Forensic technology tasters

It has been quite a few years since I sat in a hospital laboratory in a converted old second world war Nissen Hut manually testing the blood group of a blood sample. I was 6 years old and my dad ran the lab and had been called in for an emergency on a Saturday morning. The health and safety teams of today would have a heart attack if they knew what I was doing but I had watched dad do it on so many occasions and rules were different then. I decided there and then that that part of science and even forensic science were not for me, but a scientist by qualification I became. I studied applied science which allowed me to examine materials, explosives, organophosphate based chemicals, computers, nuclear samples and much more. 

A new part of this year’s International Security Expo is the first International Forensics conference where the policies, sciences and technologies behind the advances since I was 6 years old and a few years later, examined as part of my degree will be discussed and exhibited.  The technological advances of today are fascinating.

Anyone who has watched CSI or for me it was the X Files and Silent Witness, knows some of the techniques used.  Chemistry, physics, biological sciences and of course computer science, are all at the fore of modern forensic analytical techniques and technologies.  

Some of the classic tests still exist but are much more sophisticated and accurate with today’s technology and 14 areas to watch are:

1.    Fingerprint detection and identification.  Magnetic fingerprinting dust is a newer technology that allows investigators to get a perfect impression without compromising the fingerprint. These imprints are then digitised and can quickly be compared to fingerprints found to digital databases. 

2.    Blood detection. I am sure those that watch crime related programmes on the television will have seen the scenes of crime investigator looking for blood splatters with a UV torch. However, in 1928 a German Chemist called H.O. Albrecht discovered that blood is able to make a chemical called Luminol glow, it became an important part of the forensic investigators tool kit.  The reason that this is possible is thanks to the iron that is found in the haemoglobin of blood and acts as a catalyst that sets off the chemical reaction. The chemical will then give off a blue glow for about 30 seconds but in order to be visible the room has to be dark enough and forensic photographers have to work very fast.

3.    Hair Analysis. The average person loses around 60-100 hairs per day, so it is not unusual for criminals to leave hair samples at crime sites (as well as fibre from clothing and other samples). The human hair protein is like a chemical gold mine for forensic scientists and can even give indications of substance misuse going back over months.  

4.    DNA Sequencing and with it, Polymerase Chain Reaction. DNA is used to identify both criminals and victims by using trace evidence such as hair or skin. DNA strengths can vary depending on the sample taken but the process of Polymerase Chain Reaction (or PCR, allows sequences to be amplified hugely making the matching process easier.  The scientists are looking for unique matching sequences within the molecular structure.

5.    Drug Testing.  It is frequent that forensic teams come across unknown substances and there are lab tests that can identify quickly that there is a substance of interest present and then identify that substance.  Of note some of these tests that relied on sophisticated laboratory equipment’s, especially when detecting small molecule substances can now be done with selective antibody dip stick technologies and these will be briefed at the International Security Expo. This is an area of rapid growth especially with the legalisation of what were controlled substances in some states.  

6.    Ballistics is broken down into four main categories. These are internal ballistics, transitional ballistics, external ballistics, and terminal ballistics. In the field of forensics, ballistics is used to analyse the bullet itself and its impact to see if the information found can be used in a court of law.

7.    Link Analysis Software is used many investigations but in particular it helps forensic accountants track financial transactions. This makes it easier to see patterns of activity and identify illegal activity.  The same is used with other forms of computer and phone records. 

8.    Digital surveillance for gaming equipment.  The forensic analysis of computer hard drives is nothing new, but many criminals use connected gaming devices for criminal activities, and these can be surveilled in a similar way as they are in effect just different connected computer systems. This can also be said of supposedly uncrackable phones. There is no hiding in the digital world of cyberspace. 

9.    Facial Reconstruction. Many victims have been too badly injured or their bodies to badly composed for visual identification.  However, analysing the bone structure and using computer models for muscles and skin tones it is possible for forensic scientists to build a possible physical appearance thereby aiding identification.  

10.      Alternative Light Photography. Using blue and orange filters on lights as evidential photographs are taken, often allow sub cutaneous haematoma (bruising below the shill surface) to be identified quickly and this can aid rapid diagnosis and also be used for quick evidential purposes.

11.      Fire Investigations.  When arson is suspected at a site, it is not unusual for there to be traces of accelerants.  These are one of the first things looked for and current techniques make them relatively easy to identify.  

Two technologies the average lay person may not have heard of, adding to the list are:

12.      Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry.  Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) is used to put a jigsaw puzzle of broken glass back together in the computer there by helping  forensic scientists determine the direction of bullets, force of impact or even the type of weapon used if a crime has been committed. The LA-ICP-MS helps forensic scientists determine what type of glass is found and can match it to other types of glass in a database.

13.     Phenom SEM.  This is a piece of equipment that allows the rapid identification of gunshot residue. It allows gunshot residue particles to be identified against a confused background of particles and then characterises the residue using energy dispersive spectroscopy quickly distinguishing the gunshot particles from dust, dirt and other fibres, all automatically.

And finally.

14.    People Watching.  The one thing science hasn’t mastered yet is the ability to read people, their expressions, micro expressions, intonations and more. Often, where possible talking can reveal more than many scientific techniques. They can be used to reinforce what is discovered. 

Many of these topics will be covered by the experts at the International Forensics Conference on 3rd December 2019 as part of the International Security Expo and thanks to www.atascientific.com.au for thoughts on what to list.