NCJ Number
180662
Journal
FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin Volume: 68 Issue: 11 Dated: November 1999 Pages: 15-18
Date Published
1999
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article discusses how, by understanding its capabilities, law enforcement officers can use scent evidence as an investigative tool.
Abstract
Scent is the "bacterial, cellular and vaporous debris enshrouding the individual." The debris becomes deposited in the environment in a conically shaped pattern known as the scent trail. The uniqueness of human scent permits law enforcement to use scent evidence to follow a suspect from a crime scene, identify a suspect in a lineup, and locate and recover missing persons, whether dead or alive. Law enforcement agencies cannot rely on scent evidence alone to accomplish these tasks; they must use specially trained dogs to link the evidence to the individual and the crime. The article describes working with scent-discriminating dogs, preserving the crime scene, collecting scent evidence and presenting scent evidence in court. Because the scent of every human being is nearly as unique as a fingerprint, scent evidence can help investigators find missing persons, uncover evidence, and locate suspects and link them to specific crimes. Notes