unit 1
unit 1
02ABSFS24111
UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO
FORENSIC SCIENCE
TOPICS COVERED IN THE UNIT
SUB UNIT 1.1: Basics of Forensic Science Historical Forensic
Practices in India and abroad, Traditional Methods of Crime
Investigation and techniques; Role of Local Law Enforcement-
Scope, need and function in Forensic Science, Classification of
Evidences and its importance.
SUB UNIT 1.2: Divisions and sub-divisions of Forensic Science and
its significance, Hierarchical set up of various Government Forensic
Science Laboratories. Evolution of Forensic Science Laboratories,
Basic services of crime laboratories. Qualification and Duties of
Forensic scientists. Ethics in Forensic Science.
SUB UNIT 1.3: Basic principles of Forensic Science - Principles of
forensic science, Frye rule and Daubert standards. Legal and
Scientific requirements.
SUB UNIT 1.4: Agencies involved in crime detection and
investigation- Government Examiners of Questioned Documents
(GEQD), Fingerprint Bureaus (FPB), National Crime Records
Bureau(NCRB), Police & Detective Training Schools (DTS),
Bureau of Police Research& Development (BPR& D); Central and
State Police Organization(CPOs), Scene of Crime officer(SOCO),
Police Training Schools, Dog Squad, Bomb Detection and Defusal
Squad; RAW, CBI, INTERPOL and NIA.
Learning objectives
Understand the historical evolution of forensic practices in India and
globally.
Recognize the role and scope of local law enforcement in forensic
science. Recognize the qualifications and duties required of forensic
scientists.
Learn about the various divisions and sub-divisions within forensic
science and their roles. Understand the hierarchical structure of
government forensic science laboratories.
Grasp the fundamental principles of forensic science.
Understand the Frye rule and Daubert standards and their implications.
Identify various agencies involved in crime detection and investigation.
Understand the roles and functions of different national and
international investigative agencies.
Learning Outcome
After completing the module, you will be able to
1. Foundation of Justice: Evidence is crucial for establishing facts and ensuring that justice
is served. It helps courts to determine the truth and make informed decisions.
2. Burden of Proof: In criminal cases, the prosecution must prove the defendant's guilt
"beyond a reasonable doubt," which is only possible through strong, reliable evidence. In
civil cases, evidence is used to establish claims based on the "preponderance of evidence."
3. Corroboration: Evidence corroborates or disproves other pieces of evidence, ensuring
that decisions are based on a holistic view of all the available information.
4. Protects Rights: Proper use of evidence safeguards the rights of both the accused and the
victims, ensuring that decisions are fair and based on factual information rather than
assumptions or biases.
5. Prevents Miscarriages of Justice: Reliable and admissible evidence is key to avoiding
wrongful convictions or unjust acquittals, thereby maintaining public trust in the legal
system.
6. Guides Legal Procedures: Evidence dictates the flow of legal proceedings, influencing
what witnesses are called, what questions are asked, and what legal arguments are made.
DIVISIONS AND SUB-DIVISIONS OF
FORENSIC SCIENCE AND ITS
SIGNIFICANCE
1. Forensic Biology and Serology: This branch deals with biological evidence like tissues, blood,
muscles, semen, hair, saliva, pollen, urine, etc. Various tests like colorimetric analysis and
crystallization tests are used for investigation along with technologies like spectrometry and
transmission electron microscope. It is one of the most important branches of forensics as it deals
with living beings.
2. Forensic Chemistry: When cases that involve chemicals and chemical reactions are investigated,
forensic chemistry is used. It deals with all kinds of adulterations and examines the evidence to make
inferences regarding the case. The adulterations that it deals with are food, liquor, petroleum,
explosive materials, alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages, carbonated drinks, packaged juices, and
drugs. Apart from these it also examines the adulteration of chemicals and compounds like RDX,
PETN, HMX, Nitrogylcerine, Nitrocellulose, Sulphur Oxides, Fuses, Cordite sticks, etc.
3. Forensic Physics: The branch of Forensics that deals with physical evidence is known as Forensic
Physics. Physical evidence like fibers, glass, cement, tool marks, paint, building materials, soil, gait
pattern, shoe print, footprint, etc is examined under this branch. Experts visit the crime site and
collect evidence from there to help in the investigation.
