NOTES ON FORENSIC SCIENCE LABORATORY
Forensic Science: Is the study and application of knowledge of science for the purpose of law
and administration of Justice
Forensic Science is a separate branch of Science and is not a division of Forensic Medicine.
While a +2 graduate Joins MBBS Joins MD Forensic Medicine
+2 Graduate Joins BSc/ Biotechnology MSc Forensic Science
They expertise is the scientific study of, Biology Chemistry, Physics, Serology, Ballistics,
Documents, and Polygraphy, Cyber science. and apply this knowledge for legal purposes.
Such Experts are called Scientific Experts
Such a Laboratory where all these scientific experts work is called a Forensic Science Laboratory
In Kerala
The Main State Forensic science laboratory is located in Trivandrum
Regional Forensic Science Laboratory nearest to P.K Das Hospital is located at Trichur
Address: Viyyur - Thanikkudam Rd, Ramavarmapuram, Thrissur, Kerala 680631
Functions of Forensic Science Laboratory and Experts
The role of forensic expert includes
1. Crime scene examination,
2. Laboratory examination of physical evidence and other material evidence sent to it.
3. Act as an expert witness in the court of law.
Trace Evidence
- Also called physical evidence
-
- Definition: Trace evidence is defined as any materials found at the scene of crime which
connect the crime scene with the perpetrator of the crime.
- Trace evidence includes materials which are living or dead in nature.
- These include knife, gun, bullets, cartridges, blood stains, seminal stains, salivary stains,
grease stains, fingerprints, hair fibers, glass particles, handkerchief, footwear, tyre marks
etc.
Medicolegal importance of Trace evidence
1. Helps in linking the crime scene with the suspect.
2. It determines guilt or innocence of the suspect
3. Evidence collected must be properly packed labelled and sealed bearing all
particulars.
4. Proper chain of custody should be maintained.
Locard’s Principle of Exchange
It states that “when two objects comeinto contact with each other, there is always transfer
of some material between them.”
This principle is helpful in crime scene investigations.
Any person during the commission of a crime will almost always leave some trace
evidence and take away some trace evidence from the scene of crime.
This is the theory of interchange.
Its presence is absolute proof of crime.
Trace evidence cannot and can never be completely absent
But there exists limitations of science in finding out those transferred materials due to
human error.
Large number of criminals escape because the physical evidence is not fully detected at
scene of crime.
Illustrations
Wherever a criminal goes, whatever he touches, and whatever he leaves behind will serve
as trace evidence and may carry the material with him after leaving the scene of crime.
Example: Fingerprints, footprints, hair, cloth fibers, broken glass, knife, gun, bullet,
cartridge, blood stains, seminal stains or salivary stains etc.
X Stabs Y with a knife Knife is smeared with blood of Y X hides the knife in his
house Police find the knife at his house Match the blood on knife with blood of
victim X Punished
X shoots Y with a gun Cartridge is dropped at scene of crime Bullet found in body
of Y Police retrieve cartridge and bullet Examine under Microscope Look for
the primary and secondary markings on bullet They come to know about the
manufacturer of gun Look for secondary markings They come to know about the
particular gun used Find out through the company who bought the gun Suspected
person is now narrowed down X is interrogated If found guilty he is punished.
X stabs Y Blood splashed on clothes of criminal During the fight victim may grasp
assailants hair or buttons or cloth fibers When matched with the suspected persons
clothing’s establishes the proof of crime.
The examples are virtually endless.
SCIENTIFIC METHODS OF SUSPECT INTERROGATION
Polygraph (Lie Detector)
Polygraph is a device which makes a continuous record of pulse, blood pressure,
respiration and electro-dermal reactive changes in response to particular stimuli inthe
form of questions on a computer.
It was devised by Willam Marston (USA) (Father of Polygraph)
Principle: It isbased on the principle that when an individual tells a lie, there is fear in his
mind that he could be detected and by the emotions caused by the fear there is stimulation
of the sympathetic nervous system and results in certain physiological changes, some of
which can be easily recorded.
