Criminal Case Study: Transference of Acid Sulphate Soil

Running head: CRIMINAL CASE STUDY: TRANSFERENCE OF ACID SULPHATE SOIL
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Criminal case study: transference of acid sulphate soil
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CRIMINAL CASE STUDY: TRANSFERENCE OF ACID SULPHATE SOIL 2
Introduction
Forensic soil is the research of soil that comprises the soil science use, and particularly
studies that involve the soil mapping, soil morphology, geophysics, mineralogy, chemistry and
molecular biology to react to forensic lawful, problems, queries and hypothesis (Blackledge,
2007, pp. 2). Currently, forensic soil skills are freshly established discipline of soil science that
has developed to the scope that well-defined inquiries and fruitful crime act investigation can be
responded in progressively sophisticated means. Forensic soil experts are more precisely focused
with soil that have been moved or disturbed, sometimes matching those to natural top soil, or
comparing them with soil database to assist uncover the scene of offenses (Gardner, 2011, pp.
24). The forensic soil scientist normally gets the soil samples from the suspected control sites
and crime places from which the soil may have been conveyed by the car, shovel or vehicle. Soil
features are varied and this range is what makes scientist to use with confidence as proof in
illegal and environmental inquiries (Concheri et al., 2011).
Overview of the case
The hit and run related to suspect that left the scene of a crime as result of a deadly car
crash. One of the accused was pursued to the Adelaide suburbia at night and was later seen cross
the River Torrens. The respondent ran down the stream bank, hopped into the river and into the
lengthy gravely and stony stream bank, then continued to the opposite side of river bank before
vanishing into the neighbouring parklands. Figure1 displays the location through which he is
suspected to have run. The accused was arrested by the authority and three hours later
repudiated running over the river section. In the fig 2a, a trivial quantity of fine yellowish-grey
soil was hugely stuck to the side and in the treads of the sole from the accused's shoes. An

CRIMINAL CASE STUDY: TRANSFERENCE OF ACID SULPHATE SOIL 3
adequate quantity of the soil was recuperated from the soles and shoe sides for the forensic soil
studies by slightly scratching the fine soil from the shoes by means of an elastic spatula as shown
in the figure 2b (Fitzpatrick, Raven & Forrester, 2009, pp. 152).
Figure 1: map illustrating the River Torrens, the next pictures shows the control samples
(Fitzpatrick, Raven & Forrester, 2009, pp. 152).
A control surface soil sample measuring from 0-3 cm was taken as a shoe imprint
was positioned on the inferior river bank (fig 1) and place where the accused was understood to
run. A second control was taken underneath 10 cm of water in the river passage one meter from
the control sample site on the lower bank. The two yellowish greys to dark brownish black
samples are from the acid sulphate soils (ASS) with sulfidic substances which consist a blend of
95% coarse gravel and stone bits, and only 5% clay and silt (<50um portion). In figure 2 (e)e),
shows fine soil constituents nearly matches the texture and the fine soil material that was firmly
stuck in threads and grooves in the sole of the suspect sole as shown in the fig 2b. The DRIFT
and XRD techniques show that the top soil from the river bank and soil on the defendant’s shoes
were identical (Fitzpatrick, Raven & Forrester, 2009, pp. 152).