Who founded one of the earliest crime laboratories?

Edmond Locard is recognized for establishing one of the first crime laboratories, which significantly advanced the field of forensic science. He is best known for formulating Locard's Exchange Principle, which states that whenever two objects come into contact, there is always a transfer of material between them. This principle underpins much of modern forensic investigation, establishing that physical evidence can link suspects to crime scenes. Locard's emphasis on the scientific analysis of evidence helped to formalize the practice of forensic science and improve the reliability of criminal investigations.

In contrast, Alphonse Bertillon was known for developing the first systematic method of personal identification through physical measurements, which contributed to criminal identification techniques but did not establish a laboratory. Hans Gross is acknowledged for his work in forensic criminology and wrote extensively about the application of scientific methods to criminology, but he did not establish a laboratory himself. Karl Landsteiner is noted for his discovery of blood groups, which has implications in forensic science but again, he was not associated with the founding of a crime laboratory.