Blood Pattern Analysis

In Focus : The Utility of Blood Pattern Analysis

Heinous crimes occur everyday . These have controversially stirred up the public 's interest in forensic science techniques . People are aware of the importance of evidence and how these can substantially affect the investigation process . Forensic science , throughout the years , has been a key component in resolving crimes . Forensic scientists , crime investigators , and police partake in the various duties and responsibilities in crime investigation . There are several departments in a crime laboratory having specialists who take charge of the evidence collected at the crime

scene . Through comprehensive analyses of DNA blood , firearms , drugs , alcohol , and other tools which are done in full crime laboratories , strong evidence for the crime are established empirically . Specific techniques performed by crime investigators and forensic scientists are done with these tools (Bevel Gardner , 1997

Benecke Barksdale (2003 ) argue that forensic science claimed popularity worldwide due to advanced methods employed in criminal cases These have helped determine the guilt or innocence of the defendant Investigation procedures have been trouble-free for police due to the advances in DNA sampling and testing , posing major importance in crime investigation . Blood typing and testing are the main job functions of a forensic serologist , who also analyzes other important body liquids such as semen , saliva , other body fluids and may or may not be involved with DNA typing . At present , blood seems to be the most important component both for medical or forensic purposes . At crime scenes , victims and suspects are easily associated through obtained blood samples and stains . Bloodstain patterns are not only used to show the association of the victim and the assassin position and movement during the crime can also be illustrated , who struck whom first , in what manner , upon establishment of the necessary information needed to reconstruct the crime scene . Such evidence prove the lack of veracity in defendants claims , which are eventually found to be mere alibis or self-proclaimed arguments . Indeed , this is a very effectual and reliable technology in crime investigation (Fisher , 2003

The science of bloodstain pattern analysis applies scientific knowledge from other fields to solve practical problems . Bloodstain pattern analysis draws on biology , chemistry , math , and physics , as scientific disciplines . As long as an analyst follows a scientific process , this applied science can produce strong , solid evidence , making it an effective tool for investigators (Fisher , 2003

Blood is partly alkaline liquid , made up of water , cells , enzymes proteins , and inorganic substances . It flows throughout the vascular system , transporting nourishment , oxygen , and waste . Plasma is the fluid portion of the blood containing water and serum (which is yellowish and contains white cells and platelets . Red cells are the non-fluid portion of the blood , outnumbering the white cells (Stuart , 2005 . Red cells and serum are very crucial elements for the carrying out the work of the forensic scientist

The freshness of the obtained blood sample can be assessed through serum moreover , antibodies are also carried in it and such are also important in forensic analysis . More tests may...