Criminal Case Study: Transference of Acid Sulphate Soil

This criminal case study involves the transference of acid sulphate soil and how forensic soil science was used to solve the case. The article discusses the methods used and the importance of soil analysis in forensic investigations.

Running head: CRIMINAL CASE STUDY: TRANSFERENCE OF ACID SULPHATE SOIL
1
Criminal case study: transference of acid sulphate soil
Name:
Institution:

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).

CRIMINAL CASE STUDY: TRANSFERENCE OF ACID SULPHATE SOIL 4
.
Figure 2: fig a, shows left hand side and middle, and fig b, shows the sample scrapped from the
shoe. Figure c is the control sample from the river, fig d is the bank of river. Fig d is the
photograph of the stony river bank soil sample (Fitzpatrick, Raven & Forrester, 2009, pp. 153).

CRIMINAL CASE STUDY: TRANSFERENCE OF ACID SULPHATE SOIL 5
Results
Figure 3: the comparison of X-ray diffraction arrangements of soils samples from the shoe b and
river bank (Fitzpatrick, Raven & Forrester, 2009, pp. 157).

CRIMINAL CASE STUDY: TRANSFERENCE OF ACID SULPHATE SOIL 6
Figure 4: contrast of diffuse reflectance infrared transform spectra (DRIFT) between the yellow
soil on the shoe ((black) and stony soil from the river bank (grey) (Fitzpatrick, Raven &
Forrester, 2009, pp. 158).
Deliberation of a particular hit and run circumstance defined by Fitzpatrick et al (2007,
2008) highlight the sorts of investigation that have done on highly multifaceted acid sulphate soil
substances from the shoes and offence discipline by the Centre for Australia Forensic Soil
Sciences (CAFSS). The situation defined is a manner that depicts an analogous approach to
more recent sorts of case investigation where soil as proof is being used with more confidence in
an environmental and criminal investigation (Ritz, Dawson & Miller, 2008, pp. 20).
An indication of the types of forensic science
The hit and run incident, which comprises sulfidic materials in an inland acid sulphate
soil, will be used to exemplify the significance, model and significance of recognized standards
and concepts applied in forensic soil science. Also, the laboratory investigative methods
commonly used forensic soil science will be of the essence. The systematic methods in relation

CRIMINAL CASE STUDY: TRANSFERENCE OF ACID SULPHATE SOIL 7
to information such as soil morphology (texture, structure, and colour), powder X-ray diffraction
(XRD), mineralogy and chemistry based on the infrared spectroscopy studies will be used to
differentiate between soils linked with the forensic investigations which comprise inland Acid
Sulfate Soils.
Ways in which the forensic science was used
Abundant soil morphological, mineralogical (XRD) and physicochemical (DRIFT and
MIR-PLS) facts were developed on the two trials to be able to examine if they match or not. The
topsoil from the shoe has a great notch of chemical, morphological and mineralogical
resemblance to the fine portion (<50 um) enclosed in the gravelly topsoil on the stream bank and
in the waterway. Partially, as result of the above analysis, the defendants was afterward found
guilty of hit and run in the supreme court of South Australia. The crime act defined above used
combined pedagogical (field investigation), spectroscopic and mineralogical approaches in the
forensic contrast of trivial quantities of the soil stuck to the accused’s shoe with the control soil
samples. The instance exemplifies that forensic soil analysis can be very multifaceted due to
variety and heterogeneity of the soil sample. Even though the ASS encompassed coarse gravel
with 5% clay and slit, and 95% alluvial stone, an adequate quantity of fine material was
recuperated by filtering (Fitzpatrick, Raven & Forrester, 2009, pp. 152). The fine soil substances
nearly matched the fine soil substance that was firmly stuck in threads and grooves of the
defendant's shoe's sole.
Analysis of two soil samples using DRIFT, XRD and microscopic method illustrated that
soil from the river bank and soil on the sole of defendant was alike. Such complexity and
diversity of soil materials help forensic soil assessors to differentiate between soils (Saferstein,

CRIMINAL CASE STUDY: TRANSFERENCE OF ACID SULPHATE SOIL 8
2013, pp. 63). The soil forensic test and approaches integration is not similarly relevant to all soil
and ought to be made in the background of the forensic soil inspection (Nickell & Fischer, 2013,
pp. 39). For example: the filtering of large amount of gravel and stone from ASS trials to get
representative sample to create a comparison. Soil material is regularly met by law enforcement
agency for crime science detectives and forensic personnel. But, most forensic and physical
research laboratory either do not receive or incapable of sufficiently typify soil materials (Lee &
Harris, 2011, pp. 10). The main motive for mineralogical, morphological and spectroscopic
investigative skills is to assess and deduce such soil evidence need.

CRIMINAL CASE STUDY: TRANSFERENCE OF ACID SULPHATE SOIL 9
References
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elemental distribution and soil DNA fingerprints provide the critical evidence in murder
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Press of Kentucky, pp. 34-46.
Ritz, K., Dawson, L., & Miller, D. (Eds.). (2008). Criminal and environmental soil forensics.
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