Edmond Locard

Forensic science
Physiological sciences
Forensic anthropology Forensic dentistry Forensic entomology Forensic pathology Forensic botany Forensic biology DNA profiling DNA phenotyping Bloodstain pattern analysis Forensic chemistry
Social sciences
Forensic psychology Forensic psychiatry
Forensic criminalistics
Body identification Fingerprint analysis Forensic accounting Forensic arts Forensic firearm examination Forensic footwear evidence Forensic toxicology Gloveprint analysis Palmprint analysis Questioned document examination Vein matching
Digital forensics
Computer forensics Forensic data analysis Database forensics Mobile device forensics Network forensics Forensic video Forensic audio
Related disciplines
Fire investigation Fire accelerant detection Forensic engineering Forensic linguistics Forensic materials engineering Forensic polymer engineering Forensic statistics Vehicular accident reconstruction
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Dr. Edmond Locard (13 December 1877 – 4 April 1966) was a pioneer in forensic science who became known as the "Sherlock Holmes of France". He formulated the basic principle of forensic science: "Every contact leaves a trace". This became known as Locard's exchange principle.

Biography

Locard studied medicine and law at Lyon, France, eventually becoming the assistant of Alexandre Lacassagne, a criminologist and professor. He held this post until 1910, when he began the foundation of his criminal laboratory.

In 1910, Locard succeeded in persuading the Police Department of Lyon to give him two attic rooms and two assistants, to start what became the first police laboratory. ^[1]

He produced a monumental, seven-volume work, Traité de Criminalistique. He continued with his research until his death in 1966.

In November 2012, he is nominated to the French Forensic Science Hall of Fame of the Association Québécoise de Criminalistique ^[2]

Legacy

• The young Georges Simenon, later to become a well-known detective writer, is known to have attended some Locard lectures in 1919 or 1920.

Quotation

Wherever he steps, whatever he touches, whatever he leaves, even unconsciously, will serve as a silent witness against him. Not only his fingerprints or his footprints, but his hair, the fibers from his clothes, the glass he breaks, the tool marks he leaves, the paint he scratches, the blood or semen he deposits or collects. All of these and more, bear mute witness against him. This is evidence that does not forget. It is not confused by the excitement of the moment. It is not absent because human witnesses are. It is factual evidence. Physical evidence cannot perjure itself, it cannot be wholly absent. Only human failure to find it, study and understand it, can diminish its value

— Paul L. Kirk, from his book: Crime Investigation: Physical Evidence and the Police Laboratory (Published in 1953)

References

1. ↑ O'Connor, Tom. "An introduction to criminal justice". Megalinks in criminal justice. Austin Peay State University. Archived from the original on 24 August 2010. Retrieved 17 September 2015. 
2. ↑ "Liste des intronises au Pantheon francophone de la criminalistique". Association Québécoise de Criminalistique. Retrieved 2015-06-23. 

Further reading