Glossary of terms
A
Abrasion – An injury to the skin that removes the epithelial layer.
Accident Reconstruction – Using physical evidence a re-create a crime or accident scene.
Aggravating Circumstances – Conditions which make a crime more serious.
Alias - A name that an entity uses in place of its real name, usually for the purpose of either anonymity or deception.
Antibodies - A class of proteins (known as immunoglobulins) formed in the body in response to the presence of antigens (foreign proteins and other compounds), which bind to the antigen, inactivating it.
Anthropology – The science of the origin, culture, and development of human beings. In forensics, this mainly involves the analysis and identification of skeletal remains.
Anthropometry – Devised by Alphonse Bertillon, a method of using a person’s key body measurements as a means of identification.
Antigens - Foreign substances in the body that are capable of causing disease. The presence of antigens in the body triggers an immune response, usually the production of antibodies. Antigens may be soluble substances, such as toxins and foreign proteins, or particulate, such as bacteria and tissue cells; however only the portion of the protein of polysaccharide molecule known as the antigenic determinant combines with antibody or a specific receptor on a lymphocyte.
Arches – A characteristic pattern of fingerprint ridges, possessed by approximately 5% of the population.
Arson – Intentionally causing a fire to destroy the property in a criminal manner.
Asphyxia – Death caused by suffocation as a result of the lack of oxygen and increase of carbon dioxide in the blood. Also known as apnoea.
Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy – A method of analysing gunshot residue.
Autoerotic Accident – A death usually occurring from asphyxia produced by masturbatory rituals.
Autopsy – The internal medical examination of a body used to determine the cause and circumstances of death.
B
Ballistics Expert - The main duty of the ballistics expert is to analyse guns and weapons that may have been used to commit crimes. They may fire test shots from a certain weapon in order to compare bullet fragments or shell casings. They also may present ballistic evidence and their findings in court as an expert witness.
Barefoot Morphology – The science of reading footprints in order to establish the pace, size, and body weight of the individual.
Bertillonage – Invented by Alphonse Bertillon, a now obsolete method of classifying human beings by a set of body measurements.
Bile - A digestive fluid made by the liver and stored in the gallbladder that helps digest fats.
Blood Analysis – See ‘serology’.
Blood Group – One of the four ways to categorise a person based on the antibodies and antigens in their red blood cells; A, B, AB, and O.
Blood Pooling – The congestion of blood in the lowest areas of a dead body. See ‘hypostasis’.
Blood Spatter – The impact of blood on surfaces.
Blood Spatter Pattern Analysis – The examination of blood spatter patterns to determine the events which took place before, during and after the spilling of the blood.
Bloodstain Interpretation – The interpretation of the shape, size, orientation, and distribution of bloodstains.
Botanist - One who studies the science of plants.
Bridge - A denture anchored to teeth on either side of missing teeth.
Bullet Track – The path a projectile takes as it passes through matter.
Bullet Wipe – A dark, ring-like mark found around an entrance wound, composed of lead, carbon oil and dirt.
C
Cadaveric Spasm – The sudden rigidity of the muscles immediately after death.
Calibre – The internal diameter of the gun barrel or bullet, expressed in hundredths of an inch.
Cap - Crownwork: dental appliance consisting of an artificial crown for a tooth.
Capital Punishment – The death sentence.
Cartridge case - A cylindrical case of pasteboard, metal or the like, for holding a complete charge of powder, and often, also the bullet for a rifle, machine gun or small arm.
Case Linkage – The discovery of links between cases which were previously thought to be unrelated.
Cast-off Stains – Blood spatter produced when a bloodied object is pulled back from a blow.
Cause of Death – An injury or disease that ultimately leads to death of the individual, generally determined by medical examiners or coroners.
Chain of Custody – A method of keeping track of who has handled a piece of evidence, when, and for what purpose. Vital in ensuring evidence is not damaged or altered in any way.
Character Disorder – A personality disorder manifested in patterns of behaviour.
Choke – The constriction of a shotgun barrel to reduce the spread of the shot, thus increasing its range.
Circumstantial Evidence – Evidence from which a logical conclusion of a fact may be drawn.
Cold Case – An unsolved case which is still open but no longer being actively investigated.
