Functions of Forensic Science

Functions of Forensic Science

What Why Did It Who Did

Happened? Happened? It?
Crime Scene Investigative
Evidence Collection
+ Stage = Identification
Witness, Suspect and
Motive Development Profiling and Arrest of
Means Suspect
Motive
Post Scene Opportunity
Evidence Processing
Cause, manner, time
of death
How……………???????
 Crime

Link

Criminal Victim

Analysis and interpretation of Evidence make

link…..
Functions of Forensic Science

 What?
 When?
 Where?
 How?
 Who?
 Why?
 Functions of Forensic Science

 Has a crime been committed?

 How and when was the crime committed?

 Who committed the crime?

 Functions of Forensic Science

 Has a crime been committed?

Forensic Science by examine the crime

scene, establishes the existence or absence
of “corpus delicti”
 CORPUS DELICTI

“Body of the Crime”

Forensic Science must prove:
 That a crime occurred
 That the person charged with the crime was
responsible for the crime

Source of Evidence
 Body
 Primary and/or Secondary Crime Scene
 Suspect(s)
 Functions of Forensic Science

 How and when was the crime

committed?

Forensic science determine the Modus

Operandi (Mode of operation) & time of
commission of crime by examine the
following:

 Examination of Corpus Delicti

 Examination of Instrument of Crime
 Injury, If present
 Encountered Physical Evidences…..
 Functions of Forensic Science
 Who committed the crime?

Forensic science establishes the identity of the

culprit through physical evidences

It links the criminal with the crime through

objects left by him at the scene with the victim
or carried from the scene and the victim

Also explain the reasons for Committing a Crime

 Money
 Revenge
 Emotion: love, hate, anger
 Functions of Forensic Science
 Who committed the crime?

On the other hand, if the clues recovered do not

link the accused with the victim or the scene
of occurrence, the innocence of the accused
is established

Forensic science, thus, helps the innocent

Forensic Science Can…
 Forensic Science Can…
 Establish the “corpus delecti”-the body of the crime

 Establish the “modus operandi”-the method of

operation of the crime

 Support or disprove statements by witnesses,

victims or suspects

 Link suspect and victim to crime scene and each

other

 Provide investigative leads

 Identify or eliminate a suspect

Applications of Forensic Science
Applications of Forensic Science
 Identification of Criminals or Victims

 Solving Mysteries
 Past crimes (unsolved or wrongfully
convicted)
 Cause, Location, Time of Death
 Paternity cases

 Cyber crimes

 Corporate Crimes

 Voice Analysis
Applications of Forensic Science
 Identify potential suspects whose DNA may
match with evidence left at crime scenes

 Exonerate persons wrongly accused of crimes

 Prevention vs. Reaction

 Catastrophes & Wars

 ID remains of victims (either civilian or
soldiers)
 Ex. Holocaust or Katrina
Applications of Forensic Science
 Military & International Forensics

 Terrorism

 The search for weapon of mass destruction

(WMD)