Review and Critical Thinking Essay

Forensic science is the application of science toward the criminal justice system. 2. What three tasks or abilities does a forensic scientist have? Forensic scientists collect and analyze the evidence, give an expert testimony, and train other law enforcement individuals on how to record and collect evidence. 3. What criteria might be used to establish someone as an expert witness? In order for someone to be considered an expert witness, courts take into consideration the persons education degrees, the number of experience that the person has in this certain field, any professional organizations that the person is either a member of or if their the leader in any organizations, and if that person has publishes any books or anything they have authored. What are two of the ways that a forensic pathologist might use to help determine the time of death? One way that a forensic pathologist might use to help determine the time of death would be with Rigor Mortis and Liver Mortis conditions. When the muscles of the body relax and become rigid, it’s called Rigor Mortis, and this happens twenty-four hours after the time of death and then goes away after about thirty-six hours. Liver Mortis happens soon after death too. This condition in the body happens as the blood stops pumping through the body and settles in the lowest parts of the body toward the ground. Another condition that can determine the time of death is Algor Mortis. Algor Mortis is the gradual cooling of the body after death. Forensic pathologists would consider factors as in where the body is, the air temperature, and the size of the body to determine the temperature to determine the time of death. 5. What does a forensic anthropologist do? Forensic anthropologists have a lot of jobs. They help identify the victims of disasters, help determine whether bones and skeletal remains are from a long ago burial or whether they are from a more recent death. They also examine the bones, this helps determine the cause of death, sex, race, and age of the time of death, and in some cases where the victim was from prior to the death. Forensic anthropologists may help with facial reconstructions, which can help identify who the person is that the bones belong to. Critical Thinking Questions 1. Why do you think it is so important to use proper methods when collecting evidence from a crime scene? I think it is so important to use proper methods when collecting evidence from a crime scene because if it’s not recorded or taken care of properly, it could get mixed up with other evidence, and then you have to start at the beginning with everything. The evidence could be a link to the death, or how that person died in the case. Also if the evidence is not collected properly, then it is difficult to interpret and understand the data. 2. Why do you think forensic science has been increasingly used by the criminal justice system? The criminal justice system has increasingly been in need of forensic science because something as small as a hair follicle or a few drops of blood could help solve a part of a case. Through forensic science, the criminal justice system can tell the time of death or what was used to kill that person. They also could help to serve in court as an expert witness. 3. Which of the forensic scientist’s responsibilities do you think would be the most challenging? Why? I think the most challenging forensic scientist’s responsibilities would be analyzing the evidence. The tough part is making sure you’re getting the correct test results and the correct data. That would be really bad if you started to give out false information and then put the wrong guy in jail. 4. Which of the following forensic scientist’s responsibilities do you think would be the most interesting? Why? I think the most interesting responsibilities of a forensic scientist would be giving an expert testimony in court. When you explain your findings and information about the evidence to the jury and courthouse, you can see the criminals face when they get charged for their crime. Basically, you’re helping out the world but explaining why this criminal is bad, and you’re taking him away to say everyone else from danger. 5. Which of the specialty areas do you think you would most like to work in? Why? The specialty area I would most like to work in would be forensic pathology. They study unexplained and violent deaths of the victim. I have always been the girl who loves to find out things, no matter how gross they get. I used to dissect frogs in middle school, and that stuff didn’t scare me like the other girls and boys in the class. I feel that finding out how someone died would be a miracle to their  family as well.