Collection and Preservation of Drugs in Forensic Science

Learn about the procedure involved in collection and preservation of drugs in forensic science. Understand the role of forensic toxicologist, entomologist, pathologist, anthropologist and computer forensics in solving criminal cases.

-SUBMITTED BY:
Collection and
Preservation of Drugs

Procedure involved in collection
and preservation of drugs:
 The procedure of collection and
preservation of the drugs is
simple but involves a set of
cautions
 After the collection of drugs, the
samples must be appropriately
packaged and labeled and then
delivered to the lab
 On account of the different kinds
of drugs involved with crimes,
there is no single type of
packaging procedure available
 The field manager must be
cautious and use a packaging
method that would prevent risks
related to contamination of
sample.

Analysis of the drug
sample:
 The field officer must provide the
drug analyst with some background
information about the drug as it
speeds up the process of analysis
(Saferstein, 2013)

Challenges related to drug
identification:
 The selection of an
appropriate analysis
procedure for the
identification of the drug
is extremely challenging
in the field of Forensic
Science
 The screening process
helps to narrow down
and shortlist possibilities
which is finally followed
for the identification of
the drug.

Role of Forensic
Toxicologist:
 A forensic toxicologist is a
specialist who is responsible for
the detection and identification
of poisonous drug substance
within organs, tissues of fluid
(Saferstein, 2013)
 The role of a Forensic
Toxicologist is restricted to
matters related to the Forensic
Law
 Forensic toxicologists not only
deal with medical examination
officers and laboratories but
also deal with hospital
laboratories.

Role of Forensic
Entomologist:
 The branch of Forensic
entomology deals with the study
of insects and investigation their
relation to the crime
 Forensic entomology helps to
predict the time of death when
circumstances or surroundings
at the place of death are not
clear
 Forensic entomologists work on
identification and analysis of
collected data to help unfold the
criminal cases
 Forensic entomologists analyze
insects to predict the time of
death of a victim

Role of Forensic
Pathologist:
 As stated by Saferstein (2013), the
forensic pathologist is responsible for
investigating the time and manner of a
death.
 Forensic pathologists investigate the
manner of death that are unclear and also
identify the first event and the series of
events that led to death.
 The Forensic pathologists work in close
association with the law enforcement and
investigation unit to unravel criminal
cases
 The forensic pathologists carry out crime
investigation in a timely manner to predict
validity of results.
 The forensic pathologist is also concerned
with the protection of the evidence and
the body as these information are key
resources to the crime and must remain
intact (Saferstein, 2013)

Role of Forensic
Anthropologist:
 Forensic anthropology is the branch of
Forensics that makes use of the information
about the human skeletal system and
humans for the identification of human
remains
 The forensic anthropologist helps to process
the scene by unraveling the buried remains
which can help in unraveling the criminal
case and by virtue of law enforcement the
culprit can be penalized
 The use of the taphonomic assessment
technique helps to differentiate between
animal and human remains so as to identify
the cause of death
 The forensic pathologist also helps to
develop a biological profile of the victims
which otherwise would remain unidentified.
 Forensic anthropologists rely upon physical
evidence from the autopsy room where the
deceased victim is kept to the crime scene
and beyond to unravel the criminal case.

Computer Forensics:
 Computer Forensics makes use
of computer analytics to unravel
cases of incidents that led to the
crime
 Forensic experts makes use of
electronic devises to extract
relevant data that can help
unravel criminal mystery
 Forensic experts collect digital
data that serve as key resources
to unravel criminal mystery
 Computer analytics has made it
possible to unravel deleted or
encrypted data which might
serve as a lead evidence to
unravel a criminal mystery

The procedure of Forensic
Evaluation:
 As suggested by Saferstein
(2013), the following steps are
used in the process of the
Forensic investigation:
 Collection: This stage marks the
acquisition of relevant data
 Examination: This stage marks
the application of appropriate
techniques to identify and
extract data
 Analysis: This stage includes
analysis of data to unravel a
case
 Reporting: This stage includes
presentation of the acquired
data.

References:
Saferstein, R. (2013). Forensic Science:
From the crime scene to the crime
lab. Boston: Perason/Prentice Hall.

THANK
YOU!!