Individual Topical Review Outline

Crime Scene Investigation: The Evolution of Forensic Technology

Rationale for Selection: For my paper, I have chosen the Evolution of Forensic Technology in the investigation of crime scenes. The technology used by police departments today is ground breaking in terms of being able to identify criminals by analyzing minute pieces of evidence. Present-day technology helps to prove suspects guilty beyond reasonable doubt, thereby reducing the chances of wrongful convictions. I chose this topic, to trace the evolution of forensic technology from the past, and predict likely developments of the future.

Executive summary: In this paper I will talk about how the evolution of technology in forensics has helped improve the investigation of crime scenes; from ancient times when there were no established methods of evidence collection and processing, and technologies to aid these processes, to present day scenarios where there are innumerable methods to investigate every possible piece of evidence from a crime scene.

Introduction: Forensics is the science of gathering evidence to support the facts related to a criminal investigation. It aims at establishing details such as the approximate time and cause of death, weapons used, identities of people involved, and all the facts needed to tie lose ends together and zero-in on those guilty of committing the crime. This information is used by legal authorities either to clear the names of innocent suspects or to convict those who are guilty. This paper will cover the developments in forensic technology that have been used in crime scene investigations. 

Historical Perspective: In the past, investigators didn’t have much to work with and the techniques they used were quite primitive. They didn’t know how to collect evidence, or process it, to deduce information about the crime scenes. The conviction of criminals largely relied on confessions, and testimonies by witnesses. In this section, I will go over a timeline of developments leading to the technologies that are used in present day investigations.

• ·         Methods and processes used to identify suspects in the past

• ·         Why these methods were inefficient and unreliable

• ·         Historical developments in forensics (early milestones)

• ·         Timeline of developments leading to present-day forensic technology

Current Situation: At present, forensic labs are able to process evidence and re-create crime scenes through techniques like DNA analysis, fingerprinting, ballistics and firearm identification, blood-spatter analysis, processing of trace evidence, like soil particles, gun powder residue, dust, etc, and many other processes. This section will cover explanations of present day technologies and how they are applied in crime scene investigations.

• ·         Technologies used at present, in the investigation of crime scenes

• ·         What makes these practices revolutionary

• ·         Shortfalls, if any

Future Considerations: Taking into consideration, the enormous progress that DNA analysis has enabled investigators to make in various cases, the development of hand-held DNA analysers is definitely a possibility. The devices could probably use a principle similar to that used in infrared photochemical breath testers (breathalyzers) that estimate the level of alcohol in a person’s blood. It could speed up the process of identifying various fluids found at a crime scene, and who it belongs to.

I think the full potential of such technology could be used more effectively, if police departments worldwide have up-to-date criminal databases with DNA samples from people who have been held for various offenses.

Conclusion: Forensic technology has really helped improve the efficiency and speed of investigations, as well as the incarceration of criminals. Judging from where we were, to where we are today in this field, there is definitely room for further improvements.

References:
http://www.ehow.com/about_5071014_forensics.html

http://investigation.discovery.com/

http://www.forensicscienceresources.com/index.htm