Composite Drawing – A sketch composed of a suspect produced from one or more eyewitness description.
Computer Forensics – The application of computer technology and techniques to aid legal investigations.
Contact Wound – A wound occurring when the firearm is fired whilst placed against a surface.
Contusion – A soft haemorrhage from blunt trauma.
Coroner - A public official who investigates by inquest any death not due to natural causes.
Crime Scene Investigator - (C.S.I.) or Crime Scene Officer (C.S.O as they are known as in Australia) The person in charge of processing a crime scene. Duties include sealing off the scene, photographing the scene and collecting evidence. The job title may also be called a criminologist or crime scene analyst.
Crime Scene Reconstruction – The use of evidence to determine the events which occurred at a crime scene.
Crime Scene Staging – The alteration of a crime scene in order to reduce its evidentiary value.
Criminal Profiling – The analysis of the crime scene and crime patterns to assign relevant characteristics to a perpetrator in order to aid law enforcement in narrowing the field of suspects.
Criminologist - Scientists who study crime, criminals and criminal behaviour.
Crown - An enamel cover (on teeth).
Cyanide - A chemical compound comprised of carbon and nitrogen. Cyanide is water-soluble and is used in ore processing solutions to extract gold from crushed rock.
D
Deception - The act of deceiving.
Decomposed - Decayed; broken down into parts.
Defuse - To remove the triggering device from (a weapon).
Diagnosis - To process of testing to identify other problems.
DNA – Deoxyribonucleic acid. The genetic material contained in cells.
DNA Profile – A composite of genetic markers uniquely characterising an individual.
DNA Profiling – Creating a DNA fingerprint from a biological sample for use in comparison and the identification of an individual.
E
Electrocution - Death brought about by electricity.
Entomologist - Entomolgy is the study of insects, and the forensic entomologist looks for the presence of different types of insects and larvae to help determine time and location of a crime. They are vital to proving whether a crime took place at the scene, or another location. The entomological evidence can assist in proving where a crime took place, and how long ago.
Enzyme - A protein that accelerates the rate of chemical reactions. Enzymes are catalysts that promote reactions repeatedly, without being damaged by the reactions.
Evidence - Proof or disproof. It can be physical (blood, or a weapon) or testimonial (witness statements). Any items, documents and statements that are included in a legal investigation for the jury’s or judge’s consideration in the determination of an individual’s guilt or innocence.
Expert Witness – An individual with a specialised knowledge of a certain field that can assist in the understanding of complicated information or offer an expert opinion.
F
Femur - Also called the thighbone, is the long bone between the hip and the knee.
Fibre - A fine, threadlike piece; matter made from such threads.
Filling - A dental appliance consisting of any of various substances (as metal or plastic) inserted into a prepared cavity in a tooth; "when he yawned I could see the gold fillings in his teeth. An informal British term for `filling' is `stopping'.
Fingerprint – The unique pattern created by the ridges found on the palm side skin of fingers and thumbs.
Floater – A corpse found in water, often floating due to the built up on gas in the abdomen resulting from decomposition.
Forensic Anthropologist - Scientist who studies human bones and skeletal structures.
Forensic medicine - A branch of medical science that uses medical knowledge for legal purposes.
Forensic Scientist - People who process and analyse evidence in a crime case. They can specialise in analysing fingerprints, blood splatter, DNA, firearms, firearms (guns or bullets) impressions (tyre tracks and shoe prints) tool marks or other areas.
Forgery – An attempt to replicate the original item and pass it off as authentic.
G
Generalisation - The process of making statements about the general population on the basis of relevant research.
Graphology – The art of determining individual characteristic traits of a person based on his or her handwriting.
Grid Search – A crime scene searching pattern. The scene is segmented into smaller areas, each of which is individually searched for evidence.
Gun Shot Residue – Also known as GSR. The unburned powder propelled from a gun when a bullet is fired. It will often be found on the clothing or skin of the shooter or victim.
H
Habit - An established custom.
Haemorrhage - To bleed severely.
Hemastix – A presumptive blood testing tool.
Haemoglobin – This is the protein in a red blood cell responsible for carrying oxygen in the bloodstream.
Haemorrhage – A severe bleed.
