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Technology And Science By Law Enforcement

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The National Institute of Justice defines forensic science as, “the application of science, such as physics, chemistry, biology, computer science, and engineering to matters of law,” (2014). The emphasis here is the use of technology and science by law enforcement officers and agencies and is accepted and recognized by the criminal justice system. It is seen as scientific technology or Criminalistics, (Dempsey & Forst, 2013). While technology plays a role in this, it is most recognized by the use of science by law enforcement and allowing scientific information to be admissible in the court of law. For this reason, forensic science is seen as a method to resolve legal matters or “a scientific analysis for the purpose of judicial resolution,” (Collins, 2007, p. 2). Weather this is using chemistry, such as a drug testing kit, to determine if a substance is an illegal drug, forensic science has become fundamental to policing. Science and technology can be used and applied in many ways. This can be observed through the various branches of forensic science. These include: forensic biology/DNA, controlled substances, forensic toxicology, forensic anthropology, forensic pathology and medicolegal death investigation, impression and pattern evidence, and trace evidence, (NIJ, 2014). In these ways, law enforcement agencies are able to use science to investigate crimes and practice law enforcement. Understanding the various ways that forensic science is applied in policing, one can

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