Serology, Essay Example

Blood samples have been described as one of the most widely used forms of forensic evidence in use within the Criminal Justice field today. Serology examines both the characteristics and types of blood investigations. In addition, the role takes upon the examination of other bodily fluids from crime scenes e.g. saliva, semen etc. The function contains a number of disciplines that embrace biology, criminology and forensic science. The trace elements of blood and bodily fluids assist in linking the suspect to the body in a murder scene investigation. Blood spatter tells additional information involving position and movement of the body at a crime scene. Although now widely used with DNA testing; the antibody profiles in blood are a further means of narrowing down the field of investigation within a forensic examination.

As serology falls within the overall concept of forensic science, it must be considered as an evolving science. Although the science behind blood samples is fairly well established, from the procedural viewpoint, it can now be linked with DNA testing which is a relatively recent concept of forensic science.

When getting the bloodstain for analysis, it is examined in the context of the contact and collapse phase. Patterns are framed by the displacement of the blood stains and dispersion of the surfaces that it comes into contact with. These are often seen to form the shape of an ellipse. Mathematics using linear least squares and other problem solving equations are used to create complex algorithms that define further information about trajectory and the distance the blood was conveyed to the scene of the crime. Calculations need to be made that cover such items as droplet speeds, the blood density and the angle of impact where the blood samples fall (Schen,A.R.2005) .  One of the first things that the forensic scientist must do is to determine if the blood is really of human origin; determined by using tests that are portable enough to be deployed at the crime scene.

Works Cited

A.R. Shen, G. B. (2005). Toward Automatic Blood Spatter Analysis In Crime Scenes. Cambridge UK: University of Cambridge.