Forensics
Retired Detective’s Discovery solves 84 cases in Baltimore County
by MAXINE STREICHER | FOX45 NEWSWed, September 3, 2025 at 10:50 PM
0.25×0.5xnormal1.5x2x
- Cold cases
- Rose Brady
- Baltimore County
- DNA slides
- Serial rapist
- Dr. Rudiger Breitenecker
- Homicide sergeant
- Victims’ closure
FREELAND, MARYLAND (WBFF) — On a tranquil 40-acre farm in Freeland, Rose Brady enjoys a quiet life, far removed from her groundbreaking career with the Baltimore County Police Force.
Brady, who joined the force at 18, was the first female homicide sergeant in the department and played a pivotal role in solving numerous cold cases.
Brady’s journey took a significant turn in 2004 when a chance conversation introduced her to Dr. Rudiger Breitenecker, an Austrian doctor who had preserved DNA slides from over 2,000 sexual assault cases dating back to 1977.
Brady recognized the potential of these slides, saying to the friend who told her about them, “I said, please hold on to everything you have, every slide you have, I said, because this could be a gold mine.”
Her team began reviewing open rape cases, and the DNA hits started coming. “When we got the hit, it was awesome. I mean, I’m telling you, DNA was the gold mine,” Brady said.
The investigation led to the identification of Alphonso Hill, a serial rapist linked to 24 rapes, who was sentenced to 60 years in prison.
Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger praised the effort, stating, “Baltimore County with these slides was solving cases that no one else in the country could solve.”
Brady’s work brought closure to many victims, with 84 cold cases solved, most thanks to Dr. Breitenecker’s foresight.
Dr. Breitenecker, who passed away, once said, “Once you throw them out, there’s no way to go back and say ‘well I’ll get another one’ so I just thought maybe we shouldn’t throw them out.” His intuition and Brady’s determination have been hailed as heroic.
Now retired, Brady spends her days on her farm, enjoying time with her 6-year-old grandson and hosting a podcast, “Sgt. Brady’s Crime Podcast,” sharing her remarkable story.
Her former colleagues describe her as “one of a kind,” with Chris Grant noting, “She’s just a bulldog. If she gets it in her mind she’s going to do something she’s going to do it and nothing is going to get in her way.”
READ THE COMMENTS (6)
Brady’s legacy is one of justice and peace, both for herself and the many women whose stories she helped bring to light.
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- BasicNeeds3 September, 2025It is good to see recognition of exceptional service in bringing offenders to justice. Too many times the individual victim of a rapist is not able to endure the process of reporting, testifying, and seeing the final accountability of a court case. Sergeant Brady became a bridge that connected cas…See moreReply27Share1 reply
- PaulieW4 September, 2025Fantastic work, congratulations!Reply7Share
- ExpatriateMD4 September, 2025Good job Detective! They could use more officers like you ! Show The city how it’s done!Reply8Share
- SheriffWalt4 September, 2025Thank you ma’am for your dedication and expertise in bringing many of these crimes to light while solving most of them. Reply3Share
- stuartT6 September, 2025Why did Mr. Hill only get a 60 year sentence ? That’s less than 3 years for every rape !!!ReplyShare
Unlocking the Secrets of the Occiput: Anatomy, Injuries, and Legal Implications in Forensic Science
Introduction: Understanding the Occiput and Its Significance The human skull is an intricate structure, safeguarding the most vital organ of our body…
Unlocking the Secrets of the Occiput: Anatomy, Injuries, and Legal Implications in Forensic Science
Unlocking Clues: A Comprehensive Guide to Crime Scene Search Methods
July 29, 2025 by Advocate Abhishek GandhiListen
- What Are Crime Scene Search Methods?
