Hair/Fiber Analysis

History of Hair and Fiver analysis

Hair analysis was probably first introduced in France in 1857.  In the early 1900's microscopic examination of hair was a common practice. A single hair can tell us the race, sex, and the age of its owner. Hair and fiber can be found in cars, on the victim, on the clothes of the suspect.  Hair is made of generally Keratin.  By studying the fibers found, scientists can predict that the suspect was wearing at the time of the crime.

Major Types of Fiber

Polyester, Rayon, Cotton, Silk, Wool.

Hair and fiber collection techniques

The hair must be cut from the scalp if taken from the victim and or suspect.  Than it could be drug tested or checked to see if the hair has been dyed. Fibers are stuck onto sticky tape and labeled and sealed in separate envelopes than sent to a lab.

How do scientist analyze and use the data?

Scientist collects the data and studies them under microscopes to see the race, sex and maybe even age of the hairs owner. They can check to see if the hair was dyed so if the suspect tried to go incognito. They may also test it for drugs such as marijuana because hair absorbs airborne particles. They can use the hair and trace t back to the crime scene or transportation to or from a crime scene.

Reliability

If the tests on the hair are done thousands of times and proved constantly, than there is a match.

Famous case

John Joubert, Nebraska Boy Snatcher- John has an extremely rare rope and they found the same fibers from the rope on one of the boys he murdered linking it back to him. He confessed and was found guilty.

In my refelction:
   In our class we were given various samples of hair. We categorized them by analyzing them under microscopes. We made charts of our observations and recorded.