Procedure:
First a pretest interview is conducted where the questions are framed with the mutual
consent of the subject and the examiner, that they are adequate to serve the purpose of the
particular examination.
The questions are framed in such a manner that the individual is easily able to understand
it and give ‘yes’ or ‘no’ as the answer.
Relevant questions (RQ) and irrelevant questions (IR) are mixed up; andcontrol
questions are inserted to reduce the natural nervousness.
A question is asked every 20–25 seconds and the polygraph chart is recorded.
The test is repeated twice or thrice to check for any possible errors.
Reliability of the test: Accuracy rate of 80-90%.
Medicolegal Importance of Polygraph
1. It is not admissible in the court of law in India as direct evidence as it is violates the
constitutional right of a citizen of India as per article 20(3) constitution of India. (A
person has the right not to be a witness against himself)
2. It only serves as corroborative evidence.
Narcoanalysis (Truth serum)
Narcoanalysis is a scientific method of suspect interrogation which employs administration of
sedatives to a suspect in order to lower his inhibitions making him hypnotic and incapable of
resisting to questions and incapable of concealing his guilt, thereby sharing information freely.
- This method was first used by Robert House in USA.
Sedatives used: Sodium thiopentone, Sodium amytal, Scopolamine.
Team conducting the test comprises of the following
1. Anesthetist
2. Forensic Medicine Expert
3. Scientific expert
4. Investigating Police officer
Procedure: Anesthetist injects the suspect with sodium thiopentone or sodium amytal under
controlled circumstances. The dose administered is calculated based on the person’s sex, age and
health. The suspect is put into a state of hypnotism and answers freely to the questions asked
without resisting or concealing the truth.
Injectable scopolamine 0.5 mg SC, followed by 0.25 mg every 20 minutes,for an average of 3 to
6 injections, until the subject reaches proper stage of hypnosis.
Sodium amytal or sodium pentothal 2.5 to 5% IV, at 1 mg/minute, until proper stage is
induced.
Reliability: 50% accuracy of test results.
Some people even tell lies during hypnosis.
Sometimes an innocent person may inadvertently implicate himself in a crime due to fear
especially if he goes into hallucinations.
Medicolegal Importance
1. It is not admissible in the court of law in India as direct evidence as it is violates the
constitutional right of a citizen of India as per article 20(3) constitution of India.
2. It only serves as corroborative evidence.
Brain Fingerprinting or Brain Mapping
It is a scientific method of suspect interrogation which records a specific information stored
inside a subject’s brain by measuring electrical brainwave responses to words, phrases, or
pictures that are presented a computer screen.
- It was invented by Lawrence Farwell.
Principle: It is based on the principle that human brain stores information about the details of
the crime and is revealed by a specific pattern on an EEG.
Procedure: The suspect wears a special headband with electronic sensors in it and sits in front of
a computer screen. Then the suspect is presented with stimuli in the form of words, phrases or
pictures on the computer screen which the suspect views.
Stimuli are of 3 types
1. Irrelevant stimuli: These are irrelevant & not pertaining to the crime. [Green EEG waves]
2. Target stimuli: These are relevant and pertaining to the crime which the suspect already
knows [ Red waves]
3. Probe stimuli: These are relevant stimuli which only the suspect and investigator knows.
[Blue waves]
IR stimuli: Represented by Green waves
TG Stimuli: Represented by red waves
PR Stimuli: Represented by blue waves
Interpretation of the Red Blue and Green waves
1. Guilty: If blue and red waves overlap each other
2. Not Guilty: If blue and red waves do not overlap each other.
Medicolegal Importance
1. In India Brain Fingerprinting is not practiced, instead a similar method called BEOS
(Brain electrical oscillation signature) is practiced. It was employed in several famous
cases such as Sister Abhaya murder case and Udit Bharati’s Murder case.
2. It is not admissible in the court of law in India as direct evidence as it is violates the
constitutional right of a citizen of India as per article 20(3) constitution of India.
3. It only serves as corroborative evidence.
