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Essay on the history of forensic science
The role of forensic science in investigations
The role of forensic science in investigations
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Present vs. Past: Forensic Science Forensic science is specialized in finding proof and evidence to analyze and search for clues. When crimes are done, criminals frequently leave behind evidence at the crime scene. Crime Investigators (AKA- CSIs) and Medical Examiners (MEs) the inspect the evidence left at the crime scene for leads to who did what. They try and rebuild the scene using the evidence and proof that they have. Forensic science has played a great role in finding evidence for crimes in history because it helps find the person who did wrong, the perpetrator, and it helps bring justice to the case. Forensics now are better than before because technological advances like DNA testing has been made, which takes forensics to a whole new level. What is DNA? DNA is deoxriybonucleic acid which is a molecule that is in a double-helix structure described by James Watson and Francis Crick in 1953. DNA contains our genetic code which is composed of triphosphate molecules, which are also known as the ‘building blocks’ of DNA. There are four bases included in the DNA molecule they are called the four nitrogenous bases. The bases are Thymine, adenine, guanine (purines), thymine and cytosine (pyrimidines) (http://forensicsciencecentral.co.uk/dna.shtml). This shows that DNA isn’t so easy to understand, there is certain bases to make up the DNA molecule. This is important because it helps compose the pieces to DNA and helps find traces to the victim. “The more useful sources include blood, semen, vaginal fluid, nasal secretions and hair with roots” (http://forensicsciencecentral.co.uk/dna.shtml). This quote is important because it singles out the most occurrence of DNA. In order for DNA testing to take place scientists will have t... ... middle of paper ... ...Mrs. Hiller found her husband dead. Investigators found some particles of sand and gravel by the daughters bed. They also found the fingerprints of the convicted killer Thomas Jennings, on the Hiller homes railings. Mr.Hiller had painted the railings hours before his death. Into the paint was four fingerprints of someone’s left hand. American Law enforcement had already adopted the principle of fingerprinting so the evidence was allowed to be presented in court. Fingerprinting expert William M. Evans had agreed that Jennings hand, his alone, was the prints left on the railing of the Miller’s home. The courts jury appealed Miller as guilty and he was later hanged. Fingerprinting is fairly new and they’ve helped find the culprit in many investigations carried out in America, therefore proving that our methods in solving crimes are better than the methods used before.
“DNA samples of semen retrieved from the crime scene matched blood drawn from Andrews. At that time, no state had a DNA databank. However, after witnessing the power of DNA evidence, state courts and state legislatures would soon grapple with the issue of whether DNA evidence should be admitted at trial as identity evidence and whether establishing state DNA databanks would be feasible and of value to law enforcement. A review of current law reveals that almost every state has embraced and institutionalized the utilization of DNA fingerprinting for crime fighting purposes” (Hibbert,
. DNA can be left or collected from the hair, saliva, blood, mucus, semen, urine, fecal matter, and even the bones. DNA analysis has been the most recent technique employed by the forensic science community to identify a suspect or victim since the use of fingerprinting. Moreover, since the introduction of this new technique, there has been a large number of individuals released or convicted of crimes based on DNA left at the crime scene. DNA is the abbreviation for deoxyribonucleic acid.
DNA is the blueprint of life. It stores our genetic information which is what is in charge of how our physical appearance will look like. 99.9% of human DNA is the same in every person yet the remaining .1% is what distinguishes each person (Noble Prize). This small percentage is enough to make each person different and it makes identifying people a lot easier when its necessary. DNA not only serves to test relationships between people it also helps in criminal cases. DNA testing in criminal cases has not been around for many years if fact it was not until the early 1990s when the use of DNA testing for criminal cases was approved and made available. By comparing the DNA of a suspect and that found in the crime scene a person can either be convicted of a crime or they can be exonerated. This method of testing gained more publicity in the 1984 case of Kirk Noble Bloodsworth a man who had been convicted of the rape and first degree murder of a nine year old girl in Maryland. His case was a milestone in the criminal justice system since it involved the use of new technology and it also raised the question of how many people had been wrongly incarcerated for a crime they did not commit.
I began this year considering a career in forensics. After delving into the field in detail however, I see that it is a very delicate science and easily open to misinterpretation. There are many variables within forensics, the first and foremost being that of the CSI effect and how it influences our expectations of the capabilities of forensic science. While it's true that great advances have been made in the area of forensic science, it's unrealistic to expect a crime scene to be processed, evidence analyzed and a conclusive forensics report to be completed in a short time and be completely accurate 100% of the time. Forensic science has a lot of room for improvement, and understanding if, how, and why shows like CSI affect the field is of high priority. After all, this is real life and not a TV show.
Forensic anthropology is the study of bones in relation to a criminal investigation. Some have probably seen it used on television, but this is not an accurate portrayal of what this truly is. Many times, this area of forensic science is hidden from the public eye; people only get to see all of the glamorous parts. What they do not see is all of the hard work and effort that is put in to get the job correctly done. This career is a rare decision for someone to choose, because of the lack of opportunity for employment positions as well as the low income per year; however, it is an extremely fascinating occupation. Forensic anthropology has been known to help many organizations, including museums, and law enforcement agencies.
