A case that lasted 4 decades was solved using ballistic forensic science! Ballistic science is all over the world to solve numerous crimes in numerous ways. It is a major part in forensics because in our time now, people are using guns to commit crimes more than ever. Ballistics deal with firearms. They deal with how they are used, why they are used, and why they are used frequently in the practice of murder. They can be used for many reasons but the most common is they need to be quick with what the criminal is doing. They are used in the practice of murder in view of the fact that they are quick and easy. This means that people are scared of guns so they won’t try anything and they are quick because a gun can do whatever its job is fast. …show more content…
One way that it can be used is if bullets are left at a crime scene, they are taken to a laboratory to be examined for any evidence that would show more clues about what happened. Same thing goes for gunshot residue, it can be found on victims hands as well as clothes. This determines if a person has recently handled or fired a gun. If you also have the shell of the bullet or bullet, you can figure out the manufacturer from the marking on them from the barrel of the gun.
Usually a trained firearms examiner performs the evaluation of the evidence given. These trained examiners have received extensive training on all the matter of firearms and ammunition manufacturing. They trained on evidence detection, recovery, handling and examination procedures; comparison microscope equipment and procedures; courtroom testimony and legal issues; and casework. This is a very skilled job. So often people use guns to solve their problems that ballistic science is a major part in forensic science because it is used so vastly. Many cases have still been unsolved and maybe could be solved once we figure out more about ballistics. Ballistic science still has much more to be improved in and many cases to use ballistics in to solve mysteries and
Ballistics is the scientific study of the dynamics of projectile and bullet trajectory. Crime members utilize equipment that will allow to match individual characteristics to a known object in order to make a comparison. Just like the Locards exchange principle “when two objects come in contact, evidence is always left behind”. When a weapon has been shot, the barrel of the gun will leave marks on the bullet. With the marks left behind, one can scientifically prove the kind of weapon used, trajectory and estimate the distance between criminal and victim.
Fingerprints are collected from the evidence, and ran through a database such as IAFIS. DNA evidence that is extracted from hair, bodily fluids and skin cells are also ran through databases that help identify the suspects. Firearms, bullets and cartridges are analyzed and can be used to trace a weapon back to its owner. All of the information gathered from collected evidence is pooled together to create a solid base for use in the conviction of suspects in a crime.
Throughout history, there have been more cases of unsolved crime than can be counted. Over time, however, the advancement of science made these cases far fewer. Through forensics; a type of science which revolves around the solving of crimes, there has been an increase in undeniable evidence throughout the world. Regardless of the evidence, though, there are some crimes which have remained unsolved. The case of the Zodiac Killer is one of the most famous of these.
Defense experts are required to help the defense attorneys defend and breakdown all of the doubts in the prosecutors scientific findings in criminal cases. Scientific information is integral to a criminal prosecution, and a defense attorney needs to have an expert to assist he/she in discrediting the prosecution (Giannelli, 2011).
Once the firearm is taken to the lab it is dusted for fingerprints and examined for blood, fibers, paint, or anything else that can be evidence. The police will compare the firearm to the bullets that are found around crime scene. If they do not match to the firearm found at the scene that means the police have to look for another gun somewhere around the scene. They also can compare gun shell casings to suspect’s personal
Forensic science has paved the way to a new world of technological advancements in solving crime, through DNA analysis, new technology such as M-Vac, improving systems such as CODIS and other investigative methods. As forensic science technology advances, the chance of an individual being able to commit a crime and walk away free without leaving any trace of evidence will lessen. While forensic science has its limitations, it can be the only way to provide an accurate account of what actually occurred at some crime scenes.
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.
Crime scene investigators have a very important role when it comes to catching criminals and putting them away for a crime they committed. They are also called Forensic Science Technicians. The main role for a crime scene investigator is to investigate crimes and to collect evidence. Most types of evidence being hair, tissue, and fluids like blood or saliva. Basically, they provide evidence that shows information to help either acquit or convict a person of a crime (Crime 1).
