It is evident that advisors and consultants, in the criminal justice case, are the external persons to provide a direction on the specific problem and furnish reliable and up-to-date data and interpretation of the issues. The examples of such outside sources of information may include fingerprint specialists, bloodstain pattern analysts (BPA), and other forensic consultants.
Bloodstain Pattern Analyst
Bloodstain Pattern Analysis is a forensic examination, which aims to identify, interpret, and reconstruct the physical evidence of blood, including its source, shape, size, distribution, and type. Trained and experienced BPA professionals apply the scientific principles and knowledge of blood dynamics to determine the cause and manner of the crime, the type of weapon used, the location of the victim, the movements of the suspect, and other relevant details.
Bloodstain pattern analysis is one of the most well-established forensic methods and is presented in the courts for more than 150 years. However, sometimes it is found that different BPA examiners reach an opposite or incongruent conclusion when analysing the same piece of evidence. Consequently, to enhance its objectivity and eliminate inconsistency and subjectivity, a number of recommendations have been put forward, including the development of a consensus standard, research on decision-making and accuracy, and continued training of BPA examiners. In general, the BPA is a very helpful and effective discipline, which provides objective and scientific evidence that is admissible in court and contributes to more accurate criminal investigations and fairer trials.
Fingerprint Specialist
Fingerprint specialists are the forensic professionals who are experienced in the acquisition, comparison, and evaluation of fingerprint evidence, which plays a fundamental role in the criminal justice system. It is based on the well-known and established facts that fingerprints are unique, persistent, and individual. Using the information and data provided by a suspect’s prints, fingerprint specialists help to identify and exclude suspects, connect them to the crime scene, and confirm or refute other important information.
They use different traditional and contemporary methods and technologies to collect and compare fingerprint evidence, such as Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems (AFIS), which allow for rapid and accurate searching and matching of prints. The current research is still conducted to establish the scientific basis and validity of fingerprint analysis and make it more reliable and admissible in court. For instance, the recent study by the FBI latent fingerprint examiners for the black box has been performed to estimate the accuracy and reproducibility of the conclusions, which could be achieved by these examiners and their methods. The main conclusion of this research was that it is critical to test the methods and bases on which the forensic testimony is going to be provided and to make sure that the results are objective and reproducible and free from any bias toward either party.
Consultants from Other Disciplines
The examples of the advisors and consultants, who could be employed to gain assistance and advice in criminal justice, include forensic consultants from various disciplines, such as ballistics, trace evidence, DNA analysis, forensic psychology, computer and digital forensics, and many others. The utilization of their objective and specialized knowledge and skills allows for more successful and precise criminal investigations and effective trials.
Conclusion
In conclusion, hiring and using outside sources of information, such as advisors and consultants in criminal cases, is very important and valuable because it allows to obtain expert, objective, and updated knowledge and data to make the right conclusions and take the appropriate actions. Such professional as fingerprint specialists and bloodstain pattern analysts provide their own interpretation of the issues, which could strengthen the cases and help to find justice.
Some additional links:
Bloodstain Pattern Analysis – For link click here
Fingerprint Analysis and Databases – For link click here