You may be wondering by the title what kind of crazy magic we might be conjuring up to avenge the dead or if we can help them. The truth is, we can. We can tell their story of how they died so they and their loved ones can know exactly how they died and who killed them. We can give them justice to rest in peace. You may be asking; how can we figure out so much from so little. But with forensic science and evidence, we can make mountains out of pebbles. Mr. Garside, a lead investigator, came to talk to us today about it and how to solve a case.
By definition, forensic evidence is anything of evidential value that can be examined by a forensic scientist. Some examples include blood tests, DNA, death investigations, and crime scenes. Investigators can also gain evidence using digital forensics by finding clues from computers, cell phones, vehicles, banking, and all social media sites. It’s kind of scary to think that whatever you post 20 years in the past as a teenager can impact you getting a serious (and well-paid job) in the future. Nothing you post can ever be permanently deleted and it can be used against you by competitors and lose you many golden opportunities.
To solve a case, you must figure out the “why” and the “how” to find the “whodunnit”. This requires skills, and impressive skills at that. You must have incredible attention to detail and tenacity, while also being able to go one step further and thinking not only outside the box, but beyond the limits you could go out of the box. If the box was in a house, go outside the house. Go outside the neighborhood and dig deep in your brain. That Sherlock intelligence is in there somewhere. Think: “what would Sherlock do?” He would be four people at one time. A detective to look at the clues, a suspect to hide the crime, the prosecutor to trial the innocence of the person, and the attorney to defend the suspect and question everything. Always remain skeptical and doubtful about all clues. Don’t just examine it with your eyes, use all your senses. Don’t taste or smell the chemicals though, and don’t blame me if you ever try to.
Before going into forensics, there are some other things you need to know. There are myths. Yes, CSI and criminal minds aren’t exactly accurate. I was surprised too. Fingerprints and DNA are a maybe and suicide notes are rare. Time of death isn’t accurate, but more of a set number of hours based on the body’s condition. Forensic evidence isn’t really a must unless you are really able to back up the case without it. Overall, there are many things I didn’t know about forensic science until today, and that’s coming from a “true crime podcast binger”. I really like forensic science and hope to learn more throughout the week!
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