The History of Forensics

Forensic science is the application of science and technology during criminal investigations to collect, preserve, and analyze evidence as governed by legal standards. It is the study and analysis of evidence and information gathered from a crime scene so as to answer legal questions about the offense committed. This is important, as it helps to accurately determine the individuals responsible for crimes in order for justice to be served. The use of forensic investigations dates back a thousand years and has been practiced in one form or the other. One of the earliest forms of forensic science involves the use of fingerprints in the 18th century. In ancient times, assumptions of the cause of death were made in accordance to where the victim had been found. For instance, a man found lying broken, and bloodied along the road was considered to have fallen and also, to have been dragged by a horse while a man found in water bodies was said to have naturally drowned. Moreover, criminal investigations relied on the word of witnesses and on forced confessions. Criminal investigations in the 18th century changed, becoming more evidence-based whilst the use of torture to get confessions to influence court decisions was stopped. The 20th century brought about innovation and new technology in the world of forensic science, and this enhanced science and discovery. Although this area was once prone to errors and misinterpretation, it has developed to become one of the most crucial components of the judicial system in modern law. Today, forensic science has advanced to a point where forensic scientists are brought out and put on the stand and interviewed as expert witnesses in criminal investigations. Some forensic scientists travel to the crime scene to collect the evidence themselves, while others are stationed in laboratories and analyze objects brought to them by other individuals (Helsloot & Groenendaal 2011). While any field could easily incorporate forensics, certain sections have majority legal related cases. There are multiple subdivisions of forensics which engage advanced technology, and this helps in understanding scientific principles in all types of evidence, allowing for better analysis. Also, these advances have led this field to become more precise, increasing the efficiency in the determination of most cases. Working in forensic science is rewarding, as it is coupled with the continuous advancement of technology, research, and techniques to improve the effectiveness of this sector in order to solve cases successfully and in a transparent manner. However, the human factor is also as necessary to rationalize and conceptualize what has occurred in a crime scene. This is because forensic science can help solve the cause of a crime but cannot give the reason as to why the crime happened (Williams & Johnson 2006). The scientific and medical factors of the crime scene are meant to be built upon a human intelligence perspective. In addition, advancement in technology has made forensic investigation significantly easier than it used to be. 

Once a crime scene has been located, it is crucial for all evidence to be collected and recorded for future references. Evidence collection in a crime scene is carried out using various methods and aims at reconstruction of the crime, identifying who committed the crime, and analyzing the evidence collected to provide enough information that will stand up in a court of law. This is achieved through comprehensive collection and analysis of the available evidence. Since solving a crime and prosecuting suspects is a complicated process, it requires diligence by the people involved in the investigation of the crime (Killias & Rau 2000). Forensic technicians are responsible for the collection, documentation, and preservation of evidence. The evidence gathered is then taken to the laboratory and examined to help understand exactly what happened at the time of the crime. The crime scene is not only composed of the victim and a murder weapon, but also a wide variety of physical evidence that can be collected. The various evidence includes biological evidence, footwear, and tire track evidence, tool and tool mark evidence, latent print evidence, drug evidence, trace evidence and firearm evidence. The physical evidence collected vary with the type of crime committed. In addition to the physical evidence collected, forensic scientists can also gather verbal evidence from witnesses or from people in the area where the crime occurred. All this information gathered together help the investigators determine at what time the crime might have taken place, how the crime was committed and the reason behind the offense. Also, the evidence collected can assist in valuable clues about the person who committed the crime like age, marital status and racial background (Helsloot & Groenendaal 2011). A forensic scientist is equipped with knowledge that enables them collect crime scene evidence, interview the available witnesses, gather enough information to write a report and finally present the evidence through testimony in a trial. 

