Forensic Botany

Forensic Botany

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Indra RomeroProfessor Davis CJI 250 June 15, 2022

Table of Contents

Research question

Components & Budget

Feedback

Significance

Conclusion

Literature Review

References & thanks

PRogramObjectives

Reseach Question

How does forensic Botany Assist in a Criminal Investigation?

"Forensic Botany is the study of plants and how they can relate to law and legal matters"

-Hall and Byrd 2003

Significance: Why Study Forensic Botany?

Forensic Botany Is an underrated field

• Most likely because of the lack of information and weak curricullum
• At first, I selected out of curiosity, but I found it is very complex field.
• One can figure out many things with forensic botany.
• It can be use to relate someone to a crime scene, where it happened, and at what time.
• You would be surprised with all you can do by examining plants!

Literature Review

Literature Review

Lindberg kidnapping

Forensic Botany: a guide

• Kidnapping and death of an American Aviator's son
• A hand-made ladder was used as evidence
• a wood technologist traced the wood to a lumberyard located near the kidnapper's home
• One of the side rails of the ladder previously had been part of a floorboard in the kidnapper's attic.

• Explains the several fields in forensic botany
• Botany can be used to identify and track illegal drugs such as marijuana, and exotic species
• Plant material located in clothing items or vehicles can be used to link a person to a crime scene
• If a woody plant is found on a grave, its rings can be counted to estimate time of death

Literature Review

Case study: Fatal fall

DEtecting Gravesites

• Plant anomilies can help find clandestine graves
• 3 experimental and control graves were studied in the spam of 3 years.
• There was an accelerated growth in the graves due to the mummified remains
• Extreme weather conditions also influence this growth.

• An old man suffering from dementia went hiking, and his body was found 2 days later.
• Leaves were found on his hand and thorns were stuck on his clothing.
• The scene was reconstructed and divided into 3 possible sites. Then, a botanist compared the plants.
• "the manual tearing of the leaves revealed that the victim didn't want to fall."

Forensic botany helping solve murder and rape cases

VIDEO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfpbTta_QQI

Program Objectives

Objectives

Exposure to information

• The objective of this program is to expand knowledge through workshops.
• By doing these informatives sessions, the awareness on the field will increase.
• More botanists will be hired and more people will be interested in the field.

Components & Budget

Program Components

Workshops

• Workshops will be given at schools and law enforcement facilities.
• Also, there will be summer session at the park to get the public's attention.
• Forensic botanists would be hired to give the session and create hands on activities.
• The sessions should be recorded and edited. Then, they will be uploaded on social media.
• Snacks will be given at the end of each session so people will stay longer.

Budget

Advertisement

Location fees and food

Staff

• Workshop manager
• Professional Botanists
• Other staff members

• Social Media (YouTube ads)
• Video editor

• Park fees
• snacks

The total would be around 40,441$

Feedback

Feedback

Survey

• The survey will have a series of short questions.
• Some will be to see if they know about the field or the workshop
• Workshop rating
• Comment/concert section

Conclusion

To Conclude..

My program has a lot of challenges

• It's is expensive and new programs lack validity.
• Not sure how many people would be willing to have us in there facility.
• However, if a program like this broadens the knowledge on forensic botany... Then, I think is worth it!
• Also, as more people know about the program, organizations will want to hire us.

References

References

• Watson, C. J., Ueland, M., Schotsmans, E. M. J., Sterenberg, J., Forbes, S. L., & Blau, S. (2021). Detecting gravesites from surface anomalies: A longitudinal study in an Australian woodland. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 66(2), 479-490. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.14626
• Case study: Forensic botany reconstructs fatal fall downhill. (2018). Forensic Magazine, Retrieved from https://essex.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/trade-journals/case-study-forensic-botany-reconstructs-fatal/docview/2129240419/se-2?accountid=10764

• Hall, D. W., & Byrd, J. (2012). Forensic botany: a practical guide. John Wiley & Sons.
• S A Graham. (n.d.). Anatomy of the Lindbergh kidnapping. Anatomy of the Lindbergh Kidnapping | Office of Justice Programs. Retrieved May 26, 2022, from https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/anatomy-lindbergh-kidnapping

Thanks!