Forensic science is the use of different sciences such as physics, chemistry, biology, and computer science. Forensic science helps law enforcement obtain a better understanding of how different types of evidence, such as blood splatter, fingerprints, and shell casings, found at the crime scene can play a role in the investigation (Forensic Sciences. National Institute of Justice). Forensic science is very important in the criminal justice system by backing up information based on science through the way that the physical evidence is analyzed. During an investigation, law enforcement collects the evidence is or from a person. It is then sent to a crime lab to be analyzed. After the results are found, that evidence is then presented to the courts. Each crime scene is very different (Forensic Sciences. National Institute of Justice). …show more content…
One of the first used pieces of forensic science used was fingerprinting. They were used by the ancient Chinese to classify many business documentations. In 1892, Sir Francis Galton was the first person to set up a system to manage fingerprints. Then in 1896, Sir Edward Henry, who was a commissioner for the Metro Police in London, created his own structure to recognize the different patterns in a person’s fingerprints. That system, The Henry Classification System, is what became used worldwide to capture criminal’s fingerprints (Watson, S). As early as 1835 is when the first person was able to use physical evidence from a crime scene to link a bullet to a murder weapon. That person was Henry Goddard. Following that, the use of bullet examination became more defined. Calvin Goddard, who was an American physician, invented the comparison microscope to examine what bullets came from what casings. Then again in the 1970’s, scientist at the Aerospace Corporation in California came up with a new technique to identify gunshot residue (Watson,
Forensic Science has contributed to our world a great deal. People often misunderstand Forensic Science and believe it is much more capable than it really is. As a matter of fact what you see on T.V. is around 80% false or over exaggerated in some way. To Start of, Criminal Investigation is the largest and most known form of Forensic Science. Some of the more known areas include; Fingerprinting, Ballistics, DNA Identification, Fiber Samples, Computer Animation, Documentation analysis, etc. To get this out of the way in the beginning, what you saw on last night’s law and order is far from the truth. Things they do in a matter of hours take months at a time, and most of the time aren’t even plausible concepts.
Law enforcement is very important to keep you safe. We have different branches in law enforcement to protect us. Forensic science gives Forensic evidence. Andrea Campbell, author of Forensic Science, says it is the most important evidence in court cases.
Forensic science, the application of sciences such as chemistry, physics, computer science, biology, and their relationships with the matters of law. The field can help the investigators understand many of the fields of science, from blood spatter patterns, to drug and trace evidence, and to determine the identity of unknown individual(s). Forensic science has a very important role in the criminal justice system. Forensics science provides scientifically based information from the analysis of physical evidence to help convict and or protect someone of wrongdoing. An expansive field with many jobs available from being a forensic toxicologist to working in the arson crime lab but to me the career in forensic science that interests me the most
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
Forensic science is a field of criminology that utilizes scientific methods to gather and examine evidence in order to prove or disprove a crime. Forensic science involves gathering fingerprints, palm prints, footprints, tooth bite prints, blood, and hair and fiber samples and bunch of other things in order to investigate a crime scene. Ballistics techniques are employed to make out weapons in addition to voice identification methods used to recognize criminals (Nickell &Fischer, 1999).
Forensics is the basis of the crime-fighting unit. It is devised to assist in the solving of a crime by providing explicit and reliable evidence. There are many different components of forensic science, which include: DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid), fingerprints, hair samples, ballistics and toxicology (what is a forensic scientist). There are many different types of forensic scientist such as an anthropologist, ballistics expert, chemical scientist, fingerprint expert, photographer and toxicologist [3]. There are a variety of different forensic scientists that specialize in different fields and they all use their specific knowledge to work together and come to a conclusion.
Forensic science is a scientific method to gather and examine information about the past which is then used in the court of law. A forensic science technician is someone who investigates crimes by analyzing and collecting physical evidence. Most technicians specialize in either crime scene investigation or laboratory analysis, which are forensic scientist.
Lawyers utilize multiple forms of evidence to try cases. Forensic science is one of the many forms that they use. Forensic Science is a science applied to answering legal questions, which help to uncover facts in cases. In “Forensic: Evidence, Clues, and Investigation” by Andrea Campbell forensic evidence is the best evidence for being used in trials.
The different varieties that make up forensic science have been embedded in popular culture since their inception. Long before criminal investigations incorporated the use of most modern techniques such as fingerprints, document examination, or blood spatter analysis.Many were first introduced to the science through the famous fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. From the examination of a human body after death, to analyzing the breath of a drunk
The use of forensic science started in the mid-nineteenth century when police in Birmingham, England, began using the newly developed technique of photography to keep photographic records of criminals. Later in the same century a man named Alexandre Lacassagne successfully identified a corpse using bones and dental comparisons. Now into the twentieth century the use of this science was popular in the United States, France, and England. During the first year of the new century Karl Landsteiner discovered that humans have two kinds of blood antigens on their red blood cells, which were named A and B. In the same year the New York City Service Commission became the first organization in the U.S to officially use fingerprints as the official means of identifying criminals. In 1910, a gentleman named Edmond Locard established the world’s first crime laboratory in Lyon, France
The area of forensic science covers a broad spectrum of sciences related to the legal system of a country. This could be when a crime has occurred and a forensic scientist is looking for any evidence to prove who the perpetrator was. Forensic science is an investigative method of science. You will find there are openings for forensic scientists within police forces
Sir Francis Galton, London Commissioner of Metropolitan Police, created his own system of fingerprint cataloguing. He assigned a number to each finger and based on the flow, direction, pattern, and other characteristics to narrow down candidates for a match. (“Forensic Science History”) Sir Galton fingerprint techniques have been used worldwide, however, with innovative and dramatized methods from other specialists, it made hard to prove which process would be reasonable and practical.
According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, a forensic science applies scientific principles to criminal justice pertaining to collecting, examining, and analyzing physical evidence (Merriam). For example, some types of forensic sciences that used during the proceedings of a criminal case are forensic DNA analysts and forensic toxicology. Forensic DNA analysts provide biological information in relation to a specific investigation (Forensic DNA). Forensic toxicologists focus on providing chemical information regarding the body fluids and samples of tissue examined during autopsies (Forensic Toxicology). Both forms of forensic
Forensic science is any science that is used to solve crimes, and its results are used in the courts of law. It is based on the belief that whenever a contact is made, there is always some exchange of materials. This has been referred to as ‘Locard’s Exchange Principle’ and these pieces of evidence are for the police to find and the forensic scientists to analyse.
Forensics is the use of scientific tests conducted on evidence that is used to aid a criminal investigation. Forensics is so important because without it either the wrong person could go to prison or the police could not arrest anyone, leaving the criminal to remain at large. Forensics allows insight into multiple factors that help catch the criminal behind the crime. Factors like DNA and fingerprinting are the very first piece of evidence to be looked at in an investigation to catch the killer. If the forensic scientists mix something up or misses what they are trained to look for, then they can do a lot of harm to a case. Forensics provides that very important physical evidence that will help the police catch the killer and bring that needed closer for the loved ones of the victim.