Wildlife Forensics and Investigation - 825 Words

Wildlife forensics is fairly uncharted territory to the investigation process of the criminal justice system today. This is because the criminal justice system has only recently discovered that wildlife crime is increasing and that the needs to successfully investigate a wildlife crime are quite different than those of a homicide. To understand the importance of wildlife forensics, what constitutes as â€Å"wildlife crime† must be distinguished. Also, knowing what makes wildlife crime so desirable is a good start at learning what preventative measures to take. What is considered wildlife crime, why this type of crime is rising, and the forensic scientist’s roles and significance of DNA are all major aspects of wildlife forensics that are often overlooked because of its unfamiliarity in the criminal justice system. It is important to have accurate knowledge of wildlife forensics before experimenting with ways of preventing it. As the SWGWILD article states in their Unive rsity of California publication, â€Å"wildlife crime is a global crisis† (SWG, 2012, p2). This means wildlife crime isn’t subject to just one geographic area. Every continent; every nation is confronted with wildlife crime. The six major issues this article discusses are: bio-terrorism and domestic security, organized crime, animal abuse, international terrorism, poaching, and food security. Bio-terrorism and domestic security typically involves the entering of a country with, in this instance, the carcass of anShow MoreRelatedDna Barcoding Using Coi For Species Identification For Conservation1573 Words   |  7 Pagesdiscusses the use of DNA Barcoding to determine the prohibited parrot trade. The prohibited wildlife trade can affect the existence of a species in a habitat by introducing other species that interfere with the living of the species in that habitat. In most cases, the illegal wildlife trade leads to extinction of particular species in the ecosystem. The molecular markers are fundamental in forensic sample analyses because of their success in analyzing samples that cannot be distinguished by theRead MoreInvestigating The Investigation And Control Of Crimes Against Animals, Wildlife And The Environment2177 Words   |  9 PagesEvaluate the use of current forensic and analytical techniques in the investigation and control of crimes against animals, wildlife and the environment. The poaching and smuggling of animals, has grown to an estimated annual $12 billion criminal industry. It has only been exceeded by drugs and arms trade (Eccleston, 2007). The illicit profiteering from this trade has been known to be a major source of funding for terrorist and extremist, militia groups. The trade in bushmeat and ivory in 2008 hadRead MoreMurder Essay1026 Words   |  5 PagesOutside the town of Shelby Township, Indiana was a woman’s body lying in the woods of a wildlife refuge. The body was stumbled across by a wildlife refuge worker on September 6, 2010. It was covered in dirt and leaves when found on site. The victim was covered with 3rd degree burns leaving very little room to determine the ethnicity. The hands and feet were shown to be missing and the tibia, pelvis, skull, humerus, and ribs were retrieved. The hands and feet were never found but a knife was leftRead MoreEssay about DNA, The New Crime Investigator1358 Words   |  6 Pagesthe foundation f or the modern science of genetics. A major break through which eventually made possible forensic uses of DNA occurred in the early 1950’s when James Watson and Francis Crick solved the puzzle of DNA’s structure and precipitated the revolution in molecular biology which followed. By solving the puzzle they made this foundation of our modern DNA analyzes used in today’s forensic science. (2) Some of the characteristics that make DNA unique on its uses are: Read MoreOrigin of Forensic Science Essay2718 Words   |  11 PagesORIGIN AND SERVICES OF FORENSIC SCIENCE â€Å"For most people, forensic science means cops and fingerprints and DNA analysis. All of that is still true, but these days forensic science encompasses much more.† Forensic science, also known as forensics, may generally be defined as the application of scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge to assist courts in resolving questions of fact in civil and criminal trials. In other words forensic science, in its broadest definition, is theRead MoreFish And Game Warden Case Study1477 Words   |  6 PagesFish And Game Warden Ever wonder what a fish and game wardens do? A fish and game warden is a police officers who enforce the laws protecting wildlife and natural habitats, particularly as they apply to hunting, boating and conservation.(2) With 9 different subjects in my research will help give you a better understanding of what a fish and game warden job intel’s. The work for fish and game wardens can be from informing individuals about the park, investigating hunting accidents and issues warningsRead MoreSenior Seminar Research Proposal Essay3231 Words   |  13 PagesIntroduction Forensic entomology is used to determine such crimes as murder, suicide, and other criminal acts by examining various insects instead of using human tissues. This forensic tool is used to determine the postmortem interval of a corpse and the cause of death of a corpse when all other forms of human evidence (human blood, tissues, hair, etc.) are not present at the scene. Forensic entomologists prefer using insects to determine these factors of death because the insects produce similarRead MoreTechnology Being Used Is Camera Traps1767 Words   |  8 Pagescamera traps. For decades, camera traps have been used to monitor wildlife without endangering the lives of humans, but today highly sophisticated digital cameras are even more helpful because some of the cameras now come with automatic triggers, heat sensing, vibration detection, infrared detection, video feeds, and acoustic elements (Cress and Zommers, 2014). Similarly to camera traps, radio collars that have been used for trackin g wildlife has also gone through technological advances in terms of theirRead MoreHighlighting Many of the Weaknesses in the Australian Legal System through the Chamberlain Case1202 Words   |  5 Pagesevidence. [3]They had the support of their friends, and the church supported them financially yet still the legal system let them down. Police Bias =========== Police have bias as they are involved first hand with the investigation and sometimes cannot be objective. They would not have had the Chamberlain’s best interests at heart. Instead, the force would have been worried about their town, its people and thought of the Chamberlains as outside visitors, a familyRead MoreAnimal Cruelty2248 Words   |  9 PagesOrg 1). Animals that limp, have patches of fur missing, or have open sores, are being abused, they need help (The Humane Society 2)! Mass breeding or â€Å"puppy mill† is cruelty to animals. While cats and dogs were the most common victims, cruelty to wildlife almost doubled (The Birmingham Post 1). People do not realize that this is a sign of mistreating animals (The American Society of Prevention of Cruelty 1). Those who are cruel to animals should face a life ban of owning them (The Birmingham Post