Today forensic Science makes a major contribution to the operation of the Criminal Justice System providing evidence. This could help to decide the guilt of a suspect. Forensic Science has developed to operate within the reality determined by the Criminal Justice System. Changes are occurring today. It seems to upset the relationship between Forensic Sciences and the Criminal Justice System. Examples- the changes occurring in the concept of death made necessary by organ transplants. The need for reforms in the law because of social changes has been recognized in many countries. With these changes, a new reality is occurring. Forensic Science comes first in contact with a multitude of emergent problems and has a part to play in the definition of this reality.

Forensic science has a broad range of applications. It is used in murder cases, and civil cases such as forgeries, fraud, negligence, etc. It can help law enforcement officials determine whether any laws or regulations have been violated or not. FS check if any violated rules occur in the marketing of foods and drinks, the manufacture of medicine, or the use of pesticides on crops. The application of forensic science can determine whether automobile emissions are within a permissible level and whether drinking water meets legal purity requirements. Forensic science is used in monitoring the compliance of different countries. It helps to monitor international agreements such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Chemical Weapons Convention and to learn whether countries are developing secret nuclear weapons programs. Forensic science commonly is used to investigate criminal cases involving a victim. Examples- assault, robbery, kidnapping, rape, murder, etc. The oldest technique of forensic science is dusting the scene of a crime for fingerprints. Because no two fingerprints are the same. Fingerprinting provides a positive means of identification. Scientific officers by applying forensic knowledge can able to find the criminal behind the murder.

Priorities in the forensic field:

• Facilitating coordination and collaboration on forensic science within the Departments. It can involve the federal government, and state, local, and tribal entities.
• Increasing the capacity of forensic service providers. So, evidence can be processed quickly and investigations can be concluded without delay.
• It improves the reliability of forensic analysis to enable examiners to report results with increased specificity and certainty.

Application of FS in the justice system

• In criminal cases, forensic scientists are involved in the search for the connection between someone suspected of committing a crime and the victim. Physical traces in crime scenes include blood, other body fluids, hair, nail, textile fibres from clothing, paint, glass, other building materials, footwear, tool, and tire marks, flammable substances used to start fires, etc. The forensic scientist will visit the crime scene for collecting evidence, and reconstruct the crime scene.
• Toxicologists analyze a person’s bodily fluids, tissue, and organs for drugs, poisons, alcohol, and other substances.
• Ballistic specialists examine firearms, explosives, or documents whose authenticity is questioned.
• The latest computer technology allows law enforcement officers to record fingerprints digitally. By using these supercomputers examiners can transmit and receive fingerprint information electronically for rapid identification.
• DNA fingerprinting provides an easy path to analyze blood, hair, skin, or semen evidence found at the crime scene. By using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method, the evidence sample can clone, or multiply rapidly. That is how scientists can analyze DNA from a tiny sample collected from the crime scene. PCR produces enough DNA to compare a sample of DNA with the DNA of the suspected criminal.
• Nowadays forensic science is using electron microscopes, lasers, ultraviolet and infrared light, advanced analytical chemical techniques, and computerized databases to analyze and research evidence. For example- blood-alcohol levels can be determined by actual blood tests through gas chromatography. Gas chromatography permits the detection of alcohol, other illegal drugs(barbiturates, cocaine, amphetamines, heroin, etc).
• When a dead body is recovered from a lake, stream, river, or ocean and the lungs are found to be filled with water, the medical examiner must determine the cause and time of death. It means the examiner determines if the death occurs by drowning or any evil cause behind the murder. By using a highly magnified microscope examiner can determine the presence or absence of diatoms. Diatoms are single-celled algae. These are significantly found in all-natural bodies of water. The absence of diatoms raises the question about the place of murder. Because household water is free from diatoms. That is how forensic scientists can identify the place of death or murder.
• By using a scanning electron microscope, the examiner can detect the minute gunpowder particles present on the hand of the shooter. These gunpowder residues can be analyzed chemically to identify the origin of bullets. Forensic examination of these substances found the presence of a shooter at the crime scene.
• Human bite marks can serve as circumstantial evidence. Bite marks may be found upon the body of a homicide victim or within pieces of food or other objects found at the crime scene. Example- chewing gum. A forensic scientist can construct the impressions again by using liquid plastic. The formation of the cast is a replica of the assailant’s teeth. This evidence now can be compared with a cast made from the teeth of the suspect.