- Phases of Crime Scene Investigation
- Types of Crime Scene Search Methods
- Modern Tools Enhancing Crime Scene Searches
- Key Principles in Crime Scene Search
- Application in Indian Legal Framework
- Challenges in Indian Context
- Best Practices for Effective Crime Scene Searches
- Case Studies Highlighting Crime Scene Search Impact
- International Perspective and Indian Progress
- Conclusion
- FAQs on Crime Scene Search Methods
Introduction
In the pursuit of justice, the crime scene represents both the origin of the mystery and the potential solution to it. It is a silent witness to the crime, holding vital clues that can either exonerate the innocent or incriminate the guilty. The methods used to search and process these crime scenes form the cornerstone of modern criminal investigations. This article provides a detailed exploration of crime scene search methods, their significance, types, procedures, and relevance in Indian criminal jurisprudence.
Whether you are a law student, forensic science enthusiast, criminal lawyer, or an informed citizen, understanding these methods offers a fascinating look into the backbone of investigative work.
What Are Crime Scene Search Methods?
Crime scene search methods refer to systematic procedures followed by investigators to locate, collect, preserve, and document physical evidence from a crime scene. The effectiveness of an investigation hinges greatly on how meticulously the scene is examined. A compromised search may lead to crucial evidence being overlooked or contaminated, potentially affecting the trial’s outcome.
Objectives of Crime Scene Search
- To identify and preserve physical evidence
- To establish the sequence of events
- To link suspects, victims, and witnesses
- To support or refute witness testimony
- To assist in the reconstruction of the crime
Phases of Crime Scene Investigation
Before diving into search methods, it’s essential to understand the broader phases that encompass the crime scene investigation:
- Securing and Isolating the Scene
- Preliminary Survey
- Documentation (photography, sketching, notes)
- Systematic Search for Evidence
- Collection and Packaging of Evidence
- Final Survey
- Release of the Scene
The fourth step—systematic search—is where crime scene search methods play their most critical role.
Types of Crime Scene Search Methods
There is no universal technique applicable to every scene. The method chosen depends on the location, type of crime, available personnel, and complexity of the scene.
1. Grid Method
The grid search method involves the scene being searched twice in perpendicular directions, forming a grid. It is highly effective for large, open areas where evidence like shell casings, fibers, or footprints might be dispersed.
Best used for: Outdoor homicide scenes, post-blast scenes, or large-scale assaults.
Advantages:
- Increases the likelihood of locating minute evidence
- Offers double coverage
Disadvantages:
- Time-consuming
- Requires more personnel and coordination
2. Spiral Search Method
The spiral method involves a single officer starting from a central point and moving outward (or vice versa) in a spiral path. This method is less structured but sometimes necessary when only one investigator is present.
Best used for: Limited personnel scenarios, underwater searches, or small indoor scenes.
Advantages:
- Simple and can be conducted by one person
- Useful in confined spaces
Disadvantages:
- Risk of uneven coverage
- Challenging in cluttered environments
3. Strip (or Line) Search Method
Investigators walk in parallel lines across the scene, typically used in large open areas such as fields or parking lots.
Best used for: Outdoor crime scenes, search for large objects (like weapons).
Advantages:
- Systematic and easily supervised
- Suitable for large areas
Disadvantages:
- Less effective for small or hidden evidence
- Requires more manpower
4. Zone (Quadrant) Search Method
The area is divided into zones or quadrants, each assigned to a team or individual. Each section is searched independently using any of the above methods.
Best used for: Indoor scenes, vehicles, multiple-room houses.
Advantages:
- Allows division of labor
- Facilitates focused searching in complex areas
Disadvantages:
- Requires efficient coordination
- May cause overlap or missed areas if not properly managed
5. Wheel (or Radial) Search Method
Searchers start from a central point and move outward in straight lines, like spokes of a wheel.
Best used for: Small circular areas, such as intersections or blast centers.
Advantages:
- Central point covered thoroughly
- Useful for locating origin points
Disadvantages:
- Gaps between the “spokes” can lead to missed evidence
- Not ideal for large areas
Modern Tools Enhancing Crime Scene Searches
Technology has revolutionized traditional search methods. While manual techniques remain foundational, modern tools supplement them:
1. Drones
Used for aerial photography of large or inaccessible areas—especially in outdoor crime scenes.
