How has Forensic Science Impacted Anit-terrorism Internationally or Nationally - Research Paper Example

? How has forensic science impacted anti-terrorism internationally or nationally? TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 3 Current Challenges 4 Best Practices 5 Resources 6 Applicable Technology 8 Research and Evaluation Needs 9 Homeland Securities 11 References 13 Introduction The word of crime and the area of technology have come together to make this world a place of complexity. Crime is on the rise and it can occur in places like schools, colleges, areas of businesses, public places or even right in the middle of the street. No one is safe from this menace and by no one, it certainly means, not even the Presidents of the countries. We have lively examples of Ronald Reagan, the US President, who was attacked by a gun man but remained safe and another example of President Pervez Musharraf, the former President of Pakistan, who was attacked by suicide bombers while he was marching his way towards his home in Karachi, Pakistan. Crime and criminals patrol at all hours of day and night. Their mission is to inculcate a sense of fear among the people with their unethical acts. They use knives and sometimes hand guns to disrupt the flow of society in acts of theft, robbery and murder. On the other hand, to show their supremacy over the authorities, acts of terrorism are put together by the terrorists to create havoc in the news bulletins across the world. (Larry J Siegel, 2009) But the question that clicks everyone's mind is what is done to cure this world from such acts committed by mercenaries and of narrow mindedness? One aspect of criminal investigation brings us to the widely known concept of forensic science. It is a sort of science that uses scientific techniques to cater and analyze physical evidence in criminal cases. The concept revolves around the crime scene investigation team who collects evidences from the crime scene and sends it to the forensic laboratories for analysis by the forensic examiners. (Howard Silverstone, 2007) Current challenges With ever growing nature of the forensic workers, their challenges have doubled since the past decade. Now the expectations have risen sky high and the authorities just don't want the forensic examiners to work hard in resolving an issue but now they also want from them agility and accuracy. With the increase in terrorist acts, the authorities want an increase in the efficiency of the forensic results. In order to counter terrorism, any evidence ranging from a DNA test of a person to foot prints, from a pencil located at the crime scene to a chewing gum cover, every single object can lead the forensic scientists to glory. Every country in the world has realized that they are not invincible or untouchable. In the past couple of decades events like the attacks on the world trade centre in New York, the Murrah building in Oklahoma city, the bombing of flight 103 in Scotland, the 24/7 attacks in London and with many more on going terrorist attacks throughout the world have certainly put a strong challenge to the forensic authorities to work hard and fight crime and criminals. The importance of the findings from the forensic people is also very crucial because if the scientific evidence carries a false sense of significance, then it could lead to misleading results. They have to be very watchful in their working methods to avoid any incompetence. It is also very important for the forensic laboratories and for the people working in it to be independent in their thoughts, they shouldn't be biased towards anyone and furthermore their findings will be much more meaningful if the federal authorities and any of the senior ranked personnel’s do not interfere in their work to show their mind set and favoritism towards a certain party. Best practices Forensic science is a discreet witness to every criminal activity. No perpetrator can get away with his crime due to the diverse practices subsets of it. Forensic ballistics is one amongst the best current practices in Counterterrorism. This study involves analyzing the bullets, firearms and other projectiles, and their impacts to identify the weapons used in a terrorist activity. Comparison, identification numbers, range determination, projection and functionality are the studies that the expert ballistic practitioners make use of, to deduce precise facts, shortlist the possibilities and hence track down whoever used a specific weapon. DNA Profiling assists forensic scientists in the identification of individuals by studying their DNA makeup. The genetic information is stored in the DNA database for example like the police forensic database known as the National DNA Database (NDNAD). Genetic fingerprinting is part of DNA profiling that helps identify the culprit. This technique compares the friction ridge impressions and after an extensive study of the impressions the experts decide if they are of the same person or not. Forensic footwear evidence is another way to collect data for further analysis. Vein pattern recognition (VPR) was used to match the bulging vein running across the hand of the captured al-Qaeda operative Khalid sheikh Muhammad, to the visible veins from the photos and videos taken by a journalist. The forensic experts study the bombs and explosives to eradicate terrorist activities from the societies. The fragments collected by the investigators after an explosion, are turned into liquid in the forensic laboratories. The liquid is assessed using thin-layer