PSY 4470 Assignment Assessing Crime Pathology
PSY 4470 Assignment Assessing Crime Pathology
In this chapter, we examine various forensic sciences and the application of forensic sciences as practical tools to assist police in conducting investigations. The chapter is not intended to be a comprehensive dissertation of the forensic sciences available. Rather, it is intended to be an overview to demonstrate the broad range of forensic tools available. As we noted in Chapter 1, it is not necessary for an investigator to be an expert in any of the forensic sciences; however, it is important to have a sound understanding of forensic tools to call upon appropriate experts to deploy the correct tools when required. The forensic analysis topics covered in this chapter include:
- Physical Matching
- Fingerprint Matching
- Hair and fibre analysis
- Ballistic Analysis
- Blood Spatter Analysis
- DNA Analysis
- Forensic Pathology
- Chemical Analysis
- Forensic Anthropology
- Forensic Entomology
- Forensic Odontology
- Forensic Engineering
- Criminal Profiling
- Geographic Profiling
- Forensic Data Analysis
- Forensic Document Analysis
- Forensic Identification Sections
- Crime Detection Laboratories
Various types of physical evidence can be found at almost any crime scene. The types of evidence and where it is found can assist investigators to develop a sense of how the crime was committed. Tool marks where a door was forced open can indicate a point of entry, shoe prints can show a path of travel, and blood stains can indicate an area where conflict occurred. Each of these pieces of physical evidence is a valuable exhibit capable of providing general information about spatial relationships between objects, people, and events. In addition, the application of forensic examination and analysis could turn any of these exhibits into a potential means of solving the crime.