If you are interested in crafting a career in forensic sciences, this blog might help you with more details on that branch of science. We know that criminal investigations are a systematic and methodical process undertaken by law enforcement agencies, including police, to gather evidence and identify suspects in criminal cases. Such investigations involve collecting and analysing physical evidence (such as fingerprints, DNA, and ballistics), witness interviews, surveillance footage analysis, etc., to build a strong case against the suspects. There are several techniques used to collect forensic evidence. This blog helps you discover some standard forensic techniques officials use in criminal investigations. These techniques help them collect, analyse and present the evidence at the right time, as they are essential in helping the law authorities solve cases.
Forensic Science Techniques
Let us see some commonly used forensic techniques in criminal investigations worldwide. Forensic officials contribute a lot to solving criminal cases in a quick and fair manner. They are also important in solving bank robberies and money-related theft cases. B.Sc Forensic Science is a study that guides you to shape your career in the field of forensic science. The following are some of the common techniques used in forensic science studies.
DNA Analysis: Analyzing DNA samples collected from the biological evidence like blood, semen, hair, or skin cells of the victim can be useful in identifying the suspects or victims with a high point of accuracy.
Fingerprint Analysis: Unique fingerprint patterns found at the scene of the crime are analysed in order to identify individuals or criminals and then link them to the crimes appropriately.
Ballistics Analysis: Experts analyse the bullets, cartridge casings, and firearms found in the crime scene. Such analysis helps them determine the type of weapon used in the crime and its potential links to similar crimes committed earlier in other places.
Bloodstain Pattern Analysis: In this type, experts analyse the size, shape, and distribution of bloodstains found on the victim or around the scene of crime and provide valuable information about the events that occurred at a crime scene to the police department.
Toxicology Analysis: This type of analysis involves the process of detecting and identifying drugs, poisons, or other substances found in the body that can help determine the cause of death or intoxication of the victim.
Digital Forensics: Digital forensics involves capturing or recovering crucial data from various digital devices like computers, mobile phones, and other electronic devices used/found in the crime scene. Experts later analyse them and find information that might provide crucial evidence in the case.
Forensic Anthropology: Anthropology involves analysing human skeletal remains of the victim. This analysis helps authorities identify the victim, determine their age, sex, and ultimately find the cause of death.
Forensic Entomology: This analysis studies insects found on or around a deceased body and can help investigators estimate the actual time of death.
All these techniques, along with others like trace evidence analysis (hair, fibres, soil), handwriting analysis, and forensic psychology, provide valuable inputs into criminal activities and help law enforcement agencies and police officials to bring criminals and perpetrators to justice.
Criminal Investigation Tools
Criminal investigations rely on a variety of tools to gather evidence and solve cases. These tools are divided into three main areas:
Information Gathering
Skilled questioning through interviews and interrogations with people around the crime scene allows investigators to obtain details from witnesses, suspects, and informants. Surveillance methods, including physical observation, electronic monitoring, and social media scrutiny, helps to gather real-time information about suspects' activities. Accessing public records, such as criminal histories, vehicle registrations, and property records, and utilizing informants provides access to confidential sources who offer valuable intelligence on criminal activities enriches the overall investigative process.
Forensic Science Techniques
DNA analysis identifies individuals through biological evidence, while fingerprint analysis connects suspects to crime scenes through unique patterns. Ballistics analysis examines firearms and ammunition to determine weapon types and establish links to other crimes. Bloodstain pattern analysis provides information of the crime scene events by analyzing the size and distribution of bloodstains. Toxicology analysis investigates substances in the body to identify causes of death or intoxication. Digital forensics recovers and analyzes data from electronic devices, often uncovering critical evidence.
Technological Tools
Modern law enforcement employs advanced technologies to enhance investigations. Computer-Aided Drafting (CAD) helps create detailed crime scene diagrams, while Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analyze crime patterns and hotspots. Facial recognition software aids in identifying suspects by comparing images to known offender databases. Law enforcement databases also provide crucial information on criminal records and missing persons.
Modern Forensic Methods
Advancements in forensic technology have changed investigative processes, and they allow faster and more accurate solutions to cases. Rapid DNA analysis enables quicker identification of suspects or victims, so that investigations do not stall endlessly. Enhanced fingerprint analysis through automated fingerprint identification systems (AFIS) fastens the matching process against extensive databases of criminal records.
Digital forensics department has also seen good progress, with modern tools that retrieve and analyze data from various electronic devices, providing details on criminals’ communications, locations, and their online activities. Improved ballistics analysis, through networks like the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), helps the comparison of ballistic evidence. They link multiple cases and identify repeat offenders without wasting time.
The use of 3D crime scene reconstruction technology helps in visualizing events with precision, and enhances the explanation of the order of events in court. Artificial intelligence applications in image and voice analysis are increasing accuracy and speed in the analytical process.
Advantages of Forensic Identification Methods
Forensic identification methods and techniques are useful in solving many criminal investigations. These methods provide scientific evidence that are used to identify the main culprits, find out their actual link to crimes, and explain the sequence of events clearly to the court. This helps to strengthen cases and ensure that justice is served to the right people at the right time. Forensic identification methods help innocent people who are wrongly accused. By providing foolproof evidence, these methods can help provide correct judgements and restore public confidence in the criminal justice system.
In conclusion, the various forensic science methods and techniques discussed above are designed to assist investigators and police personnel to identify criminals and solve cases without delay. You need good knowledge of these methods, especially when you deal with sensational cases. Building strong skills in forensic science studies is now possible by doing degree and diploma programs at Boston College. Every case has loopholes and every criminal leaves evidence. Forensic analysis is a boon to both police and law authorities, as they carry a huge responsibility of identifying the culprits and protecting innocent suspects.