The Importance Of Forensic Evidence

Forensic evidence has been around for centuries. Whether it is using things like fingerprints or soil samples, it has been a significant form of support to find and convict criminals. Only recently, though, has DNA analysis become a major part of the forensic evidence process. The goal of this paper is to discuss how DNA analysis can be applied to dental, hair, and blood evidence to solve crimes; also, the importance of an accurate and detailed chain of custody log will be shown. The standard and widely accepted definition of forensic evidence is using any scientific knowledge to find proof that can help solve crimes or prove a crime was committed. It is incredibly important for investigators to understand the difference between class characteristics and individual characteristics. This can help them fully appreciate the potential value of certain pieces of evidence. A class characteristic is broad; they are common amongst groups of people or objects and cannot be narrowed down to a specific individual (Saferstein 64). Evidence defined by class characteristics can include glass fragments, tool marks, or shoeprints that do not have accidental marks that could tie them to a specific individual. On the other hand, there is evidence that can be defined by individual characteristics. If evidence has individual characteristics, it can be …show more content…
By discussing things that can be determined through dental, hair, and blood evidence, the importance of DNA analysis to our forensic process becomes readily apparent. As stated earlier, the most important thing when it comes to forensic evidence is the chain of custody. Keeping detailed logs and reports will make cases stronger, as well as certain evidence irrefutable. If investigators always remember this, DNA analysis and forensic evidence will continue to be the most important supporting evidence in