Forensic science is the study of many different sciences to help aid and answer questions of interest to the law enforcement system. "Forensic" comes from the Latin adjective "forensis," meaning "of or before the forum." The forensics team has become more and more vital to the crime scene with the evolution of superior technology.

Purpose

The purpose of a forensics team is to help solve a crime. Forensic experts often use a combination of different tools and technological advances to study DNA and blood at the scene of a crime.

Significance

The forensics team has become more and more important to the crime scene with the evolution of technology. Often its role is misconstrued in popular shows like CSI, but it does help solve a large number of crimes thanks to the breakthroughs in DNA testing.

Team

Defined as "the application of scientific knowledge and methodology to legal problems and criminal investigations," a forensics team works together to help solve the crime. Since this science is so detailed and complex, a team is assembled to work through the crime together. The number of experts on a forensics team will differ on a case-by-case basis.

Function

A forensics team will arrive at the crime scene as quickly as possible and may block off the scene for a week or two for further examination. The forensics team's first duty is to search/collect blood samples and any other traces of evidence that could lead to a DNA match.

Misconceptions

As previously stated, several misconceptions about the forensics team have come from the popular show CSI. While the odds of successfully breaking a case are improving thanks to forensics, the simple reality is that forensics teams do not solve every case.

Source:

Ornl.gov: DNA Forensics

ComputerForensicsWorld.com: A Community of Forensics Professionals

Legal-Dictionary.com: Forensic Science

Resource:

Criminology: Career in Forensic Science