2. 3D Laser Scanning
Helps create a virtual model of the scene, allowing for detailed review later.
3. Alternate Light Sources (ALS)
Used to identify biological fluids, fibers, or residues not visible under normal lighting.
4. Metal Detectors and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)
Useful for locating buried weapons, bullets, or human remains.
Key Principles in Crime Scene Search
Regardless of the method used, several guiding principles must be followed:
1. Locard’s Exchange Principle
Every contact leaves a trace. Investigators work on the presumption that the criminal has brought something into the crime scene and taken something from it.
2. Preservation of the Scene
No one enters without authorization. Contamination must be minimized.
3. Systematic Approach
The scene must be approached methodically to prevent overlooked evidence.
4. Chain of Custody Maintenance
Each item of evidence must be documented, labelled, and tracked to ensure its integrity in court.
Application in Indian Legal Framework
In India, the Code of Criminal Procedure (BNSS now), Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and Indian Evidence Act (renamed as Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam) do not prescribe a specific crime scene search method but emphasize evidence collection, documentation, and admissibility.
Relevant Provisions:
- Section 173 BNSS – Police report must include details of the scene and collected evidence.
- Section 62 BSA (Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam) – Emphasizes on documentary and electronic evidence.
- Section 100 BNSS – Mandates proper procedure during search and seizure.
FSL (Forensic Science Laboratory) Involvement:
Crime scenes involving unnatural deaths, rapes, bombings, or poisoning often require FSL experts to participate in the scene search to ensure scientific methods are adopted.
Challenges in Indian Context
Despite the growing awareness and legal reforms, crime scene searches in India face the following challenges:
- Delayed arrival at the scene due to traffic or jurisdiction confusion
- Scene contamination by media, public, or untrained police officers
- Lack of trained crime scene officers, especially in rural areas
- Inadequate resources for scientific search tools
- Improper documentation and poor chain of custody maintenance
Best Practices for Effective Crime Scene Searches
- Immediate Securing of the Scene
- Use of PPE to prevent contamination
- Photographic and video documentation before moving anything
- Labeling and preserving evidence with tamper-proof seals
- Cross-functional coordination between police, forensic experts, and legal officers
- Detailed scene notes with sketches and measurements
Case Studies Highlighting Crime Scene Search Impact
1. The Nirbhaya Case (Delhi, 2012)
Timely collection of DNA, blood samples, and CCTV footage formed the backbone of the prosecution’s case. A zone search method was primarily used across the crime vehicle and the road area.
2. Aarushi Talwar Case (Noida, 2008)
The mishandling of the crime scene, loss of evidence, and delayed forensic analysis became a textbook case for what not to do at a crime scene.
International Perspective and Indian Progress
Many developed nations have codified crime scene protocols. For example, the FBI has a Crime Scene Search Study Guide, and the UK has the National Crime Scene Strategy. India is gradually adopting these frameworks, with the Directorate of Forensic Science Services (DFSS) playing a key role in upgrading standards.
Several state police forces now have Mobile Forensic Units, and training modules on crime scene search are becoming mandatory at police academies.
Conclusion
Crime scene search methods are not mere technicalities—they are foundational to justice delivery. An efficient search may uncover the truth; a careless one might bury it forever. As forensic science integrates further into criminal litigation in India, awareness and education about these techniques become critical for all legal stakeholders.
Whether a defense advocate contesting the reliability of recovered evidence, or a prosecutor relying on blood spatter analysis, or a judge weighing the admissibility of a fingerprint report—the method of collection holds significant weight.
As India strides toward a more forensic-driven legal system, refining and standardizing crime scene search methods will be a game-changer for both law enforcement and the judiciary.
FAQs on Crime Scene Search Methods
Q1. Who is responsible for searching a crime scene in India?
The Investigating Officer (IO), often accompanied by forensic experts and photographers, is responsible for conducting the crime scene search.
Q2. Can evidence be rejected in court due to improper search methods?
