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| Collision Investigation |
Road Traffic collision investigation and reconstruction encompasses all types of collisions, to include heavy motor vehicle, passenger car, motorcycle, pedal cycle and pedestrian. Crash Reconstruction is the systematic process of evaluating evidence associated with a collision sequence and applying accepted physical principles to determine how the collision occurred. A collision is a chaotic event often with a number of contributing factors; it can be difficult to portray the circumstances culminating in a collision event with words alone, collision reconstructionists therefore frequently employ the use of forensic animation to demonstrate the cause or causative factors resulting in the collision. |
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| Computer Forensics |
Computer forensics is the use of specialised techniques for recovery, authentication, and analysis of electronic data when a case involves issues relating to reconstruction of computer usage, examination of residual data, authenticating data by technical analysis or explanation of technical features of data and computer usage.
Computer forensics requires specialised expertise that goes beyond normal data collection and preservation techniques available to end-users or system support personnel. Special precautions need to be taken to collect, preserve and examine digital evidence. Failure to follow the correct protocols may render your evidence unusable in court. |
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| Drugs and Alcohol |
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Cases involving drugs generally relate to seizure of bulk quantities of drugs. A Drug expert may be able to comment drug preparation methods, amounts for personal use, tablet manufacture, results of chemical profiling of heroin, cannabis cultivation, examination of packaging (e.g. Gladwrap-type film, bags). Drugs cases may also involve clandestine laboratory examination.
Alcohol is a common factor in many crimes, ranging from drink-driving to murder. Calculations can be undertaken to establish, for example, whether what a person says they drank could have resulted in a given blood/breath/urine alcohol concentration, how ‘drunk’ a person may have been after drinking a given amount of alcohol, or estimation of a person’s blood/breath/urine alcohol concentration at a time prior to the time a sample was provided.
Alcohol consumption is often considered in cases such as murder or rape where the level of intoxication through the use of alcohol may be a factor in a given series of events. |
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| Fingerprint Examination |
The IFPI’s fingerprint experts can provide for all aspects of fingerprint work. This includes training, crime scene examination and exhibit recovery, fingerprint identification and certification, advice on specific forensic issues and Court appearances at any level. |
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| Forensic Accounting |
Forensic Accounting involves the application of accounting techniques to a legal purpose. This discipline can be applied to actual or anticipated court proceedings in a number of circumstances:
• Expert testimony to provide an explanation of accounting concepts or verification of records, including: insurance claims, quantification of loss, business valuations and family court proceedings; and
• Litigation support for civil or criminal proceedings relating to fraud and the tracing of assets.
Forensic Accountants also work with corporate clients to conduct business-oriented reviews and investigations, including:
• Fraud risk assessments;
• Intellectual property reviews; and
• Investigation of suspected or confirmed fraudulent conduct.
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| Forensic Anthropology |
Anthropology is the study of the culture and biology of past and present humankind. Forensic anthropology is the application of anthropological knowledge in legal matters such as assisting police recovering human remains using archaeological techniques and the analysis of skeletal remains for identification and cause of death. Computerised image technology enables forensic anthropologists to use their expertise to analyse photographs and security videos to identify people.
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| Forensic Biology |
Forensic biology identifies tissue samples; such as blood, semen and saliva; that have been separated from the body. There is some degree of overlap with the role of forensic medicine and pathologists who examine the effect of trauma to the person, the biologist examining where the tissue has been deposited, and the identification of trace evidence. The forensic biologist’s role incIudes:
• Identification and characterization of samples - Including blood, semen, saliva and other biological substances using various tests (chemical, microscopic, and immunology.
• Individualization of samples - DNA profiling tests.
• Blood spatter Interpretation - How was the stain produced?.
• Clothing damage.
• Identification of weapons. |
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| Forensic Document Examination |
A forensic document examiner and handwriting expert can assist from giving advice on initial investigation through to court attendance as an expert witness. The bulk of the work involves:
• Identification and the author of disputed handwriting and signatures with reference material.
• Reveal sites of erasure, identify alterations / additions to document entries.
• Reveal indented impressions of writing.
• Compare ink, security marks etcetera on documents.
• Determine whether 2 or more documents have been produced via same printer or photocopier.
• Associate together documents seized at different locations. |
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| Forensic Engineering |
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Forensic engineering is in depth study of an engineering process or engineering machine, structure or item, which might be needed to determine how that structure or item failed to perform adequately or collapse.
The engineering structure might be a bridge, building, aircraft or factory, or a small part of a factory. In a construction engineering dispute a forensic engineer might need to study the particular construction or manufacturing process in order to analyse the engineering factors that contributed to or motivated a particular party’s actions.
In layman terms a forensic engineer is to a complex industrial failure or engineering dispute what a project manager is to the construction of a large power station or a dairy factory. A complex industrial failure involving several engineering disciplines might require a forensic engineer to solicit, manage and compile the evidence and technical expertise from other metallurgists, specialist engineers and technicians in order to determine a comprehensive causal analysis. |
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| Forensic Medicine |
| Forensic medicine or medical jurisprudence is the area of medical practice concerned with the relationship between medicine and the law. It is the branch of medical science that uses medical knowledge for legal purposes, to interpret or establish the acts in civil, family or criminal law cases. It involves integrating clinical experience and scientific evidence to formulate an independent, objective expert medical opinion on the degree of medical probability and certainty that the medical findings or absence thereof are consistent or not consistent with the allegations in the case. For example, a forensic physician may be helpful in interpreting injuries in cases of alleged physical and sexual trauma. |
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| Forensic Palynology (Pollen) |
Palynology largely relates to the study of pollen grains and fern spores. Pollen and spores are found in practically all environments and are one of the main causes of hay fever. There are many different types of pollen and spores; one of the skills of a palynologist is to identify as many types of plant in a sample as possible. From this, a palynologist can describe a ‘picture’ of the environment that produced the pollen and spores.
Palynology is used in a forensic context in several ways: it can refute or confirm alibis, in drug-related cases it can be used to indicate what vegetation was growing around a source area (e.g. coca plantation, cannabis plot). It is generally used in serious cases such as murder or rape in order to link people with scenes. It can equally be used by the defence to disprove a potential link. |
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| Glass Fragment Examination |
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When windows and other glass items are broken, hundreds of glass fragments are thrown into the air in the immediate vicinity; they land on anything present in that area. Clothes and the like can be checked for the presence of glass fragments. Cases where glass fragments may be present are wide‑ranging: smash-and-grab through to murder. How common a recovered glass type may be is crucial and should be considered. |
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| Mark and Impression Analysis |
Marks and impressions arise in cases such as burglary, physical assaults and murder. They are caused by footwear, tools types and other items. Marks and impressions can be examined in order to establish whether an item could have caused the marks/impressions. Such examinations can also exclude an item from having caused a mark/impression. |
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