From Fingerprinting to Forensics: Tracing the Evolution of Science in Criminal Investigations

Assignment Instructions:

Consider the history of fingerprints as a forensic science. It represents what is likely the earliest attempt to apply science to a criminal investigation.
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With that in mind, write a paper discussing the following topics:
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Review the history of fingerprints and discuss how that history is representative of the history of forensics as a whole.
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Discuss how early latent print examiners came from within law enforcement and how that has changed.
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Explain how that change is reflective of the direction forensic science has taken in the last century.
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Consider the impact of the Frye and Dauberts ruling on the science of latent prints. Where does that leave the science of fingerprints today?

How To Work On This Assignment(Example Essay/Draft)

One of the oldest attempts to integrate science into criminal investigations is the history of fingerprints as a forensic science. This essay will examine the development of forensic science and the history of fingerprints. We will also talk about the evolution of forensic science through time and the effects of the Frye and Dauberts decision on the study of latent prints.

Although the practice of using fingerprints to identify people dates back to ancient civilizations, the science of fingerprinting was not developed until the late 19th century. The British scientist Sir Francis Galton wrote about the distinctiveness of fingerprints and its potential for use in forensic investigations in a book titled “Fingerprints” released in 1892. The use of fingerprints in criminal investigations was pioneered by this book, and law enforcement organizations all around the world rapidly adopted it.

The history of fingerprints is indicative of the history of forensic science as a whole since it demonstrates how new scientific knowledge has been used to criminal investigations. From being a discipline that only used observation and intuition, forensic science has developed into one that gathers and analyzes evidence using scientific procedures. The term “forensic science” now refers to a variety of fields, such as DNA analysis, ballistics, and digital forensics.

Law enforcement officials who had acquired training in the practice of fingerprinting were frequently the early latent print examiners. But as forensic science developed, so did the demand for specialized instruction and training. Many forensic examiners today have degrees in forensic science or a closely related discipline, and some even possess doctoral degrees.

This shift in the educational backgrounds of forensic investigators reflects the course that forensic science has gone over the past 100 years. In order to gather and evaluate evidence, forensic science has moved away from relying primarily on law enforcement personnel and has grown increasingly specialized. In order to solve crimes, scientists, technologists, and analysts collaborate in the multidisciplinary discipline of forensic science.

The science of latent prints was significantly impacted by the Frye and Dauberts decision. The criterion for the acceptance of scientific evidence in court was established by the Frye judgement, which was issued in 1923. According to the Frye standard, a piece of scientific evidence may only be used if it was widely acknowledged by other scientists. The Daubert decision, which was made in 1993, set a new standard, requiring a judge to decide whether to admit scientific evidence based on its dependability and applicability to the case.

These judgments have had a considerable effect on the study of latent prints. Today, the court weighs the reliability and applicability of the evidence while deciding whether or not to include fingerprint evidence. This has caused fingerprint evidence to be examined more closely, and quality control and training have received more attention.

In conclusion, the development of forensic science as a whole may be seen in the history of fingerprinting as a field of study. Fingerprinting has developed into a sophisticated science that is essential to solving crimes from its early days as a technique of identifying people. The shift in forensic examiners’ educational backgrounds and the effect of the Frye and Dauberts decision on the science of latent prints show how forensic science is constantly changing and adapting to meet the demands of the criminal justice system.

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