Abstract
In the past, forensic soil examination was a routine aspect of forensic trace evidence examinations. However, the apparent need for soil examinations has diminished and with it the capability of forensic laboratories to carry out soil examination has been eroded. In recent years, due to soil examinations contributing to some high profile investigations, interest in soil examinations has been renewed. The need for, and suggested pathways to, the reinstatement of soil examinations as a trace evidence sub-discipline within forensic science laboratories is presented in this chapter. An examination procedure is also proposed that includes: appropriate sample collection and storage by qualified crime scene examiners; the preliminary examination of soils by trace evidence scientists within a forensic science laboratory; and the higher-level examination of soils by specialist geologists and palynologists. Soil examinations conducted by trace evidence scientists will be facilitated if the examinations are conducted using the instrumentation routinely used by these examiners. Trace evidence scientists routinely use a microspectrophotometer (MSP) for the colour analysis of forensic samples, including paint, fibres, inks and toners. This chapter also presents how a microspectrophotometer can be used to objectively measure the colour of forensic-sized soil samples as a demonstration as to how the proposed examination procedure can incorporate both trace evidence scientists within a forensic laboratory and specialist soil scientists.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Andrasko J (1981) Soil. In: Maehly A, Strömberg L (eds) Chemical criminalistics. Springer, Berlin, pp 171–181
Anonymous (1856) Science and Art: curious use of the microscope. Scientific American, p 240
Bhadra SK, Bhavanarayana M (1996) Estimation of soil colour through spectral refectance characteristics. J Indian Soc Remote Sens 24(1):1–10
Code Project (2011) http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/243610/The-Known-Colors-Palette-Tool-Revised. Accessed 6 May 2013
Collins B (1993) Soil and related substances. In: Freckelton I, Selby H (eds) Expert evidence, vol 8. The Law Book Company Ltd, North Ryde, pp 5401–5613
Craic Technologies (2012) http://www.microspectra.com/support/service-contracts/microspectrophotometer-design. Accessed 6 May 2013
Fitzpatrick RW (2009) Soil: forensic analysis. In: Jamieson A, Moenssens A (eds) Wiley encyclopedia of forensic science. Wiley, Chichester, pp 2377–2388
French JC, Morgan RM, Baxendell P, Bull PA (2012) Multiple transfers of particulates and their dissemination within contact networks. Sci Justice 52(1):33–41
Islam K, McBratney AB, Singh B (2004) Estimation of soil colour from visible reflectance spectra. Paper presented at the supersoil 2004, Sydney, Australia
Morgan RM, French JC, O’Donnell L, Bull PA (2010) The reincorporation and redistribution of trace geoforensic particulates on clothing: an introductory study. Sci Justice 50(4):195–199
Morrisson A, McColl S, Dawson LA, Brewer M (2009) Characterisation and discrimination of urban soils: preliminary results from the soil forensics university network. In: Ritz K, Dawson L, Miller D (eds) Criminal and environmental soil forensics. Springer, Dordrecht/London
Murray RC (1982) Forensic examination of soil. In: Saferstein R (ed) Forensic science handbook. Prentice Hall, New Jersey, pp 653–671
Murray RC, Tedrow JC (1975) Forensic geology – earth sciences and criminal investigation. Rutgers University Press, New Jersey
New South Wales Department of Land and Water (2000) Conservation survey map H8727
Palenik S (1988) Microscopy and microchemistry of physical evidence. In: Saferstein R (ed) Forensic science handbook, vol 2. Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs
Sánchez-Marañón M, Huertas R, Melgosa M (2005) Colour variation in standard soil-colour charts. Aust J Soil Res 43(7):827–837
Scientific Working Goup on Materials Analysis (SWGMAT) (2000) Forensic paint analysis and comparison guidelines
Stoecklein W (2001) The role of colour and microscopic techniques for the characterisation of paint fragments. In: Caddy B (ed) Forensic examination of glass and paint. Taylor & Francis, London, pp 143–163
Thornton JI (1986) Forensic soil characterization. In: Maehly A, Williams RL (eds) Forensic science progress, vol 1. Springer, Berlin, pp 1–35
Woods B, Lennard C, Kirkbride KP, Robertson J (2014a) Soil examination for a forensic trace evidence laboratory – part 1: spectroscopic techniques. Forensic Sci Int 245:187–194. doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2014.08.009
Woods B, Kirkbride KP, Lennard C, Robertson J (2014b) Soil examination for a forensic trace evidence laboratory – part 2: elemental analysis. Forensic Sci Int 245:195–201. doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2014.10.018
Woods B, Lennard C, Kirkbride KP, Robertson J (2016) Soil examination for a forensic trace evidence laboratory – part 3: a proposed protocol for the effective triage and management of soil examinations. Forensic Sci Int 262:46–55. doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2016.02.034
Zięba-Palus J, Trzcińska BM (2012) Comparing the colour of forensic traces. Anal Lett 45(11):1333–1346
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this paper
Cite this paper
Woods, B., Lennard, C., Kirkbride, K.P., Robertson, J. (2016). Reinstating Soil Examination as a Trace Evidence Sub-discipline. In: Kars, H., van den Eijkel, L. (eds) Soil in Criminal and Environmental Forensics. Soil Forensics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-33115-7_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-33115-7_7
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-33113-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-33115-7
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)