High-Risk Victim – An individual who is continuously exposed to danger, such as drug users and prostitutes.
HITS – Homicide Investigation racking System, Washington State’s database used to link violent crimes through signature analysis.
Homicide – Murder, a death caused by another person.
Hypothermia - This situation occurs when the core temperature of one's body falls below normal. It is the failure of the body to maintain adequate production of heat under conditions of extreme cold.
I
Impression Evidence – The evidence left by anything that leaves a kind of impression at the scene or on an item, such as footprints, tire tracks, or tool marks.
Indent – An impression left on paper caused by the force from a pen tip.
Infrared - Light that is so red humans cannot see it. A band of the electromagnetic spectrum between the visible and the microwave. Photons of infrared light are less energetic than photons of visible light.
Infrared spectroscopy (IR Spectroscopy) - A type of spectroscopy that uses the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. The infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum; electromagnetic wave frequencies below the visible range.
Insanity – The legal term for a mental disease or defect that may essentially absolve the person of responsibility.
L
Lacerations - Anything that has been torn roughly for example - a rough cut.
Larvae - The young of any insect which goes through metamorphosis (changes in body structure) before becoming an adult.
Locard’s Exchange Principle – Every contact leaves a trace. A theory stating that anyone who enters a crime scene will leave something behind or take something away.
Luminal spray - A substance used to enhance fingerprints.
Luminescence - Emission of light by chemical or electrical means.
M
Maggots - The larvae of flies and other insects that live on rotting food.
Manner of Death – The way in which death was caused; homicide, suicide, accidental, natural, or undetermined.
Mass Killer – An individual who kills many people at the same time.
Medical Examiner - Doctor who examines bodies and performs autopsies to determine the time and cause of death.
Meteorologist - Forensic meteorology is the process of reconstructing weather events for a certain location. The forensic meteorologist reviews weather reports, radar and satellite images, and conducts interviews with witnesses to determine the weather at the time of a crime, and if this data matches up with the rest of the evidence.
Mitigating Circumstances – Factors that may diminish the degree of guilt in a criminal offence, such as age or influence of drugs.
Murder - A manner of death in which one person kills another. Murder is the most serious way of causing the death of another person under the law. It can also be manslaughter (a less serious charge).
Musicologist - As the name suggests the musicologist is an expert who looks for musical or audible evidence and identifies the source. This could be listening to noises in the background of an audio or video recording to attempt to identify time and location.
N
Naked eye - The eye, unaided by any optical instrument that alters the power of vision or alters the apparent size or distance of objects; "it is not safe to look directly at the sun with the naked eye".
Nucleus - A part of the cell containing DNA and RNA and responsible for growth and reproduction.
O
Odontologist - This specialist is also known as a forensic dentist. They examine evidence related to teeth and bite marks, and also assist in the identification of a person by their dental records.
Optical - Optical means something that pertains or is designed to assist sight; pertaining to or using light.
Ossification (osteogenesis) - A three-stage process by which bone is formed. The first step is the formation of a mesh of collagen fibers. Next, the body produces a "cement" substance (polysaccharide). Finally, small crystals of calcium salts are deposited into the cement to form bone.
P
Palynologist - Forensic Palynologists are experts in the field of pollens and powders that can be found at a crime scene. Like the entomologist, they search for evidence that a crime took place at a certain location, and examine clothes to determine if a suspect had likely been at a scene based on the trace amounts of the environment they collect just by being there.
Pathologist - Pathologists are trained medical doctors who attempt to determine the cause of death of a person. They conduct autopsies and present evidence to the cause of death of a person in a court of law.
Pattern Evidence – Evidence which can be read from a specific pattern, such as a show impression.
Perpetrator - The person who commits a crime.
Petty crime - A small crime such as minor theft or trespass.
Physical Evidence – Is any item relevant to an occurrence of a crime.
Polygraph - A medical instrument that records several physiological processes simultaneously (e.g. pulse rate and blood pressure and respiration and perspiration).
Prosecutor - The lawyer that represents the government.
Postmortem – After death.
Postmortem Interval – PMI. The time since death.
