Forensics Techniques- Forensics Developments Several

¶ … Forensics Techniques-

Forensics Developments

Several recent development have taken place within the field of forensics relating to the usage of DNA as possible evidence and deterrents for crime and its prevention. Although the basic concept of DNA usage remains principally the same (and is largely based on the fact that there are inherent genetic factors and attributes in people that distinguish them from others), some of these more recent developments very well may provide a considerable degree of assistance in forensics work. Several of these developments were pioneered overseas and reflect individual efforts of states to propagate the study of forensics and its applicable uses. In particular, the Netherlands has produced some fairly significant developments, including what is touted as the recently discovered ability to predict hair color.

Whereas previous efforts in the field of forensic DNA were only able to predict the hair color of redheads, this most recent development appears to include all types of colors of hair. However, a team of scientists at Holland's Erasmus University Medical Center have demonstrated a propensity for "using 13 markers in 11 genes" to denote someone's hair color (Kayser 2011). The ramifications of this development, of course, are fairly considerable for the field of forensics. If sufficient DNA is procured from a crime scene, this technique can determine what sort of hair color a potential perpetrator may have had, and effectively narrow down a list of suspects.

Another fairly recent developed technique that applies to forensics DNA usage was related to the efforts of Dan Vorhuas. Vorhaus was involved in efforts to utilize the DNA from non-human entities, such as pets or "bodily bacteria signature" from a potential perpetrator to determine evidence related to the profile of such intimate acquaintances of a suspect. Partly based upon this research, there are devices employed throughout various industries in Holland that incorporate this principle. These devices were designed in such a way so that they spray a "fine, barely visible mist laced with synthetic DNA" that ideally can help to determine a criminal's (such as a thief) DNA signature (Dobson 2011). Such evidence could be invaluable in attributing criminal activity related to such a business to someone in particular.

Additionally, efforts were made in the United Kingdom to utilize aspects of saliva to aid in the usage of forensics for potential criminal investigations. Largely attributed to the vast numbers of attacks on truck drivers within Cardiff, drivers in that part of the world are now utilizing what is known as a "spit kit" so that they can retrieve a sample of saliva if it is exchanged during any sort of potential robbery or attack (Dobson 2011). The DNA garnered from this sort of methodology can prove very beneficial to forensics efforts in their attempts to find the attacker.