Following an article, I wrote on
Wednesday, April 24, 2024, concerning:
Chemical Toxins in Foods
from Food Producers Plus Toxic Drugs Prescribed by Doctors
https://scientificlogic.blogspot.com/2024/04/chemical-toxins-in-foods-from-food.html.
Someone in the comment section of
the above link asked me this a question:
Dear Dr Lim,
I read with great interest your very informative article on chemical toxins in
foods and drugs. You are really an expert in so many fields of medicine and
sciences. From your CV I understand you also did a postdoctoral course in
forensic science from the University of Cambridge in England.
May I request for a short review what are the subjects you need to study to be
a forensic scientist. I know this is a very huge and massive subject, and I do
not wish to take your precious time to explain in pages and in chapters.
Perhaps a summary write up on the purpose of their investigations and the
methodology a forensic scientist would use today will do for easy reading for a
lay person like me.
I used to read crime stories about Sherlock Holmes written by Arthur Conan
Doyle, but I have little idea the purpose and the methods a modern crime
scientist would use today.
Perhaps with your expertise on this subject from Cambridge University, you can
briefly explain the different areas of sciences used, their purpose and how
they are carried out.
Thanking you in advance in anticipation
Judy Lai
---------------------------------------
First of all, I apologize for the
delay in answering as I did not see the question as it was posted on almost
towards the end in April. I only accidentally saw it last night.
Yes, indeed, forensic science is an
immensely huge subject covering a huge range of scientific subjects including
forensic medicine. Each subject under “forensic” is itself a very specialized
area that each require an entire book or several books to write and explain. As
you correctly said it would be sheer impossible to write and explain each of
these branches and sub-branches here. What we can do is to give an extremely
short summary of all the areas under forensic science. This will be within the
scope of my blog only meant for short discussion for lay, non-technical
readers. Here's a comprehensive overview of each subject involved in forensic
science, including how they are used in investigations, their purpose, and
methodologies:
- Crime Scene Investigation:
- Purpose: To gather, document, and analyse physical
evidence at the scene of a crime.
- Methodology: Involves documenting the scene
through photography, sketching, and note-taking, collecting physical
evidence such as fingerprints, fibres, DNA, and analysing patterns or
impressions left at the scene.
- Fire Scene Investigation:
- Purpose: Determine the cause and origin of a fire,
whether accidental or deliberate.
- Methodology: Involves examining burn patterns,
analysing fire debris, and conducting laboratory tests to identify
accelerants or ignition sources.
- Entomology:
- Purpose: Using insects to determine time since
death (post-mortem interval) and location of death.
- Methodology: Entomologists study insect activity
on a body to estimate the time of death by analysing the life cycle of
insects found on or near the body.
- Pathology:
- Purpose: Examining bodies to determine the cause
and manner of death.
- Methodology: Pathologists perform autopsies to
identify injuries, diseases, or other factors contributing to death. They
may also collect tissue samples for further analysis.
- Toxicology:
- Purpose: Analysing bodily fluids and tissues for
the presence of drugs, poisons, or toxins.
- Methodology: Toxicologists use various techniques
such as chromatography and mass spectrometry to identify and quantify
substances in biological samples.
- Fingerprinting:
- Purpose: Identifying individuals based on unique
patterns of ridges and furrows on their fingertips.
- Methodology: Fingerprint examiners compare latent
prints found at a crime scene with known prints in databases or collected
from suspects using techniques like powder, cyanoacrylate fuming, or
chemical enhancement.
- Blood Spatter and DNA:
- Purpose: Analysing bloodstain patterns to
reconstruct events and extracting DNA for identification purposes.
- Methodology: Bloodstain pattern analysts study the
size, shape, and distribution of bloodstains to reconstruct the events
that led to their deposition. DNA analysis involves extracting DNA from
biological samples and comparing it to known samples to establish
identity or relationships.
- Anthropology:
- Purpose: Identifying human remains and
reconstructing biological profiles.
- Methodology: Forensic anthropologists analyse
skeletal remains to determine age, sex, ancestry, stature, and any signs
of trauma or disease. They may also assist in the recovery and excavation
of buried remains.
- Facial Reconstruction:
- Purpose: Creating facial approximations of
unidentified human remains.
- Methodology: Forensic artists use skull
measurements and tissue depth markers to sculpt facial features onto a
skull replica, creating a visual likeness of the individual.
- Digital Forensics:
- Purpose: Recovering, analysing, and preserving
digital evidence from electronic devices.
- Methodology: Digital forensic analysts use
specialized software and techniques to extract data from computers,
smartphones, and other devices, preserving the integrity of the evidence
for legal proceedings.
- Forensic Psychology:
- Purpose: Assessing behaviour, motives, and mental
states in legal contexts.
- Methodology: Forensic psychologists conduct
evaluations of individuals involved in legal proceedings, such as
suspects, witnesses, or victims, to assess competency, sanity, or the
presence of psychological disorders that may affect their legal responsibility.
- The Courtroom:
- Purpose: Presenting forensic evidence and expert
testimony in legal proceedings.
- Methodology: Forensic scientists and experts may
testify in court to explain their findings, methodologies, and conclusions
to judges and juries, aiding in the administration of justice. They may
also assist legal teams in preparing cases and cross-examining witnesses.
Each of these subjects plays a
crucial role in the investigation and resolution of crimes, contributing to the
understanding of events, identification of perpetrators, and the pursuit of
justice.
If you are interested to know more
about forensic science, perhaps I can recommend you two books here:
- "Forensics: What Bugs, Burns, Prints, DNA and
More Tell Us About Crime" by Val McDermid
- This book provides an overview of various forensic
techniques and how they are used to solve crimes. It covers a wide range
of topics in a engaging and accessible manner.
- "Forensic Science: An Introduction to
Scientific and Investigative Techniques" by Stuart H. James, Jon J.
Nordby, and Suzanne Bell
- While slightly more academic, this textbook
provides a comprehensive introduction to forensic science, covering
various techniques and methods used in criminal investigations. It's a
good resource for those seeking a bit more detail.
Thank you for your question. I hope I have helped.
Lim Juboo
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