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Crime Scene Investigation: Changes in UK in the Last 50 Years

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Added on  2021-04-21

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This article explores the changes in crime scene investigation in the UK over the last 50 years. It covers the history of forensic science, advancements in technology, and the use of physical evidence. The article also discusses the significance of DNA analysis and computer reconstructions in solving crimes.

Crime Scene Investigation: Changes in UK in the Last 50 Years

   Added on 2021-04-21

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qwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnCrime Scene InvestigationHow the investigation of major crimes haschanged in the UK in the last 50 years?(Student Details: )
Crime Scene Investigation: Changes in UK in the Last 50 Years_1
Crime Scene InvestigationIntroduction Crime scene investigation, as the name suggests, refers to the scene of crime being investigatedin order to gain the requisite evidence and to help in understanding what exactly happened andthe reasons for such happening. Even though there are a lot of shows on television which showcrime scenes being investigated, the working is not as is shown in the televisions. In reality, theinvestigation of crime scene is the point where science, law and logic meet (Layton, 2018). Theprocessing of crime scene is not a simple process and covers focused documents on conditionspresent at the scene, and the collection of physical evidence which could highlight what hadhappened and who did that (Pepper, 2010). Over the course of last fifty years alone, the mannersin which the major crimes are investigated in UK have changed drastically. This discussion isfocused on shedding light on some of the ways in which these changes took place. Changes with the changed timeIn order to really highlight the manner in which the criminal investigation has changed in the lastfifty years, there is a need to go back in the history, to compare the changes made. The very firstuse of forensic science can be traced back to 275 BC to the time of Archimedes, where a methodof determining the object’s volume was presented. In 1302, the very first autopsy was conductedin a legal manner in Bologna. Microscope was only used in criminal investigation after it wasinvented in 1590. This was a major breakthrough as it allowed for the tiny wounds to beinvestigated. This is also the time when the human remains were identified through the use ofteeth at the very first instance. Despite the power of microscope, the deaths of an individualremained undetectable. By the year of 1832, chemistry was being used in cases, where thePage 2
Crime Scene Investigation: Changes in UK in the Last 50 Years_2
Crime Scene Investigationevidence in matters of arsenic poising was identified by sampling the lining of the stomach ofvictim. Before this, the perfect poison for killing a person was arsenic. Though, within thedesigning of test for arsenic by James Marsh, this weapon lost its appeal. Another majorbreakthrough came with bullet matching which was possible in 1835. Come 1888, mug shots andcrime scene photography were enabled, which still continue to be used in criminal investigations.With the introduction of fingerprint analysis in 1892, blood type determination in 1901, andinitiation of crime labs in 1901, the investigation of crimes improved manifolds (BBC, 2018). One cannot deny that the modern advances in technology have resulted in a number of crimesbeing solved, which would have been discarded some few decades ago as cold cases, due to thelack of technological advances which are presently available. The earlier days of forensic sciencelook like very frustrating ones for the law enforcement officials, owing to the lack of optionswhich they had, save for a trusty magnifying glass and their own skills of inquiry. In the last fiftyyears or so, modern marvels have filled the crime scene investigations. The use of imageenhancement technologies and DNA analysis has eased up the investigation process. Though,there is a need to state there that the advancement of technology is also used advantageously bythe modern day criminals. The crime scene investigators, particularly the forensic ones, are notconfined to solving murders or the other violent crimes, but have to focus on crimes likechemical attacks, cyber crimes, and the modern day’s violent crimes (Summers et al 2014). The last fifty years have been crucial in the crime scene investigation field particularly because itbrought with it the concept of DNA analysis. In 1984, the DNA analysis was discovered whichallowed for the unique biological code of an individual being identified and this revolutionisedthe forensic science. DNA replaced blood as being the most powerful method for identificationpurposes. The first time DNA profiling was undertaken in the Pitchfork case, where DawnPage 3
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