Overall, though, I believe that Stein is the closest scholar here-mentioned to have accounted for the explanation behind these controversies. The main mistake made by many modern scholars lies in the planning and the research – too much effort is spent on seeking to explain this opposition between the Proculians and the Sabinians in terms of two internally coherent law schools which differ entirely and have held controversies stemming from a specific occurrence. I have personally, as a student of the Roman law, found it difficult in reading the sources and differing theories from scholars to do just this – because, as Scarano Ussani stated, nowhere, in the mass of research that has been done, have any definitive results been reached. As afore-mentioned, I ruled out the political explanation for the purpose of answering this question, and the social explanation does not add a great deal to the debate for me. The theories supporting the social standpoint as addressed in this essay are among the worst for choosing to ignore many of the hard facts in order to make their theory fit better. This leaves only the philosophical and methodological explanations. The philosophical explanation is a reasonably sound one, although as explored above, I do believe that its significance has been largely exaggerated. There is no doubt over the fact that philosophy has played an influential role - even if you only look at Gaius’ ius gentium which contains a certain level of Stoic influence, but as mentioned above there are major differences which have been overlooked slightly in those arguments. The methodological explanation is another seemingly logical one, and the most reliable of all theorems explored in this essay, in my opinion, as it i...
Forensic Science Technician Details: A forensic science technician analyzes the evidence from a crime investigations. They perform advanced tests on the evidence to add proof into an investigation. There are different areas a forensic science technician can work in depending are their expertise (Just The Facts). Multiple Perspectives: Most small police departments only require a part time forensic science technician.
What is DNA? The scientific definition is “deoxyribonucleic acid, the biological polymer that stores the genetic information in all free living organisms. Two linear molecules entwine to form the double helix. Now that the definition has been stated, let’s now define what DNA means to a crime scene or case investigator. In the law enforcement business DNA has been introduce as a revolutionary and efficient accurate tool to solve and crack modern and cold cases. It also has played major roles in courtrooms through out the nation on either proven guilt, or revealing the truth behind the innocence on the wrongly accused and convicted by our own court system. DNA has also brought justice to those who have been brutally victimized of rape and sexual abuse by atrocious conniving sex predators.
...be enhanced. As seen from the video one of the perpetrators was wearing a dark short sleeved shirt and appears to have a very wide watch strap on his left wrist. When after find out the DNA and fingerprint results CCTV camera photographs will be useful to identify the real criminal of the robbery.1.
Forensic scientists work in labs where they examine, identify, and interpret evidence collected in crime scenes. Crime scene investigators collect evidence and pass it to a forensic scientist who uses the items in numerous ways to help catch criminals. Forensic scientists must also record the evidence and any tests ran on it in detail to prove the truth in court. A forensic scientist also has to be able to present his or her physical evidence verbally in court, so a strong communication background is important.
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.
As far back as 1832, James Marsh was the first to use forensics at trial to give evidence as a chemist in 1832. Since that time forensic science and evidence has come a long way in various ways and technology to help in determine if the suspect is guilt or not, through such things as DNA testing, blood, and fingerprints. The first forensic police crime lab was created in 1910. The contributions of Dr. Edmond Locard, a French scientist and criminologist, proposed that “everything leaves a trace”. This principle is still valid today as it was so many years ago. No matter how small, the specialized trained technicians and investigators can take these methods and go to a crime scene to get evidence. “Forensic science is the application of sciences such as physics, chemistry, biology, computer science and engineering to matters of law.” (Office of Justice, 2017) These different sciences can help achieve and assist in solving a case. Forensic science has also the ability to prove that a crime was committed, it can find the elements of the crime, it can help place the suspect at the scene and whether the suspect had any contact with the victim. However, in the last several years the techniques and with the use of technology the evidence that forensic science uncovers can also exonerate an innocent individual who has been falsely accused of the
We do have known what forensics is. Forensics that we know is an application of various sciences to answer questions that are important to legal system in which it may be related to a crime. Forensics generallu covering something or methods of a scientific nature and also the rules established from the facts of the event, to do an introduction to physical evidence. This is just a usual forensics. Nowadays, forensics is not just like that, digital devices are everywhere today, helping people to communicate with other people globally, not just between town. We can use that to do some forensics thing too, and find the evidence. It is called Digital Forensics.
Being the power and brains behind whether or not a murderer serves the time they deserve or not is all up to you. As a Forensic Scientist you’re given evidence in which you preform tests, and a few other things in order to solve the crime. When I was younger I remember turning on the television to watch NCIS, a popular crime investigation television show. The minute I was shown how just one piece of hair could solve a homicide I was instantly hooked on the idea of becoming a Forensic Scientist. Since science is always changing, new things will be appearing every day. Change is good, I don’t want a job that is the same boring thing every day, I want
“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...