Forensic scientists can also collect digital information like emails, messages, images and internet histories from electronic devices found at the crime scene. However, digital evidence requires trained personnel since the digital world has a wide variety of devices which keeps changing at high speed. The information collected is taken to the laboratory section that specializes in digital forensics for analysis. The technical aspect of the investigation process is influenced by the type of digital devices involved e.g. computer forensics, mobile forensics, and network forensics. Certified Digital Media Examiners are equipped with education, training, and experience that ensures they exploit digital evidence given to them for analysis. On a scene, there are practices employed to seize any electronic devices present accurately (McEwen & Regoeczi 2015). Extra care should be observed in collecting such devices to avoid losing important evidence contained like DNA. The electronics are taken to a specialized laboratory where different tools and techniques are used to examine the devices. There is a broad range of information that can be found in the mobile and computers that are valuable in gathering evidence relating to the crime committed. Digital forensics not only provide direct evidence to the crime but can also be used to confirm alibis, point to specific suspects and determine intentions behind committing the crime. It involves a complicated and broad scope of investigations than other areas of forensic analysis. 

Through forensic science, pieces of evidence are brought together and help make a conclusion that tells what happened in a crime scene. The information presented by forensic scientists is used by the prosecutors and police officers to bring criminals to justice. This is because in our world today, even an average criminal knows how to answer questions that will not implicate them to a crime. In addition, eyewitnesses have become more unreliable with some of them accusing innocent victims of personal advantage. Analysis of the presented evidence by forensic scientists help in reconstructing a crime; it provides information about how a crime was committed, weapons used, when and where the crime took place (Williams & Johnson 2006). For instance, the kind of gun used can be determined by examining shells from a firearm and examining a body can indicate whether a victim was repeatedly abused. Analyzed evidence from forensic scientists can be used to identify criminals; criminals may leave behind fingerprints, hairs, blood and DNA that is quickly matched against stored information about the criminal in the database. This links a suspect to a victim or scene of a crime through the establishment of a profile. Sometimes, forensics scientists are called upon to give testimonies in court cases as expert witnesses; the evidence provided can free or imprison the person accused. Modern science has come a long way to provide improved research methods and new technology that enables forensic scientists to perform their tasks more effectively and efficiently in solving crimes. 

In conclusion, in our contemporary society, technological advancement has had a profound impact on forensic investigations. The process is now more precise, more accurate, and more reliable respectful to the courts, as it helps in the solution of crimes and in bringing criminals to justice. Moreover, families of victims can get answers concerning their loved ones who essentially, are victims of the offenses committed. While forensic scientists depend on science to compile comprehensive reports about a crime, it is also important to ensure that human intelligence is incorporated into the determination of the facts surrounding any case. This is because, even though forensic science can establish a solid explanation of how and when the crime happened, it can never solve the why part of the offense. The human factor should, therefore, be put in place to determine the motive of the crime committed. There are errors that are likely to occur in the laboratory analysis of the evidence collected. For example, after a child has committed a crime, the DNA analysis can match against the parents or siblings of the criminal, which often might lead to the pursuance of the wrong target. In most cases, parents have been known to take the fall for the crimes committed by their children since their DNA composition is almost similar. More research should be carried out in this field to ensure that better methods and innovations are invented to deal with the process in a more efficient way. This will make sure that justice is served and that the right people are captured for the crimes committed. 

References 

Helsloot, I., & Groenendaal, J. (July 01, 2011). Naturalistic Decision Making in Forensic Science: Toward a Better Understanding of Decision Making by Forensic Team Leaders. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 56, 4, 890-897. 

Killias, M., & Rau, W. (March 01, 2000). The European Sourcebook of Crime and Criminal Justice Statistics: A New Tool in Assessing Crime and Policy Issues in Comparative and Empirical Perspective. European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research, 8, 1, 3-12. 

McEwen, T., & Regoeczi, W. (September 01, 2015). Forensic Evidence in Homicide Investigations and Prosecutions of Criminals in the Court of Law. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 60, 5, 1188-1198. 

Williams, R., & Johnson, P. (September 06, 2006). Inclusiveness, Effectiveness and Intrusiveness: Issues in the Developing Uses of DNA Profiling in Support of Criminal Investigations. The Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 34, 2, 234-247.