4. Forensic Anthropology: It is a field of physical anthropology that deals
with skeletal remains, skeletonized bodies, and bones. Sometimes, the
crimes are so brutal that it becomes quite difficult to identify the victims
and here forensic anthropology comes into the picture. Forensic
Scientists help to investigate the crime by using scientific techniques.
They examine the dead remains of humans and animals and thus give an
estimated time of death.
5. Forensic Odontology: Odontologists use dental records in identification
of the dead or missing people. They study the bite marks, dental
impressions, and dental X-rays and present them as legal evidence in
court. Teeth are hard structures and hence can tolerate huge physical
impacts thus they are preserved and used for identification. In case of a
plane crash when the entire body is damaged the arrangement of teeth
being a unique feature helps in the identification.
6. Toxicology: Under this, the students learn how toxic chemicals affect humans, animals,
and the surrounding environment. They examine the involvement of any kind of poisonous
substance involved in the crime mystery. Sometimes it becomes quite difficult to conclude
whether the death is caused by overdose or it is a planned murder. In such cases,
toxicology helps in analyzing the cause of death by examining blood, urine, food, and
beverages that the deceased had before his demise.
7. Questioned Document: This branch of forensics deals with suspicious documents
involved in both civil and criminal cases. The suspicious documents include forged
signatures on documents or cheques, counterfeit currency, suicide letters, anonymous
letters associated with the cases, forged passports, damaged documents, printed or xeroxed
documents, etc. Apart from these documents, the examination of handwriting analysis is
also done under this branch.
8. Forensic Ballistic: This branch deals with the analysis of evidence related to arms and
ammunition like pistols, bullets, revolvers, rifles, primers, pellets, propellants, fired bullets
and cartridge cases, residues of the gunshot, and marks on ammunition such as pin marks.
The experts conclude which weapon was used in the crime, its distance from the incident
site, velocity, and angle of firing, and ultimately reveals the identity of the shooter as well.
9. Digital Forensics: With the growth of digitalization, crimes are also traced to
digital or electronic forms. Digital forensics majorly deals with cyber crimes such as
phishing, malware attacks, pornography, and stalking. It helps in the examination of
the digital evidence that includes computers, mobile phones, hard disks, USB
drives, and other electronic devices. Digital forensics majorly deals with cyber
crimes and digital evidence that need to be presented in a court of law.
10. Forensic Psychology: When science is linked with psychology in solving criminal
and civil cases, it becomes Forensic Psychology. Experts assist the police in
criminal profiling by studying crimes and criminals. They carry out interrogation
and counseling of people involved in crime and thus make inferences about the
personality traits of the criminals. Various psychological and psychometric tests like
Polygraph tests, Narco Analysis, Brain mapping, etc are done under forensic
psychologists.
11. Forensic Accounting: Crimes are not only those acts that cause physical harm to
someone, instead they involve all kinds of intended crimes. Forensic accountants
help the investigating officers in cases where financial and accounting frauds are
involved. These crimes can be committed in a company, financial institution, or any
similar entity. Due to the rise in such cases, many corporate companies have
introduced a separate post for this purpose and are paying them well enough as
ETHICS IN FORENSIC SCIENCE
1. Impartiality and Objectivity:
• Unbiased Analysis: Forensic scientists must remain impartial and objective,
ensuring that their findings are based solely on the evidence without influence from
external pressures, such as law enforcement or legal teams.
• Avoiding Conflicts of Interest: They should disclose any potential conflicts of
interest that could compromise their objectivity.
2. Accuracy and Precision:
• Methodological Rigor: Ensuring that all tests and analyses are conducted with the
highest standards of accuracy and precision, using validated methods and properly
calibrated equipment.
• Transparent Reporting: Providing clear, accurate, and comprehensive reports that
accurately reflect the findings without exaggeration or omission.
3. Confidentiality:
• Protecting Information: Forensic scientists must maintain the confidentiality of
sensitive information, including personal data of victims, suspects, and case details,
only sharing it with authorized individuals.
4. Integrity in Testimony:
• Honesty in Court: When testifying in court, forensic scientists must present their
findings truthfully and avoid overstepping their expertise or making speculative
statements.
