Assignment:
After reviewing the FBI website, I have learned that the Lab provides law Enforcement with services such as DNA Casework, crime scene documentation and Cryptanalysis and racketeering services as well as many more. I think the service that I find a little interesting and something that I have no experience in is the Cryptanalysis and racketeering service. The service that they provide offers examination into what certain tattoos mean as well as looking at records from illegal businesses like drug trafficking and human trafficking to reveal more information about them. (Cryptanalysis & Racketeering, 2016) The service also helps to decode messages used by terrorism groups, prison gangs and inmates who are all very skilled at coming up with their own codes to be able to speak with each other without being caught.
Having a service that can help decode these messages can be very beneficial to Law Enforcement to help combat the dangerous situations all these groups can pose. In one study, it states that to be able to effectively decipher a code amongst several individuals requires a "key" to be able to decode the message. The study also illustrates another method where to be able to decipher a code from someone, the other people involved bring their piece of information to each other to be able to decode the message. (Gao & Chang, 2017)
When it comes to the firearms/tool marks service, if I were at a crime scene, where a firearm was involved, after collecting the firearm, the specific evidence I would request would be fingerprints off the weapons and any shell casings found. I would also have the serial number examined to see if the weapon was either registered to anyone or even stolen. I would then have the casings matched to the firearm to determine if the weapon was in fact used.
What I found to be most interesting about the body farm video was the fact that it looked and maybe even was real bones that were buried in certain ways for the Agents to excavate. To me this is a great technique because you have a real set of bones to not only look for but that you also have to excavate in a very careful manner as to not destroy in pertinent evidence in the process of excavation.
Respond to this discussion question in 150 words