Forensic Scientist

What are they?

Forensic analyst (Physical)

Forensic analysts arguably present the most undeniable evidence that can be used for prosecution, they provide evidence that shows whether or not the suspect was actually at the scene. In this case this type of analyst would focus on physical pieces of evidence. Just like before there are many unique factors involved with physical pieces of evidence that would be able to lead to the identification of a weapon or clarification of how it was used. Physical analysts usually would have to wait until the biological analysts have completed and documented that particular piece of evidence. For example a knife may be found at a crime scene that contained blood, it would have to be examined first by the biological analysts so that the blood could be tested and also to see if it contains any fingerprints before they might get ruined whilst doing a physical examination. Physical analysts are also usually based away from the crime scene so that the evidence can be processed in a safe and secure lab. If a knife with blood was found at a crime scene it may not be involved in the crime (murder) as the blood may have fallen upon the knife whilst another object was being used. It is the job of the physical analyst to determine what type of wound that the knife could potentially make to see if it matches to the victims description. Again with these forensic analysts they will always be needed to provide their findings no matter the case, what would change is what they are examining. As stated a murder scene requires many type of analysing on items such as blood, fingerprints etc. This would differ to perhaps a burglary because there isn't necessarily any blood or fluids it may just be fingerprints and shoe marks that require analysing.

Forensic analyst (Biological)Forensic analysts provide evidence that shows whether or not the suspect was actually at the scene. They do this by testing evidence that may contain biological proof, some examples of things that they may test are:

• Blood 

• Hair

• Semen

All three of these pieces of biological evidence have unique factors which are unique to each person therefore if any of these three are discovered they can be used to identify whom it belongs to. As a result the analysts have to record the specific bodily fluids and once their is a suspect, they must compare whether the suspects body fluids match (therefore meaning that they were present). Forensic analysts are usually based away from the crime scene, their job is to evaluate the evidence that has been collected and brought to them by the scenes of crime officers. Their task is to analyse any evidence that is relevant to the case that may or may not contain evidence used for a trial, this must be done by following the procedures with care so not to possibly contaminating any evidence.

Fire Investigation:

In terms of a fire investigation forensic scientists play a very important role when it comes down to the evidence as it is their job to analyse all of the evidence gathered from the crime scene. Forensic analysts would usually only have to deal with physical and chemical evidence during a fire investigation however depending on the type of fire crime they may have to analyse physical, chemical and biological evidence. The scenes of crime officers will gather the evidence from the scene and deliver it to the scientists, they must then do a thorough examination and determination of what the evidence is and what it tells them. The physical evidence that they must examine would possibly be debris from the fire and or objects that are possible ignition points, the debris must be analysed for two separate reasons. The first reason is to determine what the debris came from and what is was, the forensic analyst could determine what caused the fire ranging from a bomb to a match. (aboutforensics.co.uk) The forensic scientists then may have to analyse any chemical evidence that has been found, this could be in the form of an accelerant that has been used as the accelerant could be tested and the identity of it revealed. Another type of chemical evidence that the forensics may have to analyse is the chemical residue that is found on bomb fragments, some sort of chain reaction set of the bomb so chemicals must be involved and if the forensics can find out what they were then they could find out potentially what the bomb was made from. The forensics scientists involvement in a fire investigation is very beneficial because they are the team that use the forensic evidence to try and find answers and possible matches to what the evidence shows. The second reason as to why they are beneficial is because they can determine whether it was deliberate or not, with the help of agencies such as the gas/electricity advisers they can say if the fire was deliberate by looking at things like a plug socket which may have malfunctioned. If is was a bomb or lighter that set the fire off then there will be trace evidence of the chemicals or fluids used, the forensics can then complete a set of chemical tests to try and determine what the chemicals were which could help narrow down the perpetrator.