Spring Break
FBI crime scene investigator dispels forensic science myths
Alexander Oliva
Issue date: 11/8/05 Section: Campus
|
"Basically, the FBI has one major focus in regard to explosives: terrorism," said Yeager.
He explained that one American becoming angry with his neighbor and trying to bomb him was not the FBI's concern.
Yeager's work is mostly inspecting post-blast sites, collecting trace material and other evidence.
"After a bomb goes off, there is always residual material left behind," he said.
Bringing a bit of levity into the grim field of investigating, Yeager spent a significant portion of his talk dispelling myths surrounding the field of forensics.
He said the popular television program CSI depicts an inaccurate and simplified view of his work.
"TV creates unrealistic expectations in all areas of life ... it has now leaked into forensics," Yeager said.
He called the fictional science on television and the unrealistic expectations "the CSI effect."
Interspersed with in-depth discussion of how bombs are made, what of, how they are used and how forensic investigators do their jobs, Yeager presented clips from an episode of CSI that dealt with a post-blast site. He explained in detail what the producers had done right and, to a greater extent, what they had done wrong.
One of the more memorable parts of the clip he refuted was when a body was found with both ears ripped off, due to his proximity to a bomb during its explosion.
Yeager explained, with examples, exactly how unrealistic this was.
"Heads are well-made and rugged," he said, and defended his point through recounting examples and displaying a few graphic photos of bodies injured from blasts.
The majority of Yeager's work goes towards providing expert testimony.
"Everything we do is geared towards ... testimony," he said.
Yeager's work has taken him abroad several times, to places such as Beirut, Lebanon, Casablanca, Morocco and Bali.