Yes. If it is shown that the evidence was tampered with or collected without following proper procedures, it may be declared inadmissible.
Q3. What is the first priority upon reaching a crime scene?
Securing the scene to prevent contamination and unauthorized entry is the first and foremost priority.
Q4. Is photography mandatory before evidence collection?
Yes. Detailed photography ensures that the position and condition of evidence are recorded before being disturbed.
Q5. How are search methods taught in India?
Crime scene search techniques are taught in police training academies, forensic science courses, and during workshops conducted by forensic institutions.
Q6. Are drones legally permitted in crime scene search in India?
Yes, but their use must comply with DGCA regulations and privacy laws, and usually under official authorization.
Disclaimer: This content is generated with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) tools and may contain errors. The content provided herein is not intended for use in any capacity, including but not limited to legal, informational, advisory, or educational purposes, and must not be relied upon under any circumstances. All information must be verified with the original source. Consult an advocate before taking any step.
Abhishek Gandhi is a practicing Advocate at the Delhi High Court and Saket Courts. The areas of practice includes Criminal Litigation – bail applications, appeals, and quashing of FIRs, NDPS, POSH, POCSO cases, Cheque Bounce (138 NI) cases, Matrimonial & Family Law – Divorce, maintenance, domestic violence cases, cybercrime, IPR- Patent, Trademark infringement, Service & Employment Law. Also an Empaneled Advocate for Pro Bono Legal Services, Department of Justice (DoJ), Government of India (Reg. No. NB/DL/2024/12280).
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The Pervasive and Unknown Effects of Sensory Experiences in Policing: An Autoethnographic Response
The sensory input of the unknown is invisible and profound. We ignore our sense of smell until we have a head cold and lose taste. In policing, smell…
The Pervasive and Unknown Effects of Sensory Experiences in Policing: An Autoethnographic Response
Dead Men Do Tell Tales
Everyone loves a good crime show – the suspense, the twists, the unraveling of the crime scene, and the satisfying moment when the culprit is finally…
Dead Men Do Tell Tales
Forensics: DNA from letter helps solve 34-year-old cold case murder of Pa. mom — FORENSICS and LAW in FOCUS @ CSIDDS | News and Trends
The cold case murder of a 26-year-old Pennsylvania mother in 1988 has been finally solved thanks to DNA evidence found on a chilling letter. — Read on http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/dna-letter-helps-solve-34-year-old-cold-case-murder-pa-mom-rcna44185
Forensics: DNA from letter helps solve 34-year-old cold case murder of Pa. mom — FORENSICS and LAW in FOCUS @ CSIDDS | News and Trends
FBI Forensic Science : Incompetence or Malice? — Intel Today
“The FBI could be the most dangerous agency in the country if not scrutinized carefully.”
FBI director Louis Freeh
Tainting Evidence — Inside the Scandals at the FBI Crime Lab
August 29 2022 — Last week, FBI Las Vegas tweeted a picture of a special agent fingerprinting child actress Margaret O’Brien during her visit to the FBI in January 1946. This tweet brought back quite some memories… Follow us on Twitter: @Intel_Today
RELATED POST: Forensic science — FBI Bullet-Lead Technique Dead Wrong
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The fingerprints of Margaret O’Brien brought the total number on file to 100,000,000. Since 1924, the FBI has been the single U.S. repository for fingerprints. Computers were first installed to search these files in 1980.
Since 1999, the FBI has stored and accessed its fingerprint database via the digital IAFIS (Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System), which currently holds the fingerprints and criminal records of over 51 million criminal record subjects and over 1.5 million civil (non-criminal) fingerprint records. US Visit currently holds a repository of the fingerprints of over 50 million non-US citizens. [Vintage photographs show the massive FBI’s fingerprint files, 1944]
Perhaps, you believe that ‘fingerprint evidence’ is rock solid evidence. Allow me to quote a very important analysis [Tainting Evidence — Inside the Scandals at the FBI Crime Lab] :
Occasionally, proficiency testing in one specialist area of forensic science exposes widespread incompetence. In 1995, Collaborative Testing Services tested 156 U.S. fingerprint examiners — the cornerstone of forensic science — in a proficiency test sponsored by their professional body, the International Association for Identification. Only 44 percent (68) of those tested identified all seven latent fingerprints correctly. Some 56 percent (88) got at least one wrong, 4 percent (6) of these failing to identify any. In all, incorrect identifications made up 22 percent of the total attempted.
