CRIM 355 Chapter Notes - Chapter 7: Hair Follicle, Forensic Science, Hair Removal

• School: Simon Fraser University
• Department: Criminology
• Course: CRIM 355
• Professor: Michener

Document Summary

Any review of forensic aspects of hair examinations must start w/ observation that it is not yet possible to individualize a human hair to any single head/body through its morphology. Hair removal from body often denotes physical contact b/w victim & perpetrator & hence a crime of a serious/violent nature. First step in forensic examination of hair - starts w/ colour & structure/morphology & progresses to more detailed dna extraction, isolation, characterization. Hair is appendage of skin that grows out of organ known as hair follicle. Length of hair extends from root/bulb embedded in follicle, continues into shaft & terminates at tip end. Shaft - composed of cuticle, cortex, medulla. Subjected to most intense examination by forensic scientist. Features making hair good subject for establishing individual identity - resistance to chemical decomposition & its ability to retain structural features over long period of time. Much of resistance & stability attributed to cuticle - outside covering of hair.