Crimes In Forensic Investigations

DNA analysts have been profiling DNA since 1985. Then in 1998, the Combined DNA Index System became fully operational (“FAQs” 2010). CODIS’s three levels are the national level, the state level, and the local level. As September 2015, there is 14,740,249 DNA profiles in CODIS (“CODIS”, n.d.). Since everybody has different DNA, except identical twins, DNA analysts have been able to assists with investigator to determine between who is guilty and who is innocent. With some of their findings, they are able to exonerate individuals, who have been wrongfully convicted. Even though television may make DNA analysts’ life look simple on the screen, it is not. There is need for interest and education. Lastly, the actual job that entails for the DNA

Nearly anyone you ask would be familiar with the television show CSI. The crime lab is colorful and high-tech with all of the fun toys and machines that analysts use to test the ever abundant amount of forensic evidence from every crime scene. It makes for an exciting drama that you cannot help but get immersed in—it also gives us a false illusion, however, creating what has been dubbed as the “CSI effect” (Baskin, 2011). This effect describes the idea that crime shows such as CSI generate unreal expectations, making viewers believe that forensic evidence should be existent in all criminal trials, therefore affecting their overall perspective on a case (Baskin, 2011). But in reality, forensic labs are not that glamorous. In fact, the

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is a law enforcement agency in the United States’ Department of Justice. Accordingly, the bureau’s primary mission is to safeguard the public from the most violent criminals and organized criminal enterprises through the enforcement of the United States federal firearms laws. In furtherance of this responsibility, ATF provides management and oversight for the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) network, a national database of interconnected automated ballistics imaging system terminals. While NIBIN has been in existence since 2003, the program being assessed was consequently established and formalized in 2014.

The NIBIN is a network that provides law enforcement agencies around the world with access to the images and information.

investigations both past and present. It can be used to identify criminals when there is evidence

In July of 1999 the fingerprint was introduced into the IAFIS. The FBI had so many fingerprints on file that in order to convict someone it would take years for them to be able to match a fingerprint. This database created a way for it to be completed faster and more efficient. The data is taken first with directly indefinable characteristics (name, social security, address, telephone number, email, biometric identifiers, photography) and then entered in the with non-indefinable characteristics (gender, race, birthdate, license number) to create personal file. The database is maintained by the FBI to keep all of the fingerprints in line. But, many agencies (federal, state, local and foreign) can use the database on order to make sure a suspect isn't linked with any other crimes and to identify the

Even though DNA evidence is generally linked to an offenders profile through DNA database. In the late 1980’s the federal government laid a ground work for the system of state, local and national DNA databases for the storage and exchange of the DNA profiles. This system was named the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). Maintaining DNA profiles set of databases that can be shared to the law enforcements all across the country. The CODIS can compare crime scene evidence that has been stored to a database of DNA profiles obtaining previous offenders. This

The first database NIBIN was created in 1999 and as of right now is the only database that allows us to be able to compare to ballistics. This database is critical for any violent crime. Since NIBIN was created they have taken about 2.8 million ballistic images and have has thousands of hits. NIBIN provides a very quick way to efficiently evaluate ballistics. To use this database, you enter the bullets cartridge casing into the system then law enforcement is able to use that and compare against evidence they have and compare to find matches near and far. The bad thing about this database

In recent years, the proliferation of the popularity of crime investigation shows have risen concerns regarding the fairness of our criminal justice system. The increased use of the courtroom as the setting of drama by the media and the consistent narration employed to dramatize the show has blurred reality from fiction for the everyday citizens. Now that crime shows are so popular, CSI being the most watched TV show in the world with 69 million regular viewers worldwide; many lawyers, judges and other trained professionals are concerned that this increased exposure to unrealistic content regarding the law have given jurors an unrealistic expectation of evidence presented in court. That this has been the basis of jurors unfairly freeing

Forensic science is defined as the practice of utilizing scientific methodologies to clarify judicial inquiries. The field of forensic science contains a broad range of disciplines and has become a vital aspect of criminal investigations. Some forensic disciplines are laboratory-based; while others are based on an analyst’s interpretation of observable patterns (Kourtsounis, 2009). According to the Innocence project’s website; in greater than fifty percent of wrongful convictions, the use of invalidated or improper forensic techniques played a role in cases; which were later

The NIBIN, IAFIS, and CODIS are all databases that the forensic scientists use. Each of these are different and unique in their own way. For example the NIBIN stands for the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network while the IAFIS stands for the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System. Lastly the CODIS stands for the Combined DNA Index System. All of these are different and help forensic scientist study crime scenes or individuals to access and try to put an end to specific crimes or stop individuals. While they work with something different such as DNA, fingerprints, or firearms they all work together to stop crime.

The automated Fingerprint Identification System is also known as the AFIS within the law enforcement division (FBI, 2010). This system is an important element in the criminal justice system as some of its features encompass the storing of data, encoding, and fingerprint and facial comparison through graphics and other techniques. Law officials many centuries ago in the pursuit of positively identifying someone suspected of guilt have long used fingerprints techniques. Fingerprinting is also used in branches of our government, and in the Pentagon, the authentication method of fingerprints is used permit access to specified zones inside the building. Fingerprints are an effective and very precise method of identification purposes that does not pose

Fingerprinting is used for many things, such as a robbery, or at a crime scene. Fingerprints were first discovered in 1870 by Alphonse Bertillon, who was a French anthropologist. In 1892, Juan Vucetich had made the first criminal report using a fingerprint. In 1905 America used fingerprints for identification. When America started using fingerprints for identification they had to match the fingerprints manually when needed. When technology was able to enter fingerprints, and match them with anonymous ones, it helped identification immensely.

Forensic science involves the use of science to solve criminal and civil crimes but mostly lies on the side of criminal investigations. It makes it possible to identify the criminals based on the DNA traces they leave behind. It involves analyses of blood, DNA and other evidences and later on uses the findings as evidence in the court of law. It helps in solving the various crimes in the world and this has been the greatest contributor to the growth of the sector. Cases that were previously considered impossible due to lack of evidenced tracing to the victim can now be solved using forensic science evidences. The essay aims at analyzing the different aspects of forensic science that are used in the process of solving criminal activities. It will also look at the different cases that forensic science was used to solve crimes in a court of law.

DNA fingerprinting is a scientific technology involving the extraction, replication and arrangement of strands of an organism’s DNA. This results in the formation of a genetically distinctive fingerprint that is unique to the organism which the DNA sample was originally extracted from. Because of the specificity of a DNA fingerprint, the application of this technology can have a substantial influence on many aspects of society. Accessibility to a DNA database allows for higher efficiency in forensic investigations, personal identification, maternal and paternal testing. The availability of a national database to police officers and forensic scientists would equate to increased productivity in investigations and prosecution of suspects in a