Protocol - A set of formal rules describing how to transmit data, especially across a network. Low-level protocols define the electrical and physical standards to be observed, bit- and byte-ordering and the transmission and error detection and correction of the bit stream. High-level protocols deal with the data formatting, including the syntax of messages, the terminal-to-computer dialog, character sets, and sequencing of messages.
Psychiatrist - Forensic psychiatrist are the link between psychiatry, the stud and treatment of mental disorders, and the people that suffer from them, and the justice system. They interview accused criminals and determine if that person is competent to stand trial.
Psychological Profile – A method of gathering speculative information regarding a suspect’s psychological makeup in order to aid the investigation.
Puncture Wound – An injury caused by the piercing of the body, often by a hand-held object.
Putrefaction – One of the final changes to take place in the human body, essentially the anaerobic bacterial digestion of the remains.
R
Ransom - An exchange or buy back for money; under threat.
Residue - Matter that remains after something has been removed.
Ridge Characteristics – The endings, bifurcations, enclosures and similar ridge details in a fingerprint.
Rigor mortis - The stiffening of the body muscles after death.
Ritual - Stereotyped behaviour.
S
Serrated - Containing sharply pointed teeth.
Serial Crime – Any crime occurring in a pattern indicating a single offender.
Serial Killer – An individual who has murdered three or more people with a cooling-off period in between.
Serologist - Serologists search for evidence of bodily fluids that may be found at a crime scene, either from the victims or the accused criminal. They may also be involved in blood spatter analysis or the collection of DNA from the fluids they have collected.
Signature Crime – A crime scene bearing the individual ‘stamp’ of a particular offender.
Solvents - Liquids, usually petroleum based, that can dissolve solids and keep them in solution. May contribute to pollution through evaporation.
Speculative Search – A search based on information rather than actual evidence.
Spree Killer – An individual who murders numerous people with no cooling-off period in between.
Stippling – Minute burn marks left by gunpowder as it leaves the gun, also known as tattooing.
Strangulation - The condition of having respiration stopped by compression of the air passage.
Subconscious - Subconscious mind: psychic activity just below the level of awareness.
Super Glue Fuming – A method of developing latent fingerprints using the fumes of cyanoacrylate or a similar substance, which adheres to the oils in the fingerprint, visualising it.
T
Tape Lift – An adhesive used to lift trace evidence from a crime scene or object.
Textiles - Clothes and fabrics.
Toxicologist - Toxicologists research and assess the effects of chemicals on a person or the environment, and perform carefully designed studies and experiments. Forensic toxicologists look for toxic substances in a crime scene, and act as experts when presenting this evidence in court
Trace Evidence - Evidence such as hair, fibres, dust or soil particles, paint flakes or other microscopic material that can link a suspect to a place where a crime was committed.
Trajectory – Trajectory is the path of a fired projectile.
Trauma - A physical injury or wound caused by an external force of violence, which may cause death or permanent disability. Trauma is also used to describe severe emotional or psychological shock or distress.
U
Ultraviolet - Of or relating to the range of invisible radiation wavelengths from about 4 nanometers, on the border of the x-ray region, to about 380 nanometers, just beyond the violet in the visible spectrum.
Ultraviolet light - Radiation lying in the ultraviolet range; wave lengths shorter than light but longer than X rays.
V
Vagus nerve - Either of two cranial nerves extending through neck into thorax and the upper part of the abdomen - a pneumogastric nerve.
Verdict - The finding or answer given to the court by the jury.
Vertebrae - One or twenty-four moveable segments of the human spinal column. Two vertebrae adjacent to each other form a motor unit.
W
Whorls – A pattern within a fingerprint in which the ridge makes at least one complete circuit.
Wisdom teeth - The third molar teeth, the last in each quadrant.
X
X-rays - Invisible, highly penetrating electromagnetic radiation of a much shorter wavelength than visible light, discovered in 1895 by Wilhelm C. Roentgen. Most applications of X rays are based on their ability to pass through matter. They are dangerous in that they can destroy living tissue, causing severe skin burns on human flesh exposed for too long a time. This property is applied in x-ray therapy to destroy diseased cells. See Ionising radiation.
Abrasion – An injury to the skin that removes the epithelial layer.
Accident Reconstruction – Using physical evidence a re-create a crime or accident scene.
