Forensic science - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages 165) This is essential because it ensures the integrity of forensic science before proceeding to the court. Even though, the clinical laboratories have been working based on the national regulatory scheme since 1968, forensic science does not a similar scheme (Neufeld 2005 p. 107). Consequently, this has reduced the level of protection for the evidence and measures to investigate, and address the discovered abuses (Moore 2007, p. 127). Quality assurance is an important concept that should be considered during crime investigation because most criminal trials depend on expert testimony. Consequently, mistakes in the expert testimony pose several challenges. The use forensic science when investigating different criminal incidences is not reliable because it offers invalid results. Additionally, the process is biased because it lacks enough internal control for the evidence (Birkhead & Hosken 2009, p. 575) Semen quality assurance refers to the test conducted in the crime laboratories using the victims’ semen to determine whether the victims were involved in crime or not. Currently, there are different methods used in the measurement of semen quality assurance. The most applicable methods include serology and DNA typing (Higgins 2009, p. 45). These methods can be applied in a criminal case to determine whether the suspect is responsible. ...
Furthermore, the girl’s bed sheets with scattered hair were also collected. After the victim described the perpetrator, the police came up with a sketch that resembled the suspect. The victim identified the suspect as the rapist once they got to his hideout (Neufeld 2005, p. 107). Serology can determine the victim’s semen through the quality assurance approach. This can support the prosecutor when securing a conviction. The lab serologist will take the girl’s body fluid found in the semen and test whether they match with the accused blood type. Scientific standards discourage serologists from drawing inferences about the semen’s source when they are not sure though this method is commonly used when investigating crimes (Ishmael 2005, p. 13). Based on the case, crime laboratories can use DNA typing method to match whether the semen recovered from the girl’s underpants match the DNA profile of the suspect. This criminal investigation process is not reliable because DNA experts states that only 20% of the total violent crimes benefit from the evidence resulting from DNA testing. This is because most of the forensic discipline applying the DNA method lacks the needed scientific dimensions that support the performance standards (Jeyendran 2003, p. 127). It is essential to consider the application of good forensic science in DNA typing method. This is because forensic scientists discovered lab misconduct in arresting, indicting and convicting an innocent person. Criminal cases that include forensic science investigations should take meaningful precautions to guard against meaningless science and unreliable results (Bjorndahl, Mortimer & David 2009, p. 17). The forensic scientist should ensure that before they walk into the ...Download file to see next pagesRead More