Question

Now that you are getting more familiar with many of the evidence types used to solve crimes, consider the following: How can new advances in technology help forensic scientists? Do you know of or can you think of any new technologies that might be applied to forensic science? What about simulation technologies or high-speed cameras, to name a couple possibilities? This activity will test your research skills and creativity to explore just how many ways technology has already and can continue to improve forensic science methods! For this section of your activity, you will create and submit a slideshow presentation

(using PowerPoint or a similar program). Your presentation will consist of at least five slides and should outline some of the important ways that new technology has affected and improved how firearms and bullets can be used as evidence. Your slides should also address what forensic scientists are able to do now that wasn't before possible thanks to such recent advances.

Answer 1

New technologies such as high-speed cameras, simulation technologies, advanced DNA sequencing, and forensic databases for ballistics have greatly enhanced the capabilities of forensic scientists in analyzing firearms and bullets, providing more accurate and efficient evidence analysis.

Advances in Forensic Science Technology

• Advancements in technology have revolutionized forensic science, improving the accuracy and efficiency with which forensic scientists can analyze evidence related to firearms and bullets.
• One such advancement includes high-speed cameras and ballistic imaging systems that enable scientists to capture and examine the fine details of a bullet's trajectory and impact.
• Additionally, the implementation of simulation technologies allows for the recreation of crime scenes and the modeling of ballistic events to understand the dynamics of a shooting.
• Forensic scientists now have access to DNA sequencing technologies, which greatly enhance their capability to identify individuals from minute biological samples through DNA profiling.
• This includes advanced PCR (polymerase chain reaction) techniques for amplifying short tandem repeat (STR) loci and high-resolution electrophoresis.
• The establishment of DNA databases further streamlines the comparison of sample DNA with known profiles, aiding in the quick identification or exoneration of suspects.
• Another technological advance in the field is the use of forensic databases for ballistics which allow for the comparison of bullet casings and marks to link a firearm to a crime scene, potentially across multiple incidents.
• This interconnectivity between cases has been instrumental in solving crimes that would otherwise remain isolated incidents.
• Digital imaging and automated systems in microscopy also allow for the enhanced examination and comparison of microscopic marks on bullets and casings.