Forensic Anthropology And Its Role(s) In Criminal Investigation(s). Describe and discuss the

Forensic Anthropology And Its Role(s) In Criminal Investigation(s). Describe and discuss the

Forensic Science

Forensic Science, also known as Forensics, is the application of science to law. It uses highly developed technology to uncover scientific evidence in a variety of fields. Modern forensic science has a broad range of applications. It is used in civil cases such as forgeries, fraud or negligence. The most common use of forensic science is to investigate criminal cases involving a victim, such as assault, robbery, kidnapping, rape, or murder. Forensic science is also used in monitoring the compliance of various countries with such international agreements as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Chemical Weapons Convention and to learn whether a country is developing a secret nuclear weapons program. (Bass, 2003)It can help law enforcement officials determine whether any laws or regulations have been violated in the marketing of foods and drinks, the manufacture of medicines, or the use of pesticides on crops. It can also determine whether drinking water meets legal purity requirements. The medical examiner is the most important individual in an investigation of a crime involving a victim. It is the responsibility of the medical examiner to visit the crime scene, conduct an autopsy (examination of the body) in cases of death, examine the medical evidence and lab reports, study the victim's history, and put all the information together in a report to be turned in to the district attorney. (Ferllini, 2002)

Medical examiners are usually physicians specializing in forensic pathology, the study of structural and functional changes in the body as a result of injury. Their training and qualifications most often include a medical degree and an apprenticeship in a medical examiners office. In the field of forensic science, there are many subspecialties. They include odontology (the study of teeth), anthropology (the study of human beings), psychiatry, biology, chemistry, physics, toxicology (the study of poisons), and pathology (the examination of body tissues and fluids). The medical examiner may call upon forensic scientists who are specialized in these fields for help in a crime investigation.

Toxicology is a branch of forensic science that deals with the adverse effects of drugs and poisonous chemicals found in the home, at work or in the environment. (Floyd, 1996)New technologies challenge the investigators not only to grasp their scientific complexity but also to evaluate their reliability as evidence. One of the influential challenges in the field of scientific substantiation has been the struggle to understand the radical new DNA technologies, especially DNA fingerprinting, into the legal system. Scientific technologies have expanded greatly in our century, leaving virtually no aspect of our lives unaffected. Especially in courtrooms, which have turned into science battlegrounds where more, complex technologies are, introduced as evidence. The prospects for ending the DNA war quickly are dim.

Although it is, believed that developments in the technology will ultimately force complete acceptance of DNA evidence, being such a powerful tool until no scientific disagreements ...