In other words, in more than one in five instances “damning evidence would have been presented against the wrong person,” noted David Grieve, editor of the fingerprinters’ magazine, the Journal of Forensic Identification. Worse still, examiners knew they were being tested and were thus presumably more careful and freer from law enforcement pressures. Calling for immediate action, Grieve concluded: “If one in five latent fingerprint examiners truly possesses knowledge, skill or ability at a level below an acceptable and understood baseline, then the entire profession is in jeopardy.” The same must be true of every suspect in the country, the vast majority of whom never get a fingerprint expert onto their defense team or any chance of a reexamination. Many crime laboratories routinely destroy fingerprint evidence.
It is clear that forensic science is massively error-ridden, while the flaws in the sole laboratory accreditation program designed to improve performance are obvious. ASCLD/LAB has no powers to regulate or inspect a crime lab or to stop a lab that has failed inspection from doing examinations in criminal justice cases.
Many U.S. crime labs have never even risked inspection and the possibility of failing, most notable among them the one that bills itself the premier forensic science laboratory in the world — the FBI lab in Washington.
Sadly, widespread incompetence is just one side of the problem. There is worse, much worse…
“Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity, but don’t rule out malice.”
Albert Einstein
Did you know? FBI agents intervened in the Shirley McKie case — a former detective wrongly accused of leaving her fingerprint at a murder scene — to urge a cover-up amid fears it could scupper the trial of the Lockerbie bombers.
David Grieve, the senior fingerprint expert at Illinois State Police who helped clear Ms McKie in 1999, said FBI agents had asked him to keep silent before the Lockerbie trial began in the Hague in February 2000.
Mr Grieve said : “I was asked not to mention anything about the case and not to publicise it because we had to think about the higher goal, which was Lockerbie.”
Meanwhile, Allan Bayle, a fingerprint expert formerly of the Metropolitan Police, has said it was his “firm belief” the SCRO’s evidence was “far more likely to be fabrication rather than gross incompetence”.
And now, allow me go back to the Lockerbie Case. Let us discuss the so-called evidence of SEMTEX!
To be continued.
Forensic Science: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
REFERENCES
Tainting Evidence — Inside the Scandals at the FBI Crime Lab
Lockerbie FBI team urged a cover-up on McKie — The Herald, Feb. 2006
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FBI Forensic Science : Incompetence or Malice?
“The FBI could be the most dangerous agency in the country if not scrutinized carefully.” FBI director Louis Freeh Tainting Evidence — Inside the Scandals at the FBI Crime Lab August 29 2022 — Last week, FBI Las Vegas tweeted a picture of a special agent fingerprinting child actress Margaret O’Brien during her visit to […]
FBI Forensic Science : Incompetence or Malice? — Intel Today
FORENSICS IN THE COURTROOM via Manisha Nandan
IT IS A MISTAKE TO THEORIZE BEFORE YOU HAVE ALL EVIDENCE. IT BIASES THE JUDGMENT – Sherlock Holmes
FORENSICS IN THE COURTROOM — Manisha Nandan
[ CRIME NEVER DIES – PART 3 ]
UDGMENT – Sherlock Holmes
When someone is charged with a crime, the prosecution and defence typically call in witnesses to testify about the guilt or innocence of the person who has been accused. One of the most important players in all this testimony often isn’t a person at all: it’s the forensic evidence.
And these evidences are obtained by scientific methods such as ballistics, blood test, and DNA test and further used in court proceeding . Forensic evidence often helps to establish the guilt or innocence of possible suspects.