• Avoiding Misrepresentation: They must avoid exaggerating the certainty of their
findings and clearly communicate the limitations of the forensic evidence.
5. Responsibility to the Profession:
• Continuous Learning: Forensic scientists have an ethical obligation to engage in
lifelong learning, staying updated with advancements in their field.
• Mentorship and Training: They should contribute to the training and mentorship
of new forensic scientists, promoting high ethical standards within the profession.
6. Responsibility to Justice:
• Exonerating the Innocent: Forensic scientists must be committed to the pursuit of
truth, which includes providing evidence that might exonerate innocent
individuals.
• Accuracy in Criminal Investigations: Ensuring that their work supports the fair
and accurate resolution of criminal cases, aiding in the proper administration of
FRYE RULE
In 1923, the first attempt has been made in US to develop a coherent test for the
admissibility of scientific evidence in the court of law by issuing a landmark
judgement in a case of Frye v. United States, 293 F. 1013 (D.C. Cir. 1923). The
Columbia (US) district Court rejected the scientific validity of the Lie Detector
(polygraph) test because the technology did not have significant general acceptance
at that time. This federal case has been decided by the District of Columbia Circuit in
1923.
The judgement in Frye case considered the admissibility of testimony which was
based on the systolic blood pressure test and was a precursor to the modern
polygraph test. The court declared that a novel scientific technique must be
sufficiently established to gain general acceptance in that relevant scientific field to
which it belongs. Thus, under the standards set by Frye, it is not enough that an
expert or experts are qualified individual to testify that a particular technique is valid.
In 1975, after Frye, the US Federal Rules of scientific evidence were
promulgated to guide criminal and civil litigation in the federal courts.
The first version of Federal Rule of Evidence (702) was framed as
follows:
“If scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge will assist the trier of
fact to understand the evidence or to determine a fact in the issue, then a
witness qualified as an expert by knowledge, education or training, skill, and
experience, may testify thereto in the form of an opinion or otherwise”.
(1) The testimony is based upon sufficient facts or data,
(2) The testimony is the product of reliable principles and scientific methods,
(3) The witness has applied the principles and methods reliably to the facts
of the case.
DAUBERT STANDARDS
In 1993, the ruling of U.S. Supreme Court in case of Daubert v. Merrell
Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc., which is also known as The Daubert
Ruling, provided a detailed framework to help the judges to determine
the relevancy and reliability of evidences which are to be produced in
the courts by the experts. In this case, two children born with serious
birth defects and alleged that the Benedictine (produced by Merrell
Dow Pharmaceuticals Company), an anti-nausea drug used by pregnant
women, claimed to contain a combination of dicyclomine
hydrochloride and doxylamine succinate, which is teratogenic has
caused the birth defects.
Merrell Dow’s expert submitted documents showing that no published
scientific study demonstrated a link between Benedictine and birth defects. On
the contrary, Plaintiff were failed to produce evidences which could suggest
that Bendectine causes birth defects as their methodologies had not yet gained
acceptance within the general scientific community at that time. As a result, the
Supreme Court outlined the following rulings which must be followed by
experts in order to produce the expert testimony in the court of law, these are:
1. The empirical testability of a particular scientific theory or a technique.
2. The study or theory has been subjected to peer- review or published.
3. The acceptance of known or potential rate of errors of theory or technique and
the existence and maintenance of standards.
4. The general acceptance of theory or technique in a scientific community.
HIERARCHY OF FORENSIC SCIENCE SETUP
Govt of India
GEQD’s
Forensic Labs and
DFSS: DIRECTORATE OF FORENSIC
SCIENCE SERVICES
Established in 2002-03
M.S. Rao was the founder director of DFSS
Role of DFSS
Helps in administration of justice system and provide knowledge and
facilities to various training programmes to people involved with justice
delivery.
It provides the scientific aid in criminal justice system.
Guides, regulates and controls the working of forensic sience laboratories
and GEQD’s.
Provides financial and technical help to SFSL.
Promotes Research and Development.
To access and revive the current procedure and practice in labs
CATEGORIES OF FORENSIC
LABORATORIES
CFSL(Central Forensic Science
Laboratory)