Digital Forensics
Describe in detail forensic science.
- Forensic science refers to the application of natural, physical, and social sciences to matters of law.
- The field of forensic science draws from a number of scientific branches, including physics, chemistry, and biology, with its focus being on the recognition, identification, and evaluation of physical evidence.
- Forensic science may prove the existence of a crime, the perpetrator of a crime, or a connection to a crime through the:
- Examination of physical evidence
- Administration of tests
- Interpretation of data
- Clear and concise reporting
- Truthful testimony of a forensic scientist
- Most forensic scientists hold that investigation begins at the scene, regardless of their associated field.
- The proper investigation, collection, and preservation of evidence are essential for fact-finding and ensuring proper evaluation and interpretation of the evidence, whether the evidence is bloodstains, human remains, hard drives, ledgers, and files, or medical records.
- Scene investigations are concerned with the documentation, preservation, and evaluation of a location in which a criminal act may have occurred and any associated evidence within the location for the purpose of reconstructing events using the scientific method.
- The proper documentation of a scene and the subsequent collection, packaging, and storage of evidence are paramount.
- Evidence must be collected in such a manner to maintain its integrity and prevent loss, contamination, or deleterious change.
- Maintenance of the chain of custody of the evidence from the scene to the laboratory or a storage facility is critical.
- A chain of custody refers to the process whereby investigators preserve evidence throughout the life of a case.
- It includes information about: who collected the evidence, the manner in which the evidence was collected, all individuals who took possession of the evidence after its collection, and the date and time which such possession took place.
- Forensic Science is important because it enables forensic scientists to examine and analyze evidence from the crime scene and use it to understand how the criminal committed the act and their motive.
- Through their investigative, and forensic work, they may be able to come up with leads that can assist the police in catching the culprit.
- Some examples of forensic science work are:
- DNA analysis
- Document analysis
- Handwriting analysis
- Cyber-crime investigation
- Facial reconstruction
- Blood splatter analysis, etc.