BRANCHES OF

FORENSIC
SCIENCE
“Everything is a self-portrait. A diary. Your
whole drug history’s in a strand of your
hair. Your fingernails. The forensic details.
The lining of your stomach is a document.
The calluses on your hand tell all your
secrets. Your teeth give you away. Your
accent. The wrinkles around your mouth and
eyes. Everything you do shows your hand.”
Trace • Any evidence that is transferred during the commission
of a crime.

Evidence • Eg. Hair, rope, soil, fabric fibers, fingerprints, etc.

Analysis
Forensic • Study of the presence of toxic substance inside a body
and its effect on the body.

Toxicology • Eg. Drugs, Poison, etc.

Forensic • Application of psychology to legal and criminal
matters.

Psychology • Study of personality traits of Offenders.

• Criminal Profiling.
• Analysis of punishment.
Forensic • Podiatry: Study of the abnormalities and diseases of
the ankle, foot, and lower body, and lower limb

Podiatry anatomy, and musculoskeletal function.

• Investigation of foot-based evidence with respect to a
criminal incident.
Forensic • Examination of a corpse to determine the cause of
death.

Pathology
Forensic • Handling, analysis, and evaluation of any form of
dental evidence that would be later used as a legal

Odontology evidence in the court of law.

• Identification of individual Human/Animal.
• Bite Marks.
Forensic • application of linguistic knowledge and methods to
criminal investigations and judicial proceedings.

Linguistics • Analysis of the written and spoken language of a

perpetrator.
• Inferences about the offender’s age, gender, age,
education level, culture, ethnicity, socio-economic and
geographical background, spiritual and religious
beliefs.
• Eg. Forensic texts: Ransom notes, calls, suicide notes,
social media.
Forensic • Examination of evidence related to materials found in
the Earth.

Geology • Inferences about the place, time and cause of the

incident and to obtain other relevant information as a
part of the investigation.
• Eg: Soil, Petroleum, Minerals, Rocks, etc.
Forensic • Application and study of the biology of insects and other
arthropods ( organisms found on decomposing ruins)

Entomology such as arachnids, centipedes, millipedes, and

crustaceans to solve criminal cases.
• Primarily used for death investigations, determination of
the location of an incident, postmortem interval and to
arrive at the precise time of the infliction of wounds.
Forensic • Application of engineering principles for the
investigation and analysis of such mechanical and

Engineering structural failures.

• Investigation of products, materials, mechanical
components or structures that fail or are unable to
function .
Forensic • Analysis of bodily fluids for the purpose of
investigation.

Serology • Eg.hair, skin, semen, urine, blood, saliva, body

remains.
Forensic • Study and examination of plant-based evidence
(leaves, flowers, wood, fruits, seeds, pollen) for

Botany criminal and non-criminal investigations

Forensic • Assist the police and investigating officers to identify
the site where the victim’s body and personal items, or

Archeology robbed goods are buried.

• Excavations or digs at historical and pre-historical sites.
Forensic • Examination of skeletons.
• Determining the age, sex, race, and physique of an
Anthropology individual from the bones or bone fragments.
• Determining manner of death, ante-mortem and post-
mortem bone injuries.
Digital • Involves the extraction and analysis of digital evidence
• Investigation of Crimes, Cyber-Crimes
Forensics
Bloodstain • Bloodstain pattern analysis (BPA) is the interpretation
of bloodstains at a crime scene in order to recreate the

Pattern actions that caused the bloodshed.

• Examine the size, shape, distribution and location of
Analysis the bloodstain.
• Uses principles of biology (behavior of blood), physics
(cohesion, capillary action and velocity) and
mathematics (geometry, distance, and angle) to assist
investigators.
Forensic • Analysis of any evidence related to firearms (bullets,
bullet marks, shell casings, gunpowder residue etc.)

Ballistics • Inferences on the exact weapon used, the distance,

velocity, and angle of firing.