Aggravating Circumstances – Conditions which make a crime more serious.
Alias - A name that an entity uses in place of its real name, usually for the purpose of either anonymity or deception.
Antibodies - A class of proteins (known as immunoglobulins) formed in the body in response to the presence of antigens (foreign proteins and other compounds), which bind to the antigen, inactivating it.
Anthropology – The science of the origin, culture, and development of human beings. In forensics, this mainly involves the analysis and identification of skeletal remains.
Anthropometry – Devised by Alphonse Bertillon, a method of using a person’s key body measurements as a means of identification.
Antigens - Foreign substances in the body that are capable of causing disease. The presence of antigens in the body triggers an immune response, usually the production of antibodies. Antigens may be soluble substances, such as toxins and foreign proteins, or particulate, such as bacteria and tissue cells; however only the portion of the protein of polysaccharide molecule known as the antigenic determinant combines with antibody or a specific receptor on a lymphocyte.
Arches – A characteristic pattern of fingerprint ridges, possessed by approximately 5% of the population.
Arson – Intentionally causing a fire to destroy the property in a criminal manner.
Asphyxia – Death caused by suffocation as a result of the lack of oxygen and increase of carbon dioxide in the blood. Also known as apnoea.
Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy – A method of analysing gunshot residue.
Autoerotic Accident – A death usually occurring from asphyxia produced by masturbatory rituals.
Autopsy – The internal medical examination of a body used to determine the cause and circumstances of death.
B
Ballistics Expert - The main duty of the ballistics expert is to analyse guns and weapons that may have been used to commit crimes. They may fire test shots from a certain weapon in order to compare bullet fragments or shell casings. They also may present ballistic evidence and their findings in court as an expert witness.
Barefoot Morphology – The science of reading footprints in order to establish the pace, size, and body weight of the individual.
Bertillonage – Invented by Alphonse Bertillon, a now obsolete method of classifying human beings by a set of body measurements.
Bile - A digestive fluid made by the liver and stored in the gallbladder that helps digest fats.
Blood Analysis – See ‘serology’.
Blood Group – One of the four ways to categorise a person based on the antibodies and antigens in their red blood cells; A, B, AB, and O.
Blood Pooling – The congestion of blood in the lowest areas of a dead body. See ‘hypostasis’.
Blood Spatter – The impact of blood on surfaces.
Blood Spatter Pattern Analysis – The examination of blood spatter patterns to determine the events which took place before, during and after the spilling of the blood.
Bloodstain Interpretation – The interpretation of the shape, size, orientation, and distribution of bloodstains.
Botanist - One who studies the science of plants.
Bridge - A denture anchored to teeth on either side of missing teeth.
Bullet Track – The path a projectile takes as it passes through matter.
Bullet Wipe – A dark, ring-like mark found around an entrance wound, composed of lead, carbon oil and dirt.
C
Cadaveric Spasm – The sudden rigidity of the muscles immediately after death.
Calibre – The internal diameter of the gun barrel or bullet, expressed in hundredths of an inch.
Cap - Crownwork: dental appliance consisting of an artificial crown for a tooth.
Capital Punishment – The death sentence.
Cartridge case - A cylindrical case of pasteboard, metal or the like, for holding a complete charge of powder, and often, also the bullet for a rifle, machine gun or small arm.
Case Linkage – The discovery of links between cases which were previously thought to be unrelated.
Cast-off Stains – Blood spatter produced when a bloodied object is pulled back from a blow.
Cause of Death – An injury or disease that ultimately leads to death of the individual, generally determined by medical examiners or coroners.
Chain of Custody – A method of keeping track of who has handled a piece of evidence, when, and for what purpose. Vital in ensuring evidence is not damaged or altered in any way.
Character Disorder – A personality disorder manifested in patterns of behaviour.
Choke – The constriction of a shotgun barrel to reduce the spread of the shot, thus increasing its range.
Circumstantial Evidence – Evidence from which a logical conclusion of a fact may be drawn.
Cold Case – An unsolved case which is still open but no longer being actively investigated.
Composite Drawing – A sketch composed of a suspect produced from one or more eyewitness description.
Computer Forensics – The application of computer technology and techniques to aid legal investigations.
