Forensic Science

Watch here the NYC Seminar on

Forensic Science: A Multidisciplinary and International Approach

Forensic Science

For many years the media (tv series and books) like CSI and its spin-offs, NCIS, Bones, Agatha Christie with her works Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot and Sherlock Holmes has captured people’s imagination on crime and how to uncover the offender using evidence and logic. Through these types of media and story telling people have learned that there is a need for physical evidence to “tie” or “prove” that the offender committed the crime, and thus for many people the fascination with forensic science began.

Forensic science, according to a modern definition, relates, is used and is suitable for the court of law. More specifically any science that is used for the purpose of law can be considered a forensic science. Its use is not exclusive to criminal cases which is a place that they are most often utilized to prosecute an offender or to rule out a suspect, but it can be utilized for civil dispute, to create government regulations (what type of evidence can be used in court proceedings) and to protect the public’s health. A forensic scientist will be involved in different type of proceedings in an objective manner, creating a scientific analysis evidence with the sole goal to uncover the truth and to help the justice system with their work in prosecuting offenders or reverse wrongful convictions.

The role of a forensic scientist can vary from examining a crime scene and analysing the evidence that is found there to re-examining evidence from cold cases and evidence from retrial or appeals. There are many different types of forensic scientists that cover a spectrum of disciplines such as trace evidence examination (hairs and fibers, paints and polymers, glass, soil, etc.), forensic molecular biology (DNA), firearms and toolmarks examination, questioned, forensic chemistry, documents examination, latent fingerprint examination, fire and explosives examinations, forensic toxicology, and digital evidence.  There are further disciplines that are found outside of laboratories and crime scenes such as forensic pathology, forensic psychology, forensic nursing, forensic psychiatry, forensic engineering and forensic entomology. The individuals working within the forensic settings can be found in medical examiners offices, universities, laboratories, the police and private practices.

Forensic Psychology

In recent years the area of Forensic Psychology has become a popular field, with the help of the media shows like Criminal Minds and Manhunter that have painted a picture of what a forensic psychologist does in his or her everyday life. But how does this field interlink with the aforementioned areas of forensic science and what does a forensic psychologist really do?

According to the British Psychological Society, forensic psychology is when psychology is applied in organisations and with people that relates to three main areas: the Justice system, the Court and the Health system. The main aim of the professional is to work with people and create a hopeful future, assist people with a variety of mental health issues towards reconnection and recovery and create a safer community. The psychologist works closely with individuals who have been affected by a crime or other types of the legal system such as family courts (this applies to the United Kingdom mostly). They work closely with communities and individuals to help address risk factors for both offending and reoffending, understanding and exploring the reasons why someone will offend or will become a victim (e.g. past trauma, substance use).

 In addition, a forensic psychologist can work in a forensic setting (prison, juvenile detention center and forensic psychiatric unit). They will advise policy makers as to how to better tackle issues within the prison system and the legal system with regards to offenders and victims.  Their work is guided by empirically derived formulations, which feed into treatment pathways, providing opportunities for recovery and rehabilitation.  Forensic psychologists also provide evidence in legal or quasi-legal settings for parole boards and mental health tribunals and court cases. They are there to help illustrate the complexity of human nature, assess the danger an individual may pose to society.

The importance of the work a forensic scientist cannot be overlooked within the criminal justice system. If you are interested in learning more about the different disciplines within the forensic setting, please visit the New York College YouTube channel and watch the Seminar on Forensic Science: A Multidisciplinary and International Approach. In the seminar, experts including Professor Ersi Kalfoglou, Professor Yanko Kolev, Professor Sotirios Kalfoglou, Professor Gavril Petridis and Dr Ntaniella Pylarinou, from different areas of the forensic field and working in different countries discussed their roles, responsibilities and how everything links together to understand crime and criminality. If you are interested in conducting doctoral research in this field, the New York College Department of Psychology would be pleased to hear from you.