Criminal Law Basics

We have all watched film scenes in which a crime victim attempts to identify the perpetrator from a police lineup or by viewing mugshots. This kind of identification is still useful, but while...

DNA testing plays an important role in many parts of society, including criminal forensics, paternity testing and genetic disease research. Hair is a common source for finding DNA to test, but DNA...

DNA analysis, or DNA fingerprinting, is a forensic test used to determine whether a suspect's DNA is present at a crime scene.

The prevalence of popular forensics TV shows like CSI have given the public a taste for forensic identification. Can someone really be identified by just their DNA? While the field of forensic...

Forensic pathology has become more prominent in recent decades as technology has advanced to aid in solving crimes and unexplained deaths. Adding to the popularity has been television shows such...

DNA fingerprinting to identify murderers became a staple of American crime shows in the 21st century, but it's been a staple of forensic science since 1985. First used to identify hereditary...

Forensic identification refers to the use of scientific methods to individualize trace evidence--that is, to tie a particular scratch, bullet hole or drop of blood back to one specific knife, gun...

DNA can be found at a crime scene in a number of different ways. DNA can be found in human blood, bone, hair and tissues. If any of these substances are found at a crime scene, it can be used for...

DNA is a long, thin string-like material found in almost every living thing--- humans, animals, plants and bacteria---and it governs the basic makeup of these things, including traits such as...

DNA fingerprinting is a scientific process in which samples of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) are collected and either compared to DNA evidence collected at a crime scene or stored away for possible...

A forensic team is a group of trained investigators and technicians who examine a crime scene for evidence. Popular television shows such as "CSI," "Law and Order"and "NCIS" have greatly...

DNA fingerprinting has proven to be the most scientifically valid procedure for human identification in forensic science. From its implementation in the crime lab to its popularity in the media,...

When it comes to the science of solving crimes, one of the greatest tools available to professionals in law enforcement and criminal justice is the DNA test and analysis. Although DNA testing is a...

DNA testing has only been around for about 24 years, but it can mean the difference between life and death for many people charged with---or convicted of---crimes.

The average viewer of crime dramas on television or film, as well as the interested fiction and non-fiction reader, will undoubtedly be aware of the benefits of using DNA testing as part of a...

Forensic science has advanced a long way since the days of examining a footprint under a hand held microscope. Modern forensic methods use science and advanced technology to assist law enforcement...

The most important thing an investigator can do at a crime scene is maintain its integrity. You don't want to add anything, you don't want to take anything away. You want the scene as pristine a...

Deoxyribonucleic acid---or DNA---is chromosome coding that reveals a genetic signature and is proof positive of someone's identity. For this reason, it is a great source of evidence at a crime scene.

Prior to the 1980's, bite mark forensic evidence was unknown. This changed dramatically when serial killer Ted Bundy was convicted of murder and later executed largely based on bite mark evidence....