With thugs and criminals getting smarter by the day, it is only evident that the various Forensic Science types would also re-invent themselves. Forensics hold the key to solving criminal investigations and in many a complex investigation, it may be even that all the braches of Forensic science are called into action.
Forensic dentistry
Forensic dentistry deals with the examination of dental evidence either to determine the identity of the victim or the offender. The teeth is one of the sturdiest components in the human body. And with only a charred corpse at his disposal, the Forensic dentist has to look to the dental remains and compare it to known dental records of the supposed victim to make a positive match. Forensic dentistry also comes into play when you have to deal with bite mark evidence to nab a crook.
Forensic toxicology
With drug abuse on a steady rise and the poisons getting harder and harder to detect, it is left to Forensic toxicology to provide the answers. And Forensic toxicology is not just about determining the type of poison used, that is, whether it was arsenic or lead that did the job. This branch of Forensic science is also widely used in drunken driving and substance abuse cases.
Forensic psychology
These days it has almost become routine to pull the trigger or drive the knife in and switch over to the “insanity plea” mode instantly. So it is left to Forensic psychology to determine the authenticity of the claims. In fact, this branch of Forensic science finds usage in various legal matters like child custody disputes, child abuse, determining competency to stand trial, criminal responsibility and advising judges in matters relating to sentencing. Psychological profiling of the offender to pinpoint possible suspects has also become a common forensic practice.
Forensic entomology
Killers have this uncanny ability to scoop up the remotest of locations to dump their victims, which remain undiscovered for days on end. Most often it is left to Forensic entomology to determine the exact time of death based on the activities of flesh-feeding maggots and insects on the carcass.
Forensic accounting
Forensic accounting is gaining precedence with more and more crimes relating to money matters being committed. This field of Forensic science deals with frauds concerning accounts and inventories, estimating financial damages and evaluating businesses. Forensic accounting nowadays also involves helping in investment analysis and research and also acting as advisors to audit committees.
Forensic engineering
Forensic engineering deals with the whys and wherefores behind faulty materials, products, structures or components. And this may not always be regarding criminal cases. Forensic engineering may be applied in civil cases also.
Forensic document examination
Forensic document examination is mainly involved with ascertaining the authorship and authenticity of a particular document. This might involve the scrutiny of the handwriting or some other components of the document and comparing them to a series of known parameters.
Forensic science has come a long way since fingerprinting was first used in a criminal investigation. Since then forensic psychology, dentistry, engineering, entomology, toxicology and the various other forensic science types have evolved to make getting away with crime that much harder.