chromatography, which separates the components of the fragment. This eventually leads to the bomb’s creator or to where it was manufactured. The fragments themselves are used by the explosive units to identify the manufacturer, using the fingerprints on them. This study also leads the investigators to conclude if a country is developing nuclear weapons, which are being extensively used in terrorist activities nowadays. (Ayn Embar-Seddon, 2009) Another current practice includes forensic anthropology. This technique uses osteology to identify dead bodies whose remains are in any way unrecognizable. Forensic anthropology had not been in major use until recently since the work against terrorism has picked up pace. Sue Black, Elizabeth Murray and Clyde Snow are among the few anthropologists certified as Diplomats of the American Board of Forensic Anthropology (DABFA). Research departments like The Counterterrorism and Forensic Science Research Unit are practicing all these techniques to counter act terrorism. Forensic laboratories have been created for collaborative studies using all these techniques. The forensic personnel have been given specialized training in forensic procedures. Resources There are established departments, both public and private, that provide the anti-terrorism units with the required forensic resources. The most major of all the resources is the specialized personnel. There are forensic consultancy firms that offer trained experts to legal teams. One such firm is Forensic Resources Ltd. Leveraging this resource to ensure success, requires integrity and uniformity of the medical examiners, coroners and forensic laboratory personnel. The Special Project Units under the FBI, design and develop 2D and 3D visual material using computer forensic resources; the computer forensics toolkit, 6 on forensics, PDA forensic tools, windows forensic analysis DVD toolkit, Auto CAD files. They interview witnesses to construct sketches of the crime scene and surrounding areas, and create facial imaging, using all the right computer forensic resources for development in the crime cases. For extensive training and equipment, the need for huge amounts of money, makes funds an essential resource. Proper funding leads to quality assured reports that are easily approved by the law courts and hence there is little or no time delay in the completion of the investigations. Appropriate funding also results in advanced laboratories that not only increase the efficiency but produce very reliable crime reports as well. The chemicals used in the forensic laboratories are a resource themselves, whose purity and quality can be assured by proper state funding. Provision of the latest technology to the departments and carefully monitored supplies leverage a case’s success. Training programs and published journals offers the investigators to develop forensic investigation techniques for car and bus bombs. The FBI's Large Vehicle Bomb Post-Blast Crime Scene School recreates a 2002 terrorist bombing that killed 200 people. (Suzanne Bell, 2004) Mobile devices are widely used by terrorists. Therefore the forensic personnel use digital forensic tools to extract vital data that helps locate the origins of the terrorist activities. The integrity and the authenticity of the content of the reports have to be made sure too. Hashing functions; mathematical calculations, Visual verification; accuracy of the image, Digital Signature; accuracy of digital files, Check sums; successful transfer of data and proprietary methods are some of the ways used by the coroners to present a reliable report to the concerned court. Applicable Technology People working in the forensic labs are well trained and to assist them technology plays a huge role. The use of latest and modified technology is very helpful for the people to resolve complicated cases. In places where the lives of the people have been lost and there it is difficult to predict which body part belongs to which person, Polymerase Chain reaction (PCR) is used to identify and make large amount of copies of DNA. This helps to identify the DNA of the most vulnerable and degraded bodies. With this technology in use, a DNA can be analyzed with a sample as small as few skin cells. Such a sample has to be preserved carefully so that no environmental factors get added to it and the sample does not get contaminated with the inclusion of dirt or anything else that harm the DNA sample. (Cynthia Holt, 2006) Furthermore, in case of multiple casualties, in order to differ one DNA sample from another, the technology of Short tandem repeat (STR) is used. This concept of technology is widely used by the Federal Bureau of Investigation that helps them to find law offenders, missing people and to resolve such cases that are till the current date, unresolved. (Jack Ballantyne, 1989) Other useful technologies such as Y-Chromosome Analysis and Mitochondrial DNA analysis (mtDNA) are very useful in finding the genetic make up between a father and a son. MtDNA analysis is far more superior to other technologies and it helps in examining the hair, teeth and bones of a person that cannot be analyzed by STR or even PCR. Research and Evaluation needs One of the areas that need focus for the development of forensic sciences helping the anti-terrorism units is ‘computational forensics. That is the development of algorithms and software’s for forensic analysis. Dr Sirhari says ‘The results of such analysis will be less prone to criticism that forensic testimony is tainted by bias.’ Artificial intelligence can be used to perform cognitive tasks, replacing human skills. The need for protecting the law enforcement personnel from unknown danger needs to be evaluated as well. The use of computer forensics should be brought into use for this purpose. Through-the-Wall Surveillance for Locating Individuals within Buildings, 2008, is a report that emphasizes the need for portable devices and sensors on the buildings’ walls to monitor the movement of people inside. The time is right for making forensic science more scientific. The use of electrophoresis is proving to be an invaluable tool, especially for DNA analysis and fingerprinting. (Ron Fridel, 2007) Further research can make remarkable developments to help anti terrorism units, both nationally and internationally. Kathleen Higgins, a URI graduate in chemistry, continues her work under the banner of ‘Forensic Science in the war on Terrorism’. "Forensic Science is all about identifying sources," Higgins said in her program summary. "Where did this fiber come from? Which rifle fired this bullet? Whose DNA is on this envelope? So it is not surprising that forensics is playing a central role in the war on terrorism, linking evidence left at the scenes of terrorist attacks to specific organizations and even individuals." The role of forensic psychology in explosion investigations needs to be evaluated as well. In 2003, John Enright , director of Counterterrorism and Law Enforcement Initiatives for the U.S. Attorney’s Anti-terrorism Task force, described the efforts made to study the terrorist psychology for making progress in analyzing the 9/11 event. This would not only help understanding terrorist behavior for the particular event but help in preventing such attacks in future. (David E Newton, 2008) Biometrics Research: Facial and Iris Recognition, 2006. A research was made to produce facial recognition software that extracts facial images from surveillance video, rotates the images in three dimensions, and combines them to produce a single recognizable image. Another project funded by the National Institute of justice evaluated the use of iris recognition technology in New Jersey schools and research in a Navy brig and dozens of U.S. jails on the use of iris scanners to track movements. The need to solving cases with laboratories working along with forensic mathematicians and forensic chemists should not go unheeded. In fact, this need has led to the establishment of The Forensic Science Partnership, which is a collaboration of the Rhode Island State Crime Laboratory at Uri’s College of Pharmacy, the Rhode Island Department of Health, and Uri’s colleges of Arts and Sciences, Engineering and Human Science and Services. Homeland Securities The main purpose of the homeland security is to protect and safeguard the lives of the people from terrorist activities in collaboration with both the public and private sectors. Their aim is to develop a sense of responsibility among the people and the authorities that they should be ready and alert before any mishappening. They should have a strategy in their mind of how to tackle, protect and prevent their state from any activity that could lead to a great loss of life. (Diana Miller, 2002) For this purpose planning should be done before hand and exercises should be carried out to engage the authority in ripening any terrorist activity apart. If possible then information should be shared among all the necessary working units so that the people are prepared and are mentally alert before any calamity occurs. People should also be educated with the nature of the terrorist attacks so that appropriate precautions can be taken before time runs out. Private sector security should also be taken on board so that they could help in securing areas like transmission lines, public transportation networks, institutions, energy production areas and livestock whereas the federal units should take care of the nuclear assets and preserve food for the people so that the public should not go against the government while in a state of war with the terrorists. Further more , for better communication links with the higher authorities, the head of the homeland security department should be in constant touch with the heads of the law enforcing agencies and if necessary also with the President, and should guide them with the latest reports. (Debra A Miller, 2009) Lastly, forensic science has a great hand in reducing and capturing criminals. Its constant development in the field of science is very important for the people and for the ones part of this whole forensic structure to stay safe and healthy from the activities of terrorists. References Howard Silverstone; Michael Sheetz,Forensic accounting and fraud investigation for non-experts, Hoboken, N.J. : Wiley, ©2007.(Howard Silverstone, 2007) Top of Form Embar-Seddon, A., & Pass, A. D. (2009). Forensic science. Pasadena, Calif: Salem Press. Bottom of Form Cynthia Holt, Guide to information sources in the forensic sciences, Westport, Conn. : Libraries Unlimited, 2006.(Cynthia Holt, 2006) Top of Form Fridell, R. (2007). Forensic science. Minneapolis, Minn: Lerner Publications Co. Bottom of Form Top of Form Siegel, L. J., & Senna, J. J. (2004). Essentials of criminal justice. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning. Bottom of Form Top of Form Miller, D. (2002). Terrorism: Are we ready?. Huntington, N.Y: Nova Science. Bottom of Form Top of Form Miller, D. A. (2009). Homeland security. Detroit: Greenhaven Press. Bottom of Form Read More