeffreys (1950– )

    Sir Alec Jeffreys (1950– )
    develops the DNA “fingerprint” technique.
  • First Use of DNA in a crime

    First Use of DNA in a crime
    In the first use of DNA to solve a crime, Jeffreys used DNA profiling to identify Colin Pitchfork as the murderer of two young girls in the English Midlands. Significantly, in the course of the investigation, DNA was first used to exonerate an innocent suspect.
  • First Identification of DNA

    First Identification of DNA
    In England, Colin Pitchfork becomes the first criminal identified by the use of DNA.
  • First Use of DNA in the U.S.

    First Use of DNA in the U.S.
    First United States use of DNA for a conviction in the Florida case of Tommy Lee Andrews.
  • (CODIS)

    (CODIS)
    The Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) is established.
  • Mnemonic Systems

    Mnemonic Systems
    The FBI contracted with Mnemonic Systems to developed Drugfire, an automated imaging system to compare marks left on cartridge cases and shell casings. The ability to compare fired bullets was subsequently added.
  • (NDIS)

    (NDIS)
    The National DNA Index System (NDIS) becomes operational.