So its Analysis is very important as they are used in the investigation and prosecution of civil as well as criminal matters. Moreover Forensic evidence can be used to link crimes that are thought to be related to one another. For example, DNA evidence can link one offender to several different crimes or crime scenes and this linking of crimes helps the police authorities to narrow the range of possible suspects and to establish patterns of for crimes to identify and prosecute suspect.
CASES REQUIRING FORENSIC EVIDENCE
Forensic evidence is useful in helping solve the most violent and brutal of cases, as well as completely nonviolent cases related to crimes such as fraud and hacking.
If a decomposing body is found in the woods somewhere, forensic scientists can use DNA, dental records, and other evidence to identify the person, determine the cause of death, and sometimes determine if the body contains material from another person who may have been present at the time of death.
Investigators often look for forensic evidence in cases where sexual assault is suspected. In some cases, DNA evidence can prove or disprove allegations of rape or child molestation.
Forensics are also useful in drug cases. Scientists can test unidentified substances that were found on an individual to confirm whether or not they are cocaine, heroin, marijuana, or other controlled substances. Investigators use forensic toxicology to determine whether a driver was impaired at the time they were involved in an accident.
The field of forensics isn’t only limited to evidence obtained from people’s bodies. Ballistics (otherwise known as weapons testing) can tell investigators a lot about cases where gunfire was involved. Did a bullet come from a particular gun? Where was the shooter standing? How many shots did they fire? Ballistics can help answer all of these questions. Another area of forensic evidence lies within the circuits of our phones and computers. Those who commit cyber crimes leave behind traces of their activities in databases and documents scattered throughout the digital world. Forensic computer specialists know how to sort through the information to discover the truth.
However ,The question of admissibility of evidence is whether the evidence is relevant to a fact in issue in the case. Admissibility is always decided by the judge and all relevant evidence is potentially admissible, subject to common law and statutory rules on exclusion. Relevant evidence is evidence of facts in issue and evidence of sufficient relevance to prove or disprove a fact in issue.
As per Section 45 of Indian evidence Act 1872- When the Court has to form and opinion upon a point of foreign law or of science or art, or as to identity of handwriting or finger impressions, the opinions upon that point of persons specially skilled in such foreign law, science or art, or in questions as to identity of handwriting or finger impressions are relevant facts. Such persons are called experts. Further as per Section 46 of Indian evidence Act 1872- it is stated that facts, not otherwise relevant, are relevant if they support or are inconsistent with the opinions of experts, when such opinions are relevant. Though there is no specific DNA legislation enacted in India, Sec.53 and Sec. 54 of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 provides for DNA tests impliedly and they are extensively used in determining complex criminal problems.
Sec. 53 deals with examination of the accused by medical practitioner at the request of police officer if there are reasonable grounds to believe that an examination of his person will afford evidence as to the commission of the offence. Sec. 54 of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 further provides for the examination of the arrested person by the registered medical practitioner at the request of the arrested person.
The law commission of India in its 37th report stated that to facilitate effective investigation, provision has been made authorizing an examination of arrested person by a medical practitioner, if from the nature of the alleged offence or the circumstances under which it is alleged to have been committed, there are reasonable grounds for believing that an examination of the person will afford evidence. Sec. 27(1) of Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2002 says when a investigating officer request the court of CJM or the court of CMM in writing for obtaining sample of hand writing, finger prints, foot prints, photographs, blood, saliva, semen, hair, voice of any accused person, reasonable suspect to be involved in the commission of an offence under this act. It shall be lawful for the court of CJM or the court of CMM to direct that such samples shall be given by the accused person to the police officer either through a medical practitioner or otherwise as the case may be.
Section 65(B) of Indian Evidence Act says that electronic records needs to be certified by a person occupying a responsible official position for being admissible as evidence in any court proceedings.
So as the capabilities of forensic science have expanded and evolved over the years, facing a number of significant challenges.
Then also a main weakness is in its susceptibility to cognitive bias. Today, despite remaining a powerful element within the justice system, and playing a key role in establishing and reconstructing events, forensic science much like any scientific domain, faces weaknesses and limitations.
