Forensics or forensic science is the application of science to questions which are of interest to the legal system as well as social sciences such as archaeology. A legal system is the mechanism for creating, interpreting and enforcing the laws in a given jurisdiction. ...

For example, forensic pathology is the study of the human body to determine cause and manner of death. Criminalistics is the application of various sciences to answer questions relating to examination and comparison of biological evidence, trace evidence, impression evidence, drugs and firearms. Forensic odontology is the study of the uniqueness of dentition, and forensic toxicology is the study of drugs and poisons, and their effects on the human body. Forensic pathology is the legal branch of pathology concerned with: Determining cause of death (including murder, accident or unexpected death) Examination of some wounds and injuries due to crime or negligence Examination of tissue specimens that may be relevant to rape, or other crimes. ... Many drugs are provided in tablet form. ... A firearm is a kinetic energy weapon that fires either a single or multiple projectiles propelled at high velocity by the gases produced by action of the rapid confined burning of a propellant. ... Forensic odontology (also called Forensic Dentistry) deals with the proper handling, examination and evaluation of dental evidence, which will be then presented in the interest of justice. ... Forensic toxicology is the use of Toxicology to aid medicolegal investigation of death and poisoning. ... Many drugs are provided in tablet form. ... The skull and crossbones symbol traditionally used to label a poisonous substance. ...

The use of the term "forensics" in place of "forensic science" could be considered incorrect; the term "forensic" is effectively a synonym for "legal" or "related to courts". However, it is now so closely associated with the scientific field that many dictionaries include the meaning given here.

Forensic history

The "Eureka" legend of Archimedes (287-212 BC) can be considered an early account of the use of forensic science. In this case, by examining the principles of water displacement, Archimedes was able to prove that a crown was not made of gold (as it was fraudulently claimed) by its density and buoyancy. Archimedes of Syracuse (circa 287 BC - 212 BC), was a Greek mathematician, astronomer, philosopher, physicist and engineer. ...

The earliest account of fingerprint use to establish identity was during the 7th century. According to Soleiman, an Arabic merchant, a debtor's fingerprints were affixed to a bill, which would then be given to the lender. This bill was legally recognized as proof of the validity of the debt. This article is about human fingerprints. ...

The first written account of using medicine and entomology to solve (separate) criminal cases is attributed to the book Xi Yuan Ji Lu (洗冤集錄, translated as "Collected Cases of Injustice Rectified"), written in 1248 China by Song Ci (宋慈, 1186-1249). In one of the accounts, the case of a person murdered with a sickle was solved by a death investigator who instructed everyone to bring their sickles to one location. Flies, attracted by the smell of blood, eventually gathered on a single sickle. In light of this, the murderer confessed. The book also offered advice on how to distinguish between a drowning (water in the lungs) and strangulation (broken neck cartilage). See drugs, medication, and pharmacology for substances that are used to treat patients. ... Entomology is the scientific study of insects. ... Drowning is death due to asphyxia caused by immersion in fluid, usually water. ... The heart and lungs (from an older edition of Grays Anatomy) The lung is an organ belonging to the respiratory system and interfacing to the circulatory system of air-breathing vertebrates. ... Asphyxia is a condition of severely deficient supply of oxygen to the body. ... Cartilage is type of dense connective tissue. ...

In sixteenth century Europe, medical practitioners in army and university settings began to gather information on cause and manner of death. Ambrose Paré, a French army surgeon, systematically studied the effects of violent death on internal organs. Two Italian surgeons, Fortunato Fidelis and Paolo Zacchia, laid the foundation of modern pathology by studying changes which occurred in the structure of the body as the result of disease. In the late 1700's, writings on these topics began to appear. These included: "A Treatise on Forensic Medicine and Public Health" by the French physician Fodéré, and "The Complete System of Police Medicine" by the German medical expert Johann Peter Franck. World map showing location of Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ... Wiktionary has a definition of: French Wikipedia en français French in its formal sense and used in its capitalized form, denotes: Something from or related to France. ... Surgery Surgery is the medical specialty that treats diseases or injuries by operative manual and instrumental treatment. ... The word Italian can have these meanings: From or related to Italy The Italian people, or emigrants such as Italian Americans The Italian language Outside Italy, it is also used as an abbreviation for Italian dressing (a vinaigrette with herbs), and Italian sandwich (more commonly called a submarine sandwich). ... Pathology (in ancient Greek pathos = pain/pation and logos = word) is the study of diseases. ... The Federal Republic of Germany (German: Bundesrepublik Deutschland) is one of the worlds leading industrialised countries, located in the heart of Europe. ...

In 1775, Swedish chemist Karl Wilhelm Scheel devised a way of detecting arsenous oxide, simple arsenic, in corpses, although only in large quantities. This investigation was expanded, in 1806, by German chemist Valentin Ross, who learned to detect the poison in the walls of a victim's stomach, and by English chemist James Marsh, who used chemical processes to confirm arsenic as the cause of death in a 1836 murder trial. The term Swedish can refer to: From or related to Sweden, a country in Europe (List of Sweden-related topics) The Swedish language Swedes, the inhabitants of Sweden The Finland-Swedish linguistic minority The Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, Washington The Swedish Chef character in The Muppet Show This is... General Name, Symbol, Number arsenic, As, 33 Series metalloids Group, Period, Block 15 (VA), 4, p Density, Hardness 5727 kg/m3, 3. ...

