The Use of Biodetection Dogs in Criminal Forensics

Abstract

The olfactory sensitivity of dogs is a powerful tool that has been used for a long time by man and in the most diverse tasks. The use of this biological sensor in forensic science is no different: several studies and experiences of forensic teams around the world have demonstrated the potential of the technique, even though many aspects of the functioning of canine scent are still unknown. This work is intended to review the subject of biodetection with dogs in criminal expertise, bringing reference bibliography and the local experience of the Technical-Scientific Police of São Paulo to discuss the main issues involved in this area, such as the need to create guidelines for training and animal certification systems that ensure their methodological reliability.

Keywords

Scent-detection dogs
Criminal expertise
Forensic sciences
Cães de detecção
Perícia criminal
Ciências forenses

References

  1. Henneken J, Jones TM. Pheromones-based sexual selection in a rapidly changing world. Curr Opin Insect Sci. 2017. Dec;24:84-88. doi: 10.1016/j.cois.2017.09.010.
  2. Frederickx C, Verheggen F, Haubruge E. Biosensors in forensic sciences. Biotechnol. Agron. Soc. Environ. 2011. 15(4), 449-458.
  3. Cairns Jr J, Pratt J. A history of biological monitoring using benthic macroinvertebrates. In: Rosenberg D, Resh V (Org.). Freshwater Biomonitoring and Benthic Macroinvertebrates. p. 10-27. New York: Chapman & Hall, 1993.
  4. Poling A, Weetjens B, Cox C, et al. Using trained pouched rats to detect land mines: another victory for operant conditioning. J Appl Behav Anal. 2011 Summer;44(2):351-5. doi: 10.1901/jaba.2011.44-351.
  5. Shaw J, Seldomridge N, Dunkle D, et al. Polarization lidar measurements of honey bees in flight for locating land mines. Opt Express. 2005 Jul 25;13(15):5853-63. doi: 10.1364/opex.13.005853.
  6. Larson G, Karlsson E, Perri A, et al. Rethinking dog domestication by integrating genetics, archeology, and biogeography. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2012 Jun 5;109(23):8878-83. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1203005109.
  7. Furton K, Myers L. The scientific foundation and efficacy of the use of canines as chemical detectors for explosives. Talanta. 2001 May 10;54(3):487-500. doi: 10.1016/s0039-9140(00)00546-4.
  8. Micheletti M, de Paula A, Sá M, et al. Cães de detecção: uma breve revisão sobre o uso do nariz canino. Rev. Bras. Med. Vet., 38(4):387-392, out/dez 2016.
  9. Horowitz A. Inside of a Dog: what dogs see, smell, and know. 1ª ed. New York: Scribner, 2010.
  10. Allsopp N. Cry Havoc: the history of war dogs. Australia: New Holland Publishners Pty Ltd., 2011.
  11. Fairfax N. The Story of Police Dogs. The Police Journal, 1964, 37(3), 113-117. doi: 10.1177/0032258X6403700304.
  12. Pemberton N. Bloodhounds as Detectives: dogs, slum stench and late-victorian murder investigation. Cultural and Social History. 2013, 10(1), 69-91. doi: 10.2752/147800413X13515292098197
  13. Chapman S. Police Dogs in North America. Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas Publisher, 1990.
  14. Ferreira G, Marques S. A utilização do cão especializado em segurança nas corporações policiais - revisão. Rev. Agr. Acad., v. 5, n. 1, Jan/Fev (2022). doi: 10.32406/v5n1/2022/38-50/agrariacad
  15. Luna M, Bohórquez G, Rojas-Guevara J, et al. Biodetección de cadáveres, secciones anatómicas y fluidos biológicos en escenarios criminales apoyada por caninos. 2022. Revista Logos Ciencia & Tecnología, 14(1): 101-118.
  16. Valle V. A capacidade e a precisão olfativa dos cães a serviço do homem. RC-ESPM;(4):47-64. out-2022. doi: https://doi.org/10.5935/2178-4590.20220023.
  17. Rojas-Guevara J, Córdoba Parra J, Bohórquez G. et al. El papel de los equipos caninos detectores de restos humanos en la investigación criminal. Revista Científica General José María Córdova. 2021; 19(33), 91-111. doi:10.21830/19006586.638.
  18. Korashy M, Hussain K, Ibrahim H. Teleoperation of dogs using controlled laser beam, Sixth International Conference on Digital Information and Communication Technology and its Applications (DICTAP), Konya, Turkey, 2016, pp. 45-49. doi: 10.1109/DICTAP.2016.7543999.
  19. Ruffell A, Pringle JK, Forbes S. Search protocols for hidden forensic objects beneath floors and within walls. Forensic Sci Int. 2014 Apr;237:137-45. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2013.12.036.
  20. Oesterhelweg L, Kröber S, Rottmann K, et al. Cadaver dogs: a study on detection of contaminated carpet squares. Forensic Sci Int. 2008 Jan 15;174(1):35-9. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2007.02.031.
  21. Riezzo I, Neri M, Rendine M, et al. Cadaver dogs: unscientific myth or reliable biological devices? Forensic Sci Int. 2014 Nov;244:213-21. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2014.08.026.
  22. Rust L, Nizio K, Wand M, et al. Investigating the detection limits of scent-detection dogs to residual blood odour on clothing, Forensic Chemistry. 2018 9 62-75. doi: 10.1016/j.forc.2018.05.002.
  23. Schoon A. A comparison between canine detection of blood residue and some blood presumptive tests. J. Forensic Identif. 63 (2013) 255–262.
  24. Machado J, Yamasaki L, Pollito L, et al. Detection of human blood with dogs in support of expert examinations: case report. International Journal of Biological and Natural Sciences, 2023 3(1): 2023 73-4. doi: 10.22533/at.ed.81331023071110.
  25. De Ruiter J, Schoon A, Van Dam A. Sexual assualt detection dog: comparing the detection of semen by dogs, ALS and presumptive tests. Symp. Für Odorologie Im Dienshundenewes, (2017), pp. 91–107.
  26. van Dam A, Schoon A, Wierda SF, et al. The use of crime scene detection dogs to locate semen stains on different types of fabric. Forensic Sci Int. 2019 Sep;302:109907. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2019.109907.
  27. Hepper P, Wells D. How many footsteps do dogs need to determine the direction of an odour trail? Chem. Senses 30, 291– 298. 2005 doi:10.1093/ chemse/bji023.
  28. Curran A, Prada P, Furton K. Canine human scent identifications with post-blast debris collected from improvised explosive devices. Forensic Sci. Int. 199, 103-108. 2010. doi:10.1016/j.forsciint. 2010.03.021
  29. Woidtke L, Dreßler J, Babian C. Individual human scent as a forensic identifier using mantrailing. Forensic Sci Int. 2018 Jan;282:111-121. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2017.11.021
  30. Woidtke, Crispino F, Hohlfeld N, et al. Forensic Science International Proficiencies of Mantrailing Dogs in Law Enforcement and Legal Contexts, Prospects for the Future, Boundaries, and Possibilities -a review. 2023. HAL-France; 1(31-10).
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Copyright (c) 2024 Brazilian Journal of Criminalistics

Share

Download

PDF (Português (Brasil))

Author(s)