Forensic Scientist
What do forensic scientists do?
What are forensic scientists???
forensic scientists provide impartial evidence which can be used in the courts of law to support the trial or defence in criminal and domestic investigations. They examine biological, chemical and physical samples taken into evidence during a criminal investigation. They analyse proof and clues that they gather from the crime scene such as footprints, blood, fingerprints, hair, objects which might have been used for the murder and just any objects which were laying around the body. They piece out what had happened to the victim step by step until they get a suitable and correct outcome for how to murder occurred.
They also analyse samples such as hair, body fluids, glass, paint and drugs in their laboratory. They form a vital part in the regulatory and justice system. They provide proof to police so they can bring that case, whatever it might be to court. Parts of the victims body, most commonly the bones, can be used to identify: The cause of death; Gender; Age; Height, and how long the victim has been deceased. When the Forensic scientists go to inspect the body they take a lot of pictures from a lot of angles and they wear a plastic white suit and shoes similar to the material of a shopping bag
Different jobs
- Anthropologists- They identify human remains using basic techniques from physical anthropology. They can provide information about the sex, age, occupation and unique features of the victim. They can also detect diseases in the victim.
- Artist- They provide a detailed sketch of the offender from the description from witnesses
- Ballistics expert- They are interested in the functioning of firearms and there ammunition. They can match bullets with particular weapons.
- Chemist- They examine the crime scene on a molecular level. The services they offer are fibre analysis, chemical analysis, and particle analysis. They match and identify evidence.
- Computer scientist- They are interested in any evidence which involves computers including system files, user files, deleted files and even emails or any other contact information which is stored on the computer.
- Cytologist- The examine the tissue left on a bullet to determine which part of the body the bullet had hit.
- Entomologist- Have a very good knowledge of insects. They mainly examine Arthropods left on human remains to find out the rate of decay, time of death and if the body was moved.
- Fingerprints expert- They use fingerprints analysis to identify humans, and in some instances animals. They can get the fingerprints from a variety of surfaces and match it with suspects.
- Geologist- They analyse soil samples that are found on humans or other pieces of evidence for example cars or shoes and compares them to other samples which are location-specific. They can identify where the piece of evidence has been.
- Linguist- There focus is spoken or written work. There analysis on verbal evidence provides the education, intent, culture and health of an individual.
- Odontologist- They specialise in teeth and bite-mark evidence to answer legal questions. They can help identify people who go missing, people who have been victims of mass disaster, victims of murder and suspects/offenders.
- Pathologist- They specialize in disease and injury by going through autopsy. They can determine the time of death and how the victim died.
- Photographer- They take photographic evidence from the crime scene. They use several types of cameras and flash bulbs. They take photos from every angle possible to reconstruct the crime scene.
- Psychiatrist- They deal with mental health issues in people and how to treat it. They discuss with the courts and attorneys. They also provide medical services to victims, and also the offenders.
- Psychologist- They offer sessions regarding the mental health of victims and offenders to court officials, attorneys and law enforcement officials.
- sculptors- They create a 3 dimensional likeness of a victim or offender.
- Serologist- They examine body fluids, most commonly blood, too identify the identification of a victim, suspect or offender. This includes DNA fingerprinting.
- Toxicologist- The specialise in the field of chemistry. They study the substances that harm the human body are poisonous to it. They also sometimes treat the conditions the conditions that may result.