Forensic science has developed enormously over the last one hundred years. There is a joke by the comedian John Mulaney, that up until recently, if a crime suspect left a puddle of their own blood at the crime scene it just meant the police officers would have to clean it up.
DNA was not applied to forensic science until 1986. That’s one rather dramatic example of how forensic science technology has changed, but there are countless others. Law enforcement agencies and the sciences that support their efforts are constantly evolving.
In this article, we take a look at some emerging technologies and techniques for forensic science in the digital age.
Forensic Nursing
Forensic nursing is a medical field in which nurses both administer patient care and also collect evidence for law enforcement. They are typically called in to help when someone is the victim of a violent crime.
They handle a lot of sexual assaults—often, the forensic nurse is one of the first people that the victim sees after they report their assault—but they could work with any number of other victims or even the crime scene itself.
Forensic nurses are sometimes called into court to testify in cases that they collected evidence for. They may also be brought in as an expert witness on cases they were not earlier involved in to provide context for what actions were taken during an investigation or to provide their own insights into the situation.
If you are interested in becoming a forensic nurse, understand that it is a multi-step process. Unfortunately, you can’t simply graduate from nursing school and walk right into a forensic career. You will first need to:
- Gain clinical experience.
- Become SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) certified.
- Seek employment opportunities.
- Consider graduate school.
Graduate school is not a mandatory step but it does make your application stand out while furthering your understanding of forensic sciences. It is difficult work, but rewarding. Not only do forensic nurses help the people they treat but they also play an active role in making their communities safer.
Automated Firearm Detection
Automated firearm detection software allows law enforcement to upload ballistic information into a shared database that cross-references firearm data rapidly across different agencies and departments all over the country.
These reports will instantly alert police officers if a weapon that they are analyzing has been previously associated with another crime. This technology can be applied both to guns and bullets, helping police understand the scope of their investigation.
Is this an isolated crime, or part of a pattern? While firearm detection software cannot provide a definitive answer to that question, it can shed light.
Carbon Dot Powder
Fingerprint technology has existed for a long time and serves as an effective way to identify who was at a crime scene. Unfortunately, fingerprints can be much more difficult to find than many people realize. While it may look like a straightforward process on television, the true scope of the work is incredible.
Take a moment to look around the room you are sitting in right now. How easy do you think it would be to find a penny-shaped invisible impression on one of the hundreds of small surfaces within view of your chair?
Carbon dot powder makes the job a little bit easier. When applied to a crime scene, carbon dot powder gives fingerprints a glow that makes them much easier to spot.
Blood Pattern Analysis
Automated blood pattern analysis software uses crime scene images to create a detailed reconstruction of what might have happened. Based on where the blood wound up, pattern analysis software can provide rapid, detailed conclusions on important details like the potential suspect’s height, or the trajectory of their attack.
So far, this technology is mostly in the hypothetical stage. While the software exists, it has yet to be fully tested in actual crime scene investigations. If it proves accurate and effective, the implications are exciting.
Faster, more accurate blood pattern analysis will allow investigators to narrow their pool of suspects and better understand how crimes played out.
AI?
AI has never previously had a place in forensic science. Every conclusion needs to be strong enough to stand up in court. For that reason, forensic scientists have always relied primarily on manual processes to produce supportable statements.
While quality expectations will remain intact, AI has developed considerably in recent years, creating new potential. How and when will it be applied? Time will tell. For now, though, it does seem that forensic science is closer than ever to automating key processes with AI.
What are the Implications of Evolving Forensic Technology?
New forensic technology is ultimately a good thing. However, it raises uncomfortable questions about previous approaches to criminal justice. When DNA was incorporated into basic law enforcement procedures, it immediately called into question hundreds of previous convictions.
Retroactive examinations of DNA at crime scenes of the past revealed that there were many people sitting in jail—or even on death row—for crimes they didn’t commit.
It’s uncomfortable to think that the legal arm of the criminal justice system might today be issuing convictions that will seem insane in the light of tomorrow’s science. At the same time, what are law enforcement agencies to do?
It would have been absurd for a 1950s detective to say “Let’s slow things down on this investigation, shall we? I have a feeling that we’ll be able to use that blood we found at the crime scene in, oh, 36 years.”
Law enforcement, like everyone else, does the best with what they have. Still, it does seem clear that an evolving understanding of forensic science should be coupled with an equally flexible attitude toward guilt— both for crimes being investigated today, and those of the past.
Many people who were freed based on DNA evidence only received their appeals because they advocated for themselves. Those not in a position to do so remained in jail, even with science available to free them.
Forensic science occupies profoundly sensitive territory. Ultimately, each development is a good thing, leading to more accurate criminal investigations. However, new technology should also come with new scrutiny, encouraging those in law enforcement to thoroughly review previous investigations.
About the Author
Ryan Ayers is a researcher and consultant within multiple industries including information technology, blockchain and business development. Always up for a challenge, Ayers enjoys working with startups as well as Fortune 500 companies. When not at work, Ayers loves reading science fiction novels and watching the LA Clippers.
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