ABSTRACT
In 1933, Luke S. May commented in his text Scienti“c Murder Investigation that “before [the detective or investigator] can successfully conduct a search for evidence, he must know what he is searching for.”1 Never were more accurate words written, for in order to collect physical evidence, the crime scene technician must rst recognize it. In the past, that was a relatively easy process. Items such as ngerprints, bloodstains, shell casings, or weapons stood out at the scene, leaving little doubt that they might serve a function in solving the crime. But with each new advent in technology, the capability of forensic science increases. Now, even the slightest trace of evidence (e.g., touch DNA) has the ability to provide clear and specic information to the investigation.
