ABSTRACT
Forensic science is a historical science applied to criminal investigation and legal matters. e goal of investigation is to determine what crime was committed, who committed the crime, and what evidence is pertinent to the crime. Evidence is anything that helps prove or disprove material facts. e goal of forensic scientists is to examine evidence and to convey the results to investigators and attorneys via reports and testimony. Criminal investigation involves police, attorneys, and scientists. It is the job of the police o¬cers, detectives, or crime scene investigators to report to the scene of a crime. Once the scene is processed, forensic scientists analyze the evidence that crime scene personnel have recovered. Forensic scientist positions used to primarily consist of trained biologists or chemists who received on-the-job training and gained experience for the legal aspects of the job. Within the last 20 years, graduate and undergraduate programs in forensic science have become the norm. Since the O. J. Simpson trial, the public has become increasingly aware of the value of forensic analysis. With the increased popularity have come a number of television shows depicting Hollywood’s version of forensic science. Although glamorous and fast-paced, the media depicts a deceiving reality of forensic science. e public is led to believe that important evidence is found in every crime, that cases are always solved and quickly, and that, with the aid of technology, instruments do the work for the scientists. e true value of scientist is also skewed by the Hollywood characters’ ability to carry guns, to question witnesses, to process crime scenes, and to analyze a variety of evidence when, in reality, such a job is conducted by many people (and unless a sworn o¬cer, the person does not get to carry a gun). e issues mentioned may facilitate unethical behavior if a scientist allows such hype
to become a distraction or an in®uence. is chapter looks at the reality of forensic science.
