Short description and explanation of Forensics in the legal system

Essay by undela416Junior High, 9th gradeA+, May 2004

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According to dictionary.com, forensics is "the use of science and technology to investigate and establish facts in criminal or civil courts of law." In fact, forensics science plays the strongest role in solving any crime. There are a variety of methods involved with solving crimes; the main two are witness accounts and forensics evidence.

Witness accounts and other human dependability prove to be inferior to the power of forensics science. There are several reasons that investigators prefer forensics, such as, witnesses are unreliable in that the evidence they provide could be misleading, sketchy and unpredictable. Also they could be covering for the criminal or themselves, making them untrustworthy. To this effect, there is no sure way to tell a lie from truth in these accounts. Lastly, witness accounts can be shaky and unstable. They are subject to cross examination, and the pressure could change answers, or the entire account. Therefore witness accounts are just a base and are often disregarded when forensics are involved.

Forensics science is a much stronger instigator. Several methods can be used, from physical to mental to biological. A strong psychological method is that of behavioral profiling. These are compiled by psychologists for a possible suspect; the process is done through evidence provided to the psychologists, in which they process and give obscure, unique details about the possible suspect. Handwriting identification is done through experts that study a signature given to them and try to match it to that of a suspect captured by the police. These are most often used in false contracts and stolen identities. The art of photo enhancement was brought into the forensics world in the early 1990's. It is used to find minute details in a crime investigation, such as chips in furniture or marks on bodies that are invisible to...