These issues can arise throughout an investigation; from when the forensic evidence is first collected at the scene of the crime, until the evidence is presented at court.
So there is utmost need of forensic science because of reasons like –
The need for the application of science in criminal investigation has arisen from the following factors:
1. Social Changes:
The society is undergoing drastic social changes at a very rapid pace. India has changed from a colonial subject race to a democratic republic. Sizeable industrial complex has sprung up. The transport facilities have been revolutionized. There is a growing shift from a rural society to an urban one. These changes have made the old techniques of criminal investigation obsolete. In the British days the police was so much feared that once it had laid its hands upon an individual, he would ‘confess’ to any crime, he may not have even known. The fear is vanishing now. The use of ‘third degree’ techniques used in those days does not find favour with the new generation of police officers and judges.
2. Hiding facilities:
The quick means of transport and high density of population in cities have facilitated the commission of crimes. The criminal can hide himself in a corner of a city or move away to thousands of miles in a few hours. He, thus often escapes apprehension and prosecution.
3. Technical knowledge:
The technical knowledge of an average man has increased tremendously in recent years. The crime techniques are getting refined. The investigating officer, therefore, needs modern methods to combat the modern criminal.
4. Wide field: The field of activities of the criminal is widening at a terrific rate. Formely, the criminals were usually local, now we find that national or international criminal is a common phenomenon. Smuggling,drug trafficking ,financial frauds and forgeries offer fertile and ever expanding fields.
5. Better Evidence: The physical evidence evaluated by an expert is objective. If a fingerprint is found at the scene of crime, it can belong to only one person. If this person happens to be be the suspect, he must account for its presence at the scene. Likewise, if a bullet is recovered from a dead body, it can be attributed to only one firearm. If this firearm happens to be that of the accused , he must account account for its involvement in the crime. Such evidence is always verifiable.
In reality, those rare few cases with good forensic evidence are the ones that make it to court.—Pat Brown
@MANISHANANDAN
[ CRIME NEVER DIES – PART 3 ] IT IS A CAPITAL MISTAKE TO THEORIZE BEFORE YOU HAVE ALL EVIDENCE. IT BIASES THE JUDGMENT – Sherlock Holmes When someone is charged with a crime, the prosecution and defence typically call in witnesses to testify about the guilt or innocence of the person who has been […]
FORENSICS IN THE COURTROOM — Manisha Nandan
The Risks of Cutting Corners in Forensics via Jonathan Desverney @ USA News
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With the demise of the internationally renowned public sector UK Forensic Science Service in 2012 came the promulgation and growth of a new competitive marketplace.
Private sector companies working in a hastily drawn up framework for forensic science provision were invited into rounds of competitive tendering that were driven by the police service.
These were based on the notion that the Forensic Science Service had been inefficient, delivering forensic science analysis in an expensive and untimely manner.
However, high-quality forensic science provision was always costly and the British police service wanted to operate in a new culture of cost reduction and value for money. They wanted full control of their spending and that is understandable.
But with the rise of competitive tendering the provision of forensic science was commoditized. Specific work and tests in each forensic discipline were itemized and bid for by the companies.
The police forces guaranteed specific volumes of testing to the companies in order to get the best prices and the police began to dictate to the companies what tests they required against the ‘pricelist’ when potential forensic evidence had been collected from crime scenes.
The police service also determined to undertake certain basic scientific tasks themselves. By bringing these in house they could further save money and reduce the burden on their budgets.
This new and cheaper approach has been in place for nine years and has been subjected to comment by critics and supporters alike. In 2018 one major player in the new UK forensic market, Key Forensic Services Ltd, collapsed. They had won a significant share of the available forensic science work, but couldn’t sustain the service.
Many working in forensic science warned that the quality of expert analysis and interpretation would be lost as scientists would no longer be able to refer their findings to colleagues across overlapping disciplines in order to provide a holistic approach to obtaining the best evidence from the forensic samples presented.
