THE KEY ROLE OF CRIME SCENE FORENSICS IN SOLVING CASES

Abstract

: FORENSIC CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION IS A FUNDAMENTAL ELEMENT OF THE JUSTICE INVESTIGATION PROCESS. IT IS OFTEN THE FIRST STAGE AT WHICH EVIDENCE IS COLLECTED, DOCUMENTED AND ANALYSED, AND THE QUALITY OF THIS INVESTIGATION CAN HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE SUBSEQUENT SUCCESS OF SOLVING THE CASE. TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS EVIDENTIAL PROCESS, WE NEED TO FOCUS ON THE CONTEXT AND MOTIVATIONS BEHIND THE CRIME SCENE FORENSIC INVESTIGATION. TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACHES HAVE BROUGHT SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS TO THE FIELD, ALLOWING INVESTIGATORS TO OBTAIN MORE ACCURATE EVIDENCE AND SOLVE CASES MORE EFFICIENTLY. TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS HAVE BROUGHT WITH THEM THE EXPANDED USE OF ADVANCED IMAGING TECHNIQUES, DNA AND BIOMETRICS ANALYSIS, COMPUTER SIMULATIONS AND MORE, PROVIDING INVESTIGATIONS WITH A RICHER ARSENAL OF TOOLS. ONE OF THE MOST OBVIOUS PURPOSES OF CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION IS THE IDENTIFICATION AND APPREHENSION OF OFFENDERS. BY COLLECTING EVIDENCE, INCLUDING PHYSICAL TRACES, BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE AND INTELLIGENCE, FORENSIC SCIENTISTS HELP ESTABLISH THE IDENTITY OF SUSPECTED CRIMINALS, WHICH FACILITATES THE PROSECUTION PROCESS. THE QUALITY OF EVIDENCE COLLECTED AND DOCUMENTED AT THE SCENE HAS A DIRECT IMPACT ON THE JUDICIAL PROCESS. WEAK OR INADEQUATE EVIDENCE CAN LEAD TO FAILURES IN COURT, WHILE STRONG AND WELL-MANAGED EVIDENCE CAN STRENGTHEN THE CASE FOR THE PROSECUTION OR DEFENCE. THIS UNDERLINES THE IMPORTANCE OF CRIME SCENE FORENSICS IN ENSURING A FAIR AND JUST TRIAL.