Reliability Of Forensic Evidence

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 vital and fascinating part of the criminal justice system. Forensic science it plays an important role in almost. every part of the criminal justice system. For many Americans, the word forensics evokes a cascade of vibrant imagery that entails crime and intrigue. It is a buzzword for DNA, bite marks, bullet wounds, fingerprints, autopsy, gore, death investigations, semen stains, and rape kits. Forensic science is defined as the application of science to the law, which is a very broad definition This can mean almost anything— accountants who perform analysis to assist the courts are forensic accountants; computer enthusiasts who hack into the hard drives of sexual predators are forensic computer technicians, the list goes on and on. The field of forensic science is growing, and the list becomes even longer as more divisions of labor and specialization occur. With this large influx of experts in fields that expand with technology and multitudes of new techniques, it is amazing that the courts can even keep up.

Since the Victorian era, crimes have been solved using confessions or eyewitness accounts. Those tactics are still used today, but as technology continues to develop more and more, law enforcement and criminal investigators have started to rely more on forensic evidence to solve today’s crimes. In the article “Forensic Science: Evidence, Clues, and Investigations,” by Andrea Campbell, the author discusses the reliability and importance of forensic evidence. By today’s standards, forensic evidence is the most important evidence to present at a trial.

Forensic scientists are important to the world of justice. Forensic scientists are tasked with the collection, preservation, and analysis of scientific evidence during the course of an investigation. An important aspect

A Crime Scene Investigator, also called a Forensic Scientist, supports polices detectives and other law enforcement investigative teams. They help by locating, collecting, and processing evidence, such as evidence tagging, sketching, photographing and print gathering for laboratory processing. They also preform and document autopsies and describe the levels of decomposition and other post-mortem procedural steps. They write reports that can be used as evidence, and investigators could testify as a witness.

Forensic science has become the greatest collective method for intelligence gathering of human identifiers. The forensic sciences are used around the world to resolve civil disputes, to justly the enforcement of criminal laws and government regulations, and to protect public health. Over the years, judges have trusted forensic methods without a second thought. DNA analysis is the most reliable method that forensic has, but how reliable is it? (Jonathan Jones, pbs). According to a group called The Innocence Project, “Misapplication of forensic science is the second most common contributing factor to wrongful convictions, found in nearly half (46%) of DNA exoneration cases” (Innocence project).

I believe my argument was compelling, and should sway Board members toward investing in the development of a forensic lab. The biggest difference between corporate investigation and law enforcement investigation is the individual leading the charge. Dedicated forensic specialists can recover evidences across multiple platforms and work within the guidelines of forensic laws to unearth the truth. Public law should provide the blueprint to which organization create company policy. During an investigation, forensic specialist must follow federal, state and city statue; while adhering to company mandate. In closing, presenting facts in a professional manner carries as much weight as the fact-finding

Forensic evidence plays a huge role in most criminal cases. After the Daubert trial, forensic scientific evidence was reevaluated in criminal and civil cases. Scientific and forensic types of evidence can be extremely helpful in proving the case. It can help identify the suspect in a criminal case. That will help put a criminal in prison. There are many different types of forensic evidence that can be considered as scientific evidence. The different types include DNA matching, fingerprint identification, and hair evidence. The methods used to show these types of evidence are usually beyond the scope of knowledge that judges and juries know. Those types of forensic evidence are usually introduced as scientific evidence. Scientific evidence can sometimes be omitted from a courtroom or

When evidence is collected from a scene of a crime and goes to the forensic laboratory for examination it is called a chain of custody all personnel who handle the evidence must sign and date the evidence package to assure the court that it has not been contaminated and it is the same evidence recovered from the crime scene. It is important to try and keep the number of personnel who handles the evidence to a minimum because all those who handle the evidence must testify in court. A chain of custody usually includes the investigator who collects the evidence from the crime scene and the scientist who analysis the material. But also could

Forensic science technicians are vital on a crime scene because the collect and analyze physical evidence. Evidence is one of the most important factor of a crime scene because this puts in investigator a step ahead in finding the suspect of a crime. Crime scene specialists help to collect and preserve evidence in a crime scene. There are rules concerning the collection of data in order to preserve its natural state. For example, “all non-movable items, such as fingerprints, at a crime scene should be processed at the scene using gray powder, black powder, or black magnetic powder. Polaroid 665 black and white film loaded in a Polaroid CU-5 camera with detachable flash should be used to make one-to-one photographs of prints which do not readily lift.” (Schiro, n.d.) Also in the case where there is a computer involved, if it is turned on, it must not be turned off until all the information is properly collected and stored on a file for later use. DNA examiners usually search for anything that could possibly contain DNA. These include fingerprints, hair, blood, semen, bite marks, and dead skin found under fingernails. Tests can be done to determine whether the DNA is the victim’s own or the possible suspect. The coroner’s role is to certify the death of an individual and if unknown, to gain the identity of the victim. These agencies

A crime scene investigator is responsible for multipart crime scene investigations, evaluation of the crime scene, various types of equipment along with developing, securing, and packaging physical evidence for scientific evaluation and comparison (U.S. Department, 2007). Detailed reports on the observations and activities at the scene next to testimonies in court regarding the findings and processing methods used at the scene are also conducted by the investigator (U.S. Department, 2007). The greatest challenge of this position is to apply scientific expertise in crime scene evidence identification and processing with the ultimate

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

After doing their job in he crime scene, the evidence they took will be taken to the forensic scientist. Crime scene investigators will look at the photographs and connect their theories based on the crime that occurred. The forensic scientists will also examine the victim’s clothes, while the medical examiner will analyze the victim’s body for more clues and evidence that they may find and they will all be doing this in the crime lab. The things they may find could be hair, fiber, semen, blood, another person’s DNA, bruises and many more. After the forensic scientists

Forensic science borrows from a number of sciences which include: physics, Biology and chemistry. It therefore involves examination of a wide spectrum as compared to any other method of investigation. Due to the wide spectrum of investigation and evidence analysis the method offers; it ensures that the results are accurate and can be used in the court of law to make a decision. The method establishes the existence of a crime, the connection between the crimes and the

Behind every court case there’s a train of forensic science evidence and research. Forensic science is the application of scientific principles of criminal justice. In many court cases a forensic scientists is the one on the scene collecting finger prints, photos, blood samples and other evidence. Unfortunately one of the controversial issues in the forensic world is the evidence and its lack of verification of its reliability. In the field of forensics there are issues in finding proof in generating conclusion, fundamental knowledge to solve problems, and the whole false memory defense in the court. These issues can be solved in many ways like extensive research, preparation and training. These issues