This would inevitably lead to the loss of the opportunities for contextualization of the evidential findings for use in the justice process.
In addition the fragmentation of the industry has seen many expert scientists set up their own niche services and struggle to get regular work. Some left the industry altogether.
There has never been a properly constituted academic analysis of what these changes have meant to UK forensic science provision and what the impact has been.
Until now.
In a comprehensive and thorough six-year research programme, Dr Karen Richmond from the University of Copenhagen undertook a long and objective period of fieldwork and analysis.
Interviews were conducted not only with forensic scientists, but also with allied institutional agents including senior professional members of the judiciary of England and Wales, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, the Office of the Forensic Science Regulator, the Crown Prosecution Service, the Royal Society, the UK Accreditation Service, the Metropolitan Police Service, and the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences.
Her findings are both startling and important. They point to a thoroughly dysfunctional marketplace that has failed to harmonize the array of tests and reports in a way that should have led to the configuration of a homogenous service from each provider to all police forces.
Instead, the exact opposite has occurred, with very different requirements being demanded of providers by each separate police force so that scientists are “reinventing the wheel” for each customer.
Furthermore the scientific strategy for the analysis and reporting of forensic samples is set by the police with little or no scientific training. They will perhaps have undertaken Crime Scene Investigation training, but that doesn’t allow for the best objective understanding of what might work or not work in each case.
This can result in loss of opportunities as the scientists are often not able to question the police requirements and cannot make their own investigative assessments of what the best science is to be applied.
There has been a market push and perhaps an over reliance on DNA testing as the “go to” science, to the detriment of other scientific processes such as the searching for, collection of, and analysis of fibers.
Indeed there are a host of critical findings that reflect negatively on the way the market has developed. Dr Richmond says in her report:
The data demonstrates not only how government agencies failed to adapt to the introduction of competitive tendering, but also how the market which developed in their wake began to influence, distort and reconfigure the very processes of forensic strategy-setting and analysis.
She goes on to say:
The results offer a compelling insight into the ways in which these agents have adapted to changing relations, shifting priorities, and the imposition of market logics within a sector unaccustomed to the obtrusions of economic efficiency and external regulation.
After nine years there are continuing tensions and frustrations. They are keenly felt by scientists and the companies providing forensic science services. These should not now be set aside as just another academic study.
Dr Richmond’s work has shown that in hindsight the implementation of the decision to restructure forensic science provision to the UK criminal justice system was flawed.
It perhaps should have never left the public sector in the first place, where in a government agency cost considerations would have remained secondary to the need to provide comprehensive criminal justice outcomes.
The US Perspective
In a recent column for The Crime Report “ Why We Need a Federal Forensic Science Agency,” I argued that forensic science provision in the U.S. cannot continue to support unvalidated and often junk science in its courts to the detriment of a fair and just criminal justice system. This remains the case.
However the UK seems to have also got things wrong. Not in the quality of work that is done by the forensic providers, as this is regulated and accredited to international standards; but in the way that the science has been dumbed down by the police.
The emphasis on treating science as a sequence of commoditized testing processes has led to the inability of scientists to properly engage their expertise in support of criminal justice in the way they did when forensic science was delivered as a public sector service.
If the U.S. is eventually to embrace a nationally mandated federal forensic science system in the future, then there are clear lessons to be learned from Dr Richmond’s research.
The application of forensic science to the justice process should be led by independent experts, working in a quality controlled environment, to provide the best evidence for the courts. A system that allows the police to control the work of scientists, without having recourse to the expert opinion of those scientists before the work is carried out, should not be the way to go.
Gareth Bryon
Indeed the UK police approach to seeking quick results cheaply from forensic science may one day mean that the best opportunities to secure a conviction in a high-profile case may go out of the window, because other potential evidence is overlooked or not considered based on cost.
This couldn’t happen in the U.S., could it?
Gareth Bryon is a former Detective Chief Superintendent who worked as a senior officer in the South Wales Police and the British Transport Police, where he led major crime investigation and forensic science services for over 30 years.
Forensic Files 