Forensic Science, Its Fields and Job Opportunities

What Is Forensic Science?

Forensic science is derived from Latin words i.e. “Forensis” means “Before the Forum” and “science (scire)” meaning “To Know.”

Definition :-
The use of scientific methods or expertise to investigate crimes or examine evidence that might be presented in a court of law.

Simply said, Application of all the sciences for the purpose of law and justice.

Forensics main aim is to assist in collection of evidences from the crime scene without any contamination and to analyze them to relate the crime with the criminal or suspect and to help in reconstruction of the crime scene to help the law to make a non partial decision to maintain integrity of evidences and chain of custody.

Job Opportunities in Forensic Science

• As Scientific Assistant (SA), Senior Scientific Assistant (SSA), Senior Scientific Officer (SSO) etc. in any forensic science laboratory (Government).

• As Scientist or Researcher by going for PhD.

• As SA in any private forensic agency like Tathya Forensic, Forensic Bus, SIFS, Hawk Eye, Truth Labs.

• As Forensic evidence collector in any Insurance company like Bajaj.

• To assist Lawyers in their legal work by providing them evidences and opinion.

• As Assistant Professor in any college or university.

• As Business profession by opening your own Questioned Document or Fingerprint agency.

• As Psychologist in any hospital.

• As Cyber expert and more.

Fields in Forensic Science

There are several fields in forensic science as it is a multidisciplinary subject, meaning it is a combination of various fields working together.

List of Fields

1. Fingerprints / Forensic dermatoglyphics

2. Questioned Document

3. Forensic Anthropology

4. Forensic Toxicology

5. Forensic DNA

6. Forensic Biology

7. Forensic Ballistic

8. Cyber Forensic

9. Forensic Psychology

10. Forensic Entomology and so on.

Fingerprints / Forensic Dactyloscopy

• Fingerprints are the most important evidence at the crime scene which could easily be lifted and matched with suspect.

• Fingerprints are the impression produced by the ridges of your finger and these prints are produced due to sweat release from the sweat pores from the fingers.

• All fingerprints are unique and even the same person has different fingerprint patterns on all 10 fingers.

• Fingerprints are matched on the basis of minutiae present in the print.

Questioned Document

• In this field documents that are questioned or under suspicion are examined like currency notes, cheque, wills, suicide notes, passport, etc.

• A document could be altered, substituted, erased, obliterated, forged etc.

• Age of document could be challenged.

• Ink examination on document etc.

Forensic Anthropology

• This field is concerned with skeletal remains.

• It answers questions such as age, sex, stature, ancestry etc.

• Wide field constituted of odontology, archaeology, anthropometry etc.

• Difference between male and female skeleton.

• Also facial superimposition.

Forensic Toxicology

• Examine poison, drugs and other chemicals from the body parts like blood, kidney, liver etc.

• Broad field and applies knowledge of chemistry to identify and quantify the poison and drugs.

• Various instruments like TLC, GC, HPTLC etc. are used.

• Various color tests, spot tests and microcrystal tests are used for analysis.

Cyber Forensic

• Cyber forensic deals with collection, preservation and analysis of digital evidences like mobile phones, computers, laptops, HDD, SSD etc.

• Its main function is to recover the data in the computer machine using various softwares such as Autopsy, EnCase, FTK Imager etc.

Forensic DNA

• Most important field, which compares DNA to find out a person, solve maternity and paternity cases, mutilated bodies, rape cases etc.

• Deoxyribonucleic acid is unique; no person could have the same DNA. Even twins have identical DNA however there are some polymorphisms that could be detected.

• This includes DNA extraction, quantification, and STR analysis.

Forensic Biology

• Field of forensic science that deals with biological samples like blood, bones, tissues, body fluids etc.

• Tests mostly include ABO grouping, diatom examination, whether this is a body fluid or not or if it is of human or any other animal.

• DNA is also a part of it but due to vast number of samples it is a separate field.

• All samples that are of biological importance mostly blood, urine, semen, hairs etc. are examined under this field.

Forensic Ballistic

• Branch of forensic science that deals with guns and ammunitions and their trajectory for the purpose of law and justice.

• Bullets, ammunitions, cartridges, weapons are examined under this field.

• Examination includes whether bullet is fired from the same gun, whether the same bullet caused the wound, distance of shooter, cartridge examination etc.

Forensic Entomology

• Field of forensic science that deals with estimation of Time Since Death of a corpus delicti by the use of insect life cycle.

• It also helps in knowing the place of origin by studying the type of insects of particular area.

• Although in India this field is not used so much.

Forensic Psychology

• This field applies psychological methods to help in criminal investigations such as interrogation.

• It includes criminal profiling, interrogation questionnaire, narco analysis, brain fingerprinting, lie detection test etc.

• It also plays a crucial role in cases of serious murderers.

• It also helps in court of law in many parent and children disputes.

Forensic Science, Its Fields and Job Opportunities