Limitations+and+Errors

Possible Errors and Limitations in the Application of Forensic Science

On April 13th 1996, Ted Kaczynski was arrested in his small cabin in Montana. When the FBI searched the Unabomber's cabin, there was no shortage of evidence that linked him to the bombings. There were over 700 pieces of material that linked Ted Kaczynski to both the bombings and the letters. However, there were limitations and errors to the forensic science that may have caused the "Unabomber" to remain a fugitive for so long as eighteen years.

Evidence

__**Typewriter (3 ma** **nual typewriters) **__ "Forensic document examiners matched the manifesto Kaczynski typed to a typewriter discovered from his wooden cabin in Montana. (Saferstein, 2009)

Limitations: Errors:
 * Produce typed copies that only have a inconspicuous defects.
 * Identification of the make and model of the typewriter.
 * may not have the information it.
 * Must generate 10 samples through each machine to obtain a sufficient representation of a machine’s characteristic.
 * Not creating individual characteristics.
 * result in wear and damage to the machine moving part.
 * the typewriter may not be available.
 * If the typewriter is not available, known writings from the suspected typewriter must be identified.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">However, the individual characteristics that a typewriter develops changes each time the machine is used. The questioned document (manifesto) may not be comparable to the typewriter found in Kaczynski’s cabin because the defects from the typewriter that would of matched to the manifesto changed.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Another typewriter may be an exact replica of the original typewriter, including similar defects.

__**<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Fingerprints **__
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Fingerprints discovered from the Gilbert Murray murder crime scene matched those of previous attacks by the "Unabomber".

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Limitations:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Lack of fingerprint reference samples to compare the "Unabomber's" fingerprints found on the letters written.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">May not be located on the IAFIS system.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Only partial prints were found or fingerprints could have been planted.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Errors:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">The collection of the fingerprints.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Tampered fingerprints, contamination of fingerprints.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">may not be human.
 * Other techniques of identifying fingerprints were not available at this time.

__**<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Saliva DNA on stamps **__

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Limitations: <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Errors:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Lack of DNA sample.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">No other reference sample to compare the DNA sample found.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">A possibility both samples can be from a single source sample.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Ted Kaczynski's saliva that was found on the envelopes of the letter shared the same characteristics of about three percent of the U.S population. This evidence was used as incriminating evidence in the case against the "Unabomber". ( Cole, 1996)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Improper packaging of DNA sample causing bacteria and fungi.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Error in processing, therefore destroying the sample.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Cross- contamination while handling the DNA saliva.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">for example, coughing or sneezing.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">The cotton swab or other testing material were not sterilized and contaminates the evidence.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Incorrectly placing the DNA sample causing it to come in contact with another item.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">having mixtures of DNA sample from more than one source.

__**<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Paper (Identifying Manufacturer) **__

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Limitations:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">If it is from a genetic brand of paper with little or no imperfection it is difficult to find an exact match.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Paper could be hand made and have no reference sample to match it.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Errors:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">The paper may have the same characteristics as the original sample but is not the original source.

__**<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Ink **__

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Some of the ink on the handwritten letters the Unabomber left in his cabin could of been identified with the ink on the letters he wrote as part of his bomb attacks. A chemical composition of the ink must be done with a microspectrophotometer. (Saferstein, 2009)

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Limitations:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">There is no reference to distinguish whether the ink on the paper is authentic or counterfeit.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">There is no original source of reference to compare the sample of ink form.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">The ink found was not cataloged in the United States International Ink Library.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Created a unique formulation of the ink.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">The manufacturing of the ink may be discontinued.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Errors: <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">The microspectrophotometer test matches the ink but it is not from the original source.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Unable to lift the ink and separate the dye for a comparison.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">A Contamination with the hypodermic needle while doing the test.

__**<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Materials/chemicals used in the bombs **__

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Limitations:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Materials and chemicals are overlooked at the crime scene.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Uses generic common household chemicals used.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">no individual characteristics in the materials/chemicals.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Insufficient sample to carry on with a test.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Materials/chemicals were found in more than one location.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">there may be a secondary crime scene.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">The technology available during the time of the crime was limited to investigators.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Errors:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Improper packaging of the chemicals.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Contamination of chemicals.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Other materials/chemicals were transferred and came into contact with one another.

__**<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Explosive Ingredients: in furniture, walls, crime scene **__

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Limitations:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Limited samples left behind in the crime scene to do sufficient gas chromatography test, Infrared spectrophotometry, or X-ray diffraction tests.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Explosive ingredient may be hazardous.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">may cause health problems.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">The crime scene area may be to big to collect the different residues.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Contamination of the chemicals.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">transfers of other materials.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">The test was not available during this time.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">In regard to the Unabomber case, a taggant program was not available to analyze and recover evidence at the crime scene where the explosions took place.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">It is a very effective method but is only available in Switzerland.(Saferstein, 2009)

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Errors:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">The ion mobility spectrometer <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">may be sensitive and pick up other ingredients and give a wrong result.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Improper containment of the residues.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">The overuse of chemicals to extract the explosive ingredients may destroy the original sample.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">results can be inconclusive.

__**<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Bomb encased in pipe in wooden box **__ <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">The wood that some of the bombs were made of, was the same wood that formed Kaczynski's cabin.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Limitations:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Pipe can be a class characteristic.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">no unique imperfection.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Wooden box can be from anywhere with no specific origin.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Some of the bombs mailed were very distant to Lincoln, Montana, making it very difficult to assume where the wood was originally purchased from.

__**<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Writing Style **__

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Ted Kaczynski was eventually caught after eighteen years because someone recognized the style and words that he used in his writing. That person was his brother David, who went to the FBI with the suspicion that it was his brother who wrote the letter to the New York Times. However, there are limitations to matching one's identification with their writing style in different documents.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Limitations:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">No single handwriting characteristic can be the sole factor in forming a comparison. Many other individuals may write using the same characteristic.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Documents written more than two years apart are not valid for comparison and not recognized in court as sufficient evidence. Ted Kaczynski wrote many letters throughout his 18 year criminal spree, which made it difficult to determine which letters had similar writing styles to others.

Errors:
 * Writing style is deeply affected when someone is under the influence of alcohol or drugs. (Saferstein, 2009)
 * The document examiner would not be able to make an accurate comparison of the Unabomber's writings found in his home to his manifesto that was published by the New York Times, if he was under the influence at the time of writing either documents.