Paging the Information
Technology Expert
FORENSI CS
FACULT Y PROFI LE
Can you guess who asked the
following questions in 2010
about the technology used in
wireless pager devices?
Questioner 1:
What is the difference between email and a pager?
Questioner 2:
What would happen if a text message was sent to
someone at the same time the person was sending one
to someone else? Does it say, “Your call is important
to us, and we will get back to you?”
Questioner 3:
Does the text go right to me or through a service
provider? Can the pager text be printed out in
hard copy?
If you guessed the questions came from non-digital natives, you are correct! But
what you probably didn’t guess is that they all came from U.S. Supreme Court
Justices: 1. Chief Justice John Roberts, 2. Justice Anthony Kennedy, and 3.
Justice Antonin Scalia.
The questions were asked during the case of City of Ontario vs. Quon. In the
case, Sergeant Jeff Quon sued his employer for reading sexually explicit messages
sent via pagers provided by his employer. The Supreme Court ruled that his
employer did not invade Quon’s privacy by reading the “sexts” on his employerissued pager. As noted above, during the oral argument, several of the justices
required clarification on some of the technological details of the case.
During trials and other legal proceedings, lawyers need complex information
technology (IT) evidence explained to judges and juries so they understand the
facts of the case. As our society becomes more reliant on IT, there is a growing
demand for trained professionals, including forensic experts, who are skilled at
writing expert reports and testifying as experts. Students in our forensics programs
learn how to present technological evidence that can be easily understood by
judges and juries and serve as valuable resources for lawyers and the justice system.
Dr. John “Jay” Tobin
Home: Fallston, Md.
Profession: Associate Professor and
Program Coordinator of Forensic
Science
Hobbies: Running, Triathlons, Racing,
"Pumping Iron"
Last Book Read: Faster: Demystifying
the Science of Triathlon Speed by Jim
Gourley
Last Accomplishment: Earning two
silver medals in the ITU World
Triathlon Championship in the 55-59
Age Group
Quote: “I have competed well; I have
finished the race; I have kept the
faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7) Modern translation: “I came, I saw, I triumphed!”
Profile: Forensic scientist with the
Maryland State Police Forensic Science
Division for 37 years, Director of the
Crime Lab for seven years. Taught
Forensic Science at the university level
since 1978. Married to my loving wife
Diane, father of five and grandfather
of five.
Courses Taught: Research Project/
Thesis, Forensic Seminars, Quality
Assurance/Quality Control/Safety,
Forensic Toxicology, Practicum
Rotations