ABSTRACT
In this section, we addressed some of the issues and themes that are common to all areas of forensic science. Although most forensic scientists working today specialize in one area such as trace evidence, DNA, or fingerprints, generalists such as Balthazard Gross played a critical role in launching modern forensic science. Perhaps the most famous historical forensic theme is that voiced by Locard, that every contact leaves a trace. Those traces are the evidence that forensic scientists must find, analyze, interpret, report on, and testify about in a court of law. As we learned, the intersection of science and the law is a complex place to work, and forensic scientists must understand concepts of admissibility, expert testimony, and ethics.