Two early examples of English forensic science in individual legal proceedings demonstrate the increasing use of logic and procedure in criminal investigations. In 1784, in Lancaster, England, John Toms was tried and convicted for murdering Edward Culshaw with a pistol. When the dead body of Culshaw was examined, a pistol wad (crushed paper used to secure powder and balls in the muzzle) found in his head wound matched perfectly with a torn newspaper found in Toms' pocket. In Warwick, England, in 1816, a farm laborer was tried and convicted of the murder of a young maidservant. She had been drowned in a shallow pool and bore the marks of violent assault. The police found footprints and an impression from corduroy cloth with a sewn patch in the damp earth near the pool. There were also scattered grains of wheat and chaff. The breeches from a farm laborer threshing wheat nearby were examined and corresponded exactly to the impression in the earth near the pool. Logic (from ancient Greek λόγος (logos), meaning reason) is the study of arguments. ... A procedure is a series of activities, tasks, steps, decisions, calculations and other processes, that when undertaken in the sequence laid down produces the described result, product or outcome. ... This article is about an English city. ... Mill Street in Warwick Warwick (pronounced Worrick) is the historic county town of Warwickshire in England and has a population of 25,434 (2001 census). ... Species T. monococcum T. spelta References:   ITIS 42236 2002-09-22 Wheat (Triticum spp) is a grass that is cultivated around the world. ...

Forensic specialities

As technology has improved, various specialties in forensics have developed. These include:

• Ballistics
• Criminalistics
• Dactylography
• Forensic evidence
• Forensic anthropology
• Forensic pathology
• Forensic odontology
• Forensic toxicology
• Canine forensics
• Forensic genetics
• Computer forensics
• Textile forensics
• Forensic entomology
• Forensic palynology
• Forensic engineering
• Forensic accounting
• Forensic psychiatry
• Questioned document examination
• Serology
• Forensic palaeography -- see diplomatics

Ballistics (gr. ... This article is about human fingerprints. ... This article or section should be merged with Forensic science Forensic evidence consists of anything that can be used in a court of law to convict a person of a crime. ... Forensic anthropology refers to the use of physical anthropology in a legal setting. ... Forensic pathology is the legal branch of pathology concerned with: Determining cause of death (including murder, accident or unexpected death) Examination of some wounds and injuries due to crime or negligence Examination of tissue specimens that may be relevant to rape, or other crimes. ... Forensic odontology (also called Forensic Dentistry) deals with the proper handling, examination and evaluation of dental evidence, which will be then presented in the interest of justice. ... Forensic toxicology is the use of Toxicology to aid medicolegal investigation of death and poisoning. ... Computer forensics is the analysis of data processing equipment-- typically a home computer, laptop, server, or office workstation-- to determine if the equipment has been used for illegal, unauthorized, or unusual activities. ... Forensic entomology is the study of insects, applied to forensics. ... Forensic palynology is the study of pollen and powdered minerals, their identification, and where and when they occur, to ascertain that a body or other object was in a certain place at a certain time. ... Forensic engineering is the investigation of materials, products, structures or components that fail or do not operate/function as intended. ... Forensic accounting is the specialty practice area of accounting that describes engagements which result from real or anticipated litigation. ... Forensic psychiatry is the legal application of psychiatry. ... Questioned document examination is known by many names including forensic document examination, document examination, handwriting examination, and sometime handwriting analysis, although that name is not considered appropriate since it might be confused with graphology. ... Serology is a medical blood test to detect the presence of antibodies against a microorganism. ... Diplomatics is forensic palaeography. ...

Forensic science in the media

Sherlock Holmes, the fictional character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in works produced from 1887 to 1915, used forensic science as one of his investigating methods. Conan Doyle credited the inspiration for Holmes on his teacher at the medical school of Edinburgh University, the gifted surgeon and forensic detective Joseph Bell. Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective of the late 19th and early 20th century, created by British author and physician Arthur Conan Doyle. ... Arthur Conan Doyle Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (May 22, 1859 - July 7, 1930) is the British author most famously known for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, which are generally considered a major innovation in the field of crime fiction. ... The University of Edinburgh was founded in 1583 as a renowned centre for teaching in Edinburgh, Scotland. ... Joseph Bell (1837-1911) was a teacher at the medical school of Edinburgh University in the 19th century. ...

Decades later, the comic strip, Dick Tracy also featured a detective using a considerable number of forensic methods, although sometimes the methods were more fanciful than actually possible. The popular television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is one of several crime detection series which depict a glamorized version of the activities of 21st Century forensic scientists. This article is about the comic strip, the sequential art form as published in newspapers and on the Internet. ... Dick Tracy USPS stamp Dick Tracy is a newspaper comic strip created in 1931 by Chester Gould and distributed by the Chicago Tribune Syndicate. ... CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is a popular Alliance Atlantis/CBS police procedural television series, running since October 2000, about a team of forensic scientists. ...

External links

• Forensic Science Industry Intelligence (http://www.forensic.e-symposium.com) Forensic Science Suppliers, Cutting Edge Industry Coverage & Web Conferences
• Mobile laboratory for forensic investigation (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3757878.stm)
• History of the finger-print system (http://www.scafo.org/The_Print/THE_PRINT_VOL_16_ISSUE_02.pdf)

Further reading

• Baden, Michael, M.D, former New York City Medical Examiner, and Roach, Marion. "Dead Reckoning: The New Science of Catching Killers". Simon & Schuster, 2001. ISBN 0-684-86758-3.
• Kind, Stuart and Overman, Michael. "Science Against Crime". Doubleday and Company, Inc., New York, 1972. ISBN 0-385-09249-0.
• Nickell, Joe and Fischer, John F. "Crime Science: Methods of Forensic Detection". University Press of Kentucky, 1999. ISBN 0813120918.