Crimes Easily Solved with Forensic Science:

• Drug-related crimes and sex crimes are the two most common crimes solved by the application of forensic science(FS). In drug crimes, forensics can be used to determine the chemical makeup of a drug, and identify if the drug is legal or illegal. If the results come back positive for illegal substances, the prosecution can arrest the drug manufacturer in the case of illegal drug manufacturing or trafficking.
• In the case of death by poisoning, forensics can be used to determine the drug used to kill the individual. This is also narrowing down the list of suspects by figuring out the dealer or supplier.
• In sex-related crimes, DNA will have taken from the victim. By using these results police can identify the perpetrator.
• Weapons testing/ ballistics is a significant aspect of forensic science. Ballistics is the application of science in understanding how and what types of guns were used at the scene of the crime. Ballistic experts can tell you how many shots were fired, the position of the shooter, and distance between shooter and victim, etc.

Duties and Responsibilities of a forensic scientist:

Forensic scientists perform a broad array of lab work. Forensic scientists need different skills according to their expertise. A forensic scientist must have good communication skills for writing reports that will be in layman’s languages. Forensic scientists are called on to give expert witness testimony in court.

• Forensic Chemists

Left trace evidence by the perpetrator is examined by forensic chemists. These scientists need a broad education in both biology and toxicology. They can predict the speed of murder by analyzing spatter patterns of blood at the crime scene. They examine materials for the composition and detection of unknown agents.

• Forensic Toxicologists

Toxicologists examine biological tissues and fluids. This test will detect alcohol levels, drug usage, and poisonous or toxic substances. In postmortem investigations, toxicologists work with coroners and several medical examiners. They will have to determine whether toxic substances were the cause of death or not. These scientists test sports players in drug abuse cases.

• Medical Examiners and Coroners

Medical scientists are known as death investigators. They are sometimes required to arrive at the crime scene. Medical examiners and coroners conduct autopsies. By performing autopsies they can determine the time and cause of death. They also gather evidence in crime scenes like bullets and send it to forensic ballistics specialists. The medical examiner is the main figure in an investigation of crimes. It is the responsibility of the medical examiner to visit the crime scene, conduct an autopsy in cases of death. They also examine the medical evidence and laboratory reports, study the victim’s medical history, and put all that information together in a report to the district attorney, the public prosecuting officer within a defined district. The medical examiner is a physician specializing in forensic pathology. They are experts to determine any changes(structural and functional changes) in the body as a result of injury.

• Training and Education

Scientists begin with bachelor’s degrees in their interested field of forensic science. Forensic programs blend science and legal studies into a single program. After completing a degree, you can get internships to offer, hands-on training, and help from local law enforcement agencies.

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FAQs:

1. What do you mean by forensic science?

Ans: Forensic science(FS) is the application of scientific data of the crime scene and evidence analysis. FS is the application of science to the law by gathering and examining evidence to be used in a legal case. Forensic science uses different types of natural and physical sciences to analyse crime scene evidence.

2. Name some physical traces present in the crime scene.

Ans: In criminal cases, forensic scientists are involved in the search for the connection between someone suspected of committing a crime and the victim. Physical traces in crime scenes include blood, other body fluids, hair, nail, textile fibres from clothing, paint, glass, other building materials, footwear, tool, and tire marks, flammable substances used to start fires, etc. The forensic scientist will visit the crime scene for collecting evidence, and reconstruct the crime scene.

3. What is the work of the medical examiner and coroner?

Ans: Medical scientists are known as death investigators. They are sometimes required to arrive at the crime scene. Medical examiners and coroners conduct autopsies. By performing autopsies they can determine the time and cause of death. They also gather evidence in crime scenes like bullets and send it to forensic ballistics specialists. The medical examiner is the main figure in an investigation of crimes. It is the responsibility of the medical examiner to visit the crime scene, conduct an autopsy in cases of death. They also examine the medical evidence and laboratory reports, study the victim’s medical history, and put all that information together in a report to the district attorney, the public prosecuting officer within a defined district. The medical examiner is a physician specializing in forensic pathology. They are experts to determine any changes(structural and functional changes) in the body as a result of injury.