FORENSIC SCIENCE

Scientific Method Applied to Forensic Science



Scientific Method Applied to Forensic Science

Abstract

When the scientific methods are applied for solving mysteries or criminal cases, the application is known as Forensic Science. Forensic Science is considered as one of the innovative approaches for the criminal investigation process that supports the process positively. The essence of forensic science lies in the logical reasoning and critical analysis of the situations. Various steps of scientific methods are incorporated for the process of criminal investigation. Though the process of investigation may vary depending on the nature of crime, the fundamental steps of the scientific method remain same for all the cases, and all the investigation processes are executed under the basic guidelines of scientific methodology. This paper describes each step of scientific methods used in the criminal investigation process, along with the examples.

Introduction

Over many centuries, Scientists have been attempting to solve the mysterious puzzles and to assemble the accurate interpretation of the world, relying on Scientific methods. Scientific methods provide the people with a great help in drawing conclusions and collecting facts about any event. While the cultural beliefs and personal perceptions may play a role in transforming the interpretations and results, the application of standard scientific methods significantly assist in drawing reliable and authentic conclusions about various events. Scientific methods reduce the chances of bias, while drawing conclusions, and examining theories.

The scientific methods, irrespective of the field of use, allow people to be unbiased and draw conclusions by developing critical thinking skills in them. Along with various other fields, Scientific methods play a vital role in the areas of law and criminology. In these areas, the fundamental process of criminal investigation highly relies on the Scientific methods. With the efficient application of scientific methods to the process of investigation, the process becomes organized and unbiased. Also, the scientific methods provide the criminal investigation process with all the necessary ingredients of observing the crime, testing crime hypothesis and drawing conclusions. By using forensic Science, the investigator becomes able to find out the facts about the incident, identify and apprehend the guilty, and provide evidence against him in the court

As the most important concern of criminal justice is accurate results, Forensic science plays a critical role in applications of law and legal arguments (Kiely, T.F., 2003). With the drastic advancements and improvements in science and technology past few years, Forensic science has significantly improved and the number of erroneous conclusions has reduced remarkably. The perfection of the Forensic science can be measured in the sense that the offenders and culprits are almost certain to apprehend as a result of conclusions drawn from the criminal investigation processes.

Forensic science undoubtedly helps the crime investigator in solving the case by making efficient use of his critical thinking skills. The Scientific methods are applied to the investigation process in four well defined steps. These four steps make it convenient for the investigator to conduct the investigation process fully.

Next section of the paper discusses the four fundamental steps of the Scientific ...