Сrime stain as a forensic object: Some essential aspects of examination

Abstract

The key to a successful crime investigation includes working with forensic information effectively. However, essential complication of forensic technologies, requiring a number of narrow specialized professionals, results in excessive differentiation of modern forensic knowledge. Besides, at the background of enormous achievements in the field of DNA analysis, in practice other methods of the examination of a crime stain important for the forensic assessment may be eclipsed. For instance, according to available data, BPA (bloodstain pattern analysis) is used much less frequently than DNA analysis and serological examination of bloodstains, therefore, the mechanism of trace formation is often not taken into account. Under these conditions there may be a disadvantage due to the loss of the vision of the integrated information picture which is necessary for the successful crime investigation. The integrated view is necessary both for the forensic examination and the crime investigation. The lack of such vision can result in the failure to use all the potential of the available expert arsenal to solve the tasks of the particular investigation. It may also lead to inappropriating appointment of the succession of forensic examinations without taking into account the destructive/non-destructive nature of the methods; inefficient use of the stain’s material; poor data interpretation, etc. The total algorithm of the forensic examination should take into consideration all information (relevant to the particular case) which could be retrieved from the object under study.