UNIT 21

► Ex. I Scan through the text. Restore the word order in the questions that follow and answer them.

Scientific techniques to identify suspects. A broad range of other scientific techniques is available to law enforcement agencies attempting to identify suspects or to establish beyond doubt the connection between a suspect and the crime in question. Examples include the analysis of bloodstains and traces of other body fluids, such as semen or spittle, that may indicate some of the characteristics of the offender. Threads can be analyzed by microscopy or chemical analysis to show, for instance, that threads found on the victim or at the scene of the crime are similar to those in the clothing of the suspect. Hair samples can be compared chemically and genetically to those of the suspect. Many inorganic substances, such as glass, paper, and paint, can bring considerable information under chemical analysis. Examination of a document in question may reveal it to be a forgery. Examination of a fragment of glass may help to identify the kind of automobile involved in an accident. Computer allows investigators to create the necessary data bases. The method (modus operandi) by which an offense was committed may also help to identify the suspect, as many offenders repeatedly commit offenses in much the same way. The burglar's method of entry into the house, the type of property stolen, or the kind of deception practiced on the victim of a fraud may all suggest to the police who is responsible for the crime. Visual identification of a stranger by the victim is often possible, but experience has shown that such identifications are often mistaken and have frequently led to miscarriages of justice. If the victim or witness believes that he can recognize the offender, the police may show him an album containing photographs of a large number of known criminals, in the hope that one can be picked out. A suspect identified in this way is usually asked to take part in a lineup, in which the witness is asked to pick the suspect out of a group of people with similar characteristics.