Forensic evidence can provide just outcomes in criminal matters. However, it is not yet an exact science as it can be flawed. It can be misrepresented through the reliability of the evidence, through nonstandard guidelines, and through public perception. Forensic science can be dangerously faulty without focus on the ‘science’ aspect. It can at times be just matching patterns based on an individual’s interpretations. This can lead to a miscarriage of justice and forever alter a person’s life due to a perceived “grey area” (Merritt C, 2010) resulting in a loss of confidence in the reliability of forensic evidence.
Ballistics in forensic science deals with firearms; how they are used, why they are used, and why this type of weapon is used frequently in murder (Claridge, 2014). Ballistics dates back to 1835, where a firearms case happened in London, England (Hamby, 1999). Ballistics is a technique used to identify a specific weapon and was first utilized in court in 1902. Ballistics is a big part of forensic science that helps identify what kind of firearm was used in a crime.
Much like in Toms case, most investigations start with a crime having been committed. Forensic ballistics and firearm investigation start when there are bullets, cartridges, a weapon, or any combination of the above found at a crime scene. With the evidence, a crime lab can search for clues on these items that could lead to a suspect or possibly prove that the items were used in the crime. By comparing the markings on bullets or cartridges found at the scene with those fired from a suspect’s weapon, a ballistics expert can often determine if the rounds came from the same weapon. Just the act of cycling a cartridge through a weapon without firing it can leave permanent scratches in the case that are unique to the weapon.
Forensic science has now been recognized as an important part of the law enforcement team to help solve crimes and cold cases. The advances in technology are being used each day and we must continue to strive to develop better advances in this field. The recent discovery of using DNA in criminal cases has helped not only positively identify the suspect, but it has helped exonerate hundreds of innocent individuals. “With new advances in police technology and computer science, crime scene investigation and forensic science will only become more precise as we head into the future.” (Roufa, 2017) Forensic science and evidence helps law enforcement officials solve crimes through the collection, preservation and analysis of evidence. By having a mobile crime laboratory, the scene gets processed quicker and more efficiently. Forensic science will only grow in the future to be a benefit for the criminal justice
A forensic scientist analyzes different types of evidence from scenes or incidents, writes reports, and testifies in court as an expert witness. Being a forensic scientist is a very detailed oriented profession and they usually work some sort of a lab setting. Occasionally they may visit crime scenes or numerous accidents to help revamp the crime, gather evidence, or preserve data, but this is a very small part of their duties and is usually saved for a crime scene examiner. Forensic scientist may work for the federal or local government, forensic labs, police departments, hospitals, universities or as an independent forensic science consultant. Some specialist in Forensics Sciences are; Forensic Scientist, Forensic Pathologist, Forensic Anthropologist, Forensic Entomologist,
“The word ‘forensics’ means “connected with the courtroom”; so forensic science is, therefore, concerned with gathering hard evidence that can be presented in a trial” (Innes 9). Forensic science is a science that is applied specifically to legal matters, whether criminal or civil. “Few areas in the realm of science are as widespread and important as forensic science” (Hunter 12). Forensics is the one science that is most commonly used in everyday life. It is also a branch of science that incorporates other branches of science such as biology, chemistry, and etc. Since it is used almost every day “No one can dispute the importance of the contributions to society made by forensic science; the ability to solve crime is undeniably important” (Hunter 13). Forensic science has given criminal investigation a new edge. “Advances in science have opened the door for more effective evidence discovery, howev...
These technicians are typically the ones who analyze, take photos, make sketches and take detail of the scene. While analyzing there’s always those certain details in a scene that their looking for such as: fingerprints, palm prints, tire/shoe prints, wound imprints on a deceased person, hair, fiber’s and clothing. Different types of forensic scientists specialize in different things, for instance the time of death, cause of death, location of the crime, fingerprints, and DNA can be found using different methods of forensic