Later, in the s, scientists at the Aerospace Corporation, California, developed the method of detecting gunshot residue using scanning electron microscopes. Swedish chemist, Carl Wilhelm Scheele, first developed a chemical test to detect arsenic in corpses in His work was further elaborated by a German chemist, Valentin Ross , in to detect poison in stomach walls. In , Scottish chemist, James Marsh , did the first application of this forensic science technique.
This test was actually used successfully in a murder trial at that time. Almost a century later, scientist Karl Landsteiner received the Nobel Prize in for his work on blood groups. He was the first one to classify human blood into various groups. This later went on to give significant leads during criminal investigations from the examination of blood. The mids saw the development of other tests to examine saliva, semen, sweat and other body fluids. In the early 20 th century, there was a boom in the development of newer forensic techniques for examining the evidence.
This lead to law enforcement agencies realizing the requirement of special forensic investigator teams for evidence gathering and analysis. A professor at the University of Lyons — Edmond Locard, began the first police crime laboratory in France This is extensively used by a forensic investigator in crime scene investigations. Conversely, he also established that everyone and everything takes some piece of the crime scene with them when they leave.
To this day, forensic science has witnessed a number of significant advancements. From high-tech tools to DNA profiling and cyber forensics, forensic investigations are a lot easier now than it ever was.
DNA profiling has, in fact, lead to the successful identification of numerous criminals across the globe. Forensic Science has a rich but undervalued history and a richer potential ahead. Advancements in forensic science are an ongoing process and each day introduces a new technique into the forensic world. Despite all developments, any investigation still requires a human brain to decipher and rationalize the events of an incident scene.
A forensic investigator, at present, has the benefit of numerous tools and medical and scientific advancements at their disposal. In fact, a trained crime scene investigator bears the responsibility of correctly analyzing, retrieving and collecting evidence from a crime scene by leveraging every available scientific and technological advancement.
Nevertheless, one must not forget the human factor that comes into play without which an investigation is incomplete. It requires the acumen of the crime scene investigator and law enforcement personnel to understand the motive before a trial. A crime scene analysis is incomplete without the concord of scientific methods and the human factor.
Yes, a scientific evidence speaks for itself. But, it requires a human comprehension and voice to present it in the court of law for seeking justice. It houses a state-of-the-art forensic laboratory and forensic professionals handpicked from premier forensic institutes across the country.
IFF Lab is a valuable contribution towards criminal investigations , cyber and digital forensics in the nation. It endeavors to value the rich history of forensic science and create new standards for the importance of forensic science in the impending future.
Share now! Presenting the brief history of forensic science. Tracing the Roots of the Importance of Forensic Science in Ancient Times The history of forensic science awaits exploration as forensic science as a discipline was not much spoken about until recently. The Building Blocks in the History of Forensic Science — The Origin Forensic science as a part of the modern-day criminal justice system is still in its formative years.
The Origin of Pathology Ever wondered what was the very first guide to pathology? It threw light upon important topics such as: How to preserve evidence during the examination process?
How to make an antiseptic? How to extract a hidden injury from dead bodies and bones? Police in the United States were just beginning to emulate their European colleagues and started to gather prints for the purpose of identification in the early 20th century.
Louis, Scotland Yard sent representatives to host an exhibit to demonstrate the technique, which was growing in popularity in British courts. After more than a year in the appeals process, on December 21, , the Illinois Supreme Court upheld the conviction in the People v. Jennings , affirming his sentence would be carried out soon after. They cited prior cases in Britain and published studies on the subject to lend credibility to fingerprinting.
Several witnesses in the Jennings trial, it pointed out, had been trained by the venerable Scotland Yard. People v. Jennings further specified that fingerprint evidence was something that the average juror would have to rely on interpretation to understand. The degree of subjectivity that represents and what potential room for error - however small — is acceptable is still actively debated more than a century later.
Beginning with the Jennings trial, two fundamental questions have formed the basis of any challenge to its admissibility in court. Is the technique itself sound the primary issue when it was first introduced?
And how accurate the evidence is when interpreted and applied to any specific case? It is this gray area that defense attorneys seize on in thorny legal cases. Following a Supreme Court ruling in Daubert vs. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals Inc. Although it is uncertain exactly where the concept of forensic science originated, most historical experts agree it was very likely in China around the 6th century or earlier.
During the 7th century, the concept of utilizing fingerprints as a means of identification was first established. According to historical records, a street merchant was able to verify the identity of a particular customer who owed him money by capturing his fingerprints on a bill.
A judge accepted the prints as undeniable evidence, providing a very early example of forensic science in action.
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