If you are an avid crime show viewer, you know the critical role that forensics can play in a criminal case. Beyond the storyline of crime shows such as Law & Order, Blacklist, and Hawaii 5-0, forensics can either make or break a case in court, causing the jury or judge to either side with or against the defense.
Forensic evidence can impact the outcome of a trial and sway a jury or judge as to the guilt or innocence of a defendant. Forensic scientists analyze evidence collected at the scene of the crime to help piece together what happened during the event.
Let’s take a closer look at forensics including the types of forensic evidence that may be used in a typical criminal case.
What is Forensic Science and Forensics? Forensic science (often shortened to forensics) is sometimes referred to as criminalistics. It is the science of applying scientific methods and principles to support legal decision-making in criminal and civil law.
Evidence such as blood, fingerprints, DNA, digital (computer) analysis, ballistics and firearm analysis, toxicology, and fibers and hair are just a few of the types of forensics that could be used by the defense or prosecution in a criminal trial.
Forensic specialists who could be asked to testify in a criminal case could include toxicologists, DNA analysts, pathologists, computer analysts, and psychologists/psychiatrists. These professionals may testify as to their findings regarding the case or explain their methodologies used in the gathering and testing of these areas. 
Types of Forensic Evidence
Watch any crime television show, like CSI, and you know that there is a multitude of evidence that can be found at a crime scene from hair fibers to bullet casings and from fingerprints to traces of DNA.
DNA is one type of forensic evidence that can be collected that has revolutionized the science of forensics. Sources of DNA can be microscopic and found in many locations in and around a crime scene. For instance, DNA is found in saliva, blood, skin cells, semen, sweat, bone, teeth and many other cells of the human body. Even the smallest amount could link a defendant to the scene or the crime itself.
Ballistics and firearm analysis is another type of forensics that can help determine whether a firearm was used in a crime, match projectiles to weapons, examine gunshot residue, and determine things like the angle of trajectory and distance from the target.
Fingerprint evidence can help identify a suspect and place them at the scene of the crime. An individual’s fingerprint is unique and does not change over time so it is reliable at identifying a person.
Digital evidence is a relatively new area that is transforming the criminal justice system. Experts can use technology such as smartphones, GPS trackers, laptops, and desktops to create a profile of a suspect through analysis of their email, social media accounts, text messages, deleted files and internet searches to learn more about a crime and those accused of it.
Toxicology evidence can be used to determine if there are any poisons in a person’s system and whether they played a role in the crime. This area is a huge overlap between chemistry, biology and medicine.
Forensic evidence can be complex to understand as it can be very technical. Having an experienced attorney help you understand and interpret the evidence is key to your defense. Talk to our team at the Law Office of Patrick Conway and we will be your source of support and legal guidance.