Contact Wound – A wound occurring when the firearm is fired whilst placed against a surface.
Contusion – A soft haemorrhage from blunt trauma.
Coroner - A public official who investigates by inquest any death not due to natural causes.
Crime Scene Investigator - (C.S.I.) or Crime Scene Officer (C.S.O as they are known as in Australia) The person in charge of processing a crime scene. Duties include sealing off the scene, photographing the scene and collecting evidence. The job title may also be called a criminologist or crime scene analyst.
Crime Scene Reconstruction – The use of evidence to determine the events which occurred at a crime scene.
Crime Scene Staging – The alteration of a crime scene in order to reduce its evidentiary value.
Criminal Profiling – The analysis of the crime scene and crime patterns to assign relevant characteristics to a perpetrator in order to aid law enforcement in narrowing the field of suspects.
Criminologist - Scientists who study crime, criminals and criminal behaviour.
Crown - An enamel cover (on teeth).
Cyanide - A chemical compound comprised of carbon and nitrogen. Cyanide is water-soluble and is used in ore processing solutions to extract gold from crushed rock.
D
Deception - The act of deceiving.
Decomposed - Decayed; broken down into parts.
Defuse - To remove the triggering device from (a weapon).
Diagnosis - To process of testing to identify other problems.
DNA – Deoxyribonucleic acid. The genetic material contained in cells.
DNA Profile – A composite of genetic markers uniquely characterising an individual.
DNA Profiling – Creating a DNA fingerprint from a biological sample for use in comparison and the identification of an individual.
E
Electrocution - Death brought about by electricity.
Entomologist - Entomolgy is the study of insects, and the forensic entomologist looks for the presence of different types of insects and larvae to help determine time and location of a crime. They are vital to proving whether a crime took place at the scene, or another location. The entomological evidence can assist in proving where a crime took place, and how long ago.
Enzyme - A protein that accelerates the rate of chemical reactions. Enzymes are catalysts that promote reactions repeatedly, without being damaged by the reactions.
Evidence - Proof or disproof. It can be physical (blood, or a weapon) or testimonial (witness statements). Any items, documents and statements that are included in a legal investigation for the jury’s or judge’s consideration in the determination of an individual’s guilt or innocence.
Expert Witness – An individual with a specialised knowledge of a certain field that can assist in the understanding of complicated information or offer an expert opinion.
F
Femur - Also called the thighbone, is the long bone between the hip and the knee.
Fibre - A fine, threadlike piece; matter made from such threads.
Filling - A dental appliance consisting of any of various substances (as metal or plastic) inserted into a prepared cavity in a tooth; "when he yawned I could see the gold fillings in his teeth. An informal British term for `filling' is `stopping'.
Fingerprint – The unique pattern created by the ridges found on the palm side skin of fingers and thumbs.
Floater – A corpse found in water, often floating due to the built up on gas in the abdomen resulting from decomposition.
Forensic Anthropologist - Scientist who studies human bones and skeletal structures.
Forensic medicine - A branch of medical science that uses medical knowledge for legal purposes.
Forensic Scientist - People who process and analyse evidence in a crime case. They can specialise in analysing fingerprints, blood splatter, DNA, firearms, firearms (guns or bullets) impressions (tyre tracks and shoe prints) tool marks or other areas.
Forgery – An attempt to replicate the original item and pass it off as authentic.
G
Generalisation - The process of making statements about the general population on the basis of relevant research.
Graphology – The art of determining individual characteristic traits of a person based on his or her handwriting.
Grid Search – A crime scene searching pattern. The scene is segmented into smaller areas, each of which is individually searched for evidence.
Gun Shot Residue – Also known as GSR. The unburned powder propelled from a gun when a bullet is fired. It will often be found on the clothing or skin of the shooter or victim.
H
Habit - An established custom.
Haemorrhage - To bleed severely.
Hemastix – A presumptive blood testing tool.
Haemoglobin – This is the protein in a red blood cell responsible for carrying oxygen in the bloodstream.
Haemorrhage – A severe bleed.
High-Risk Victim – An individual who is continuously exposed to danger, such as drug users and prostitutes.
HITS – Homicide Investigation racking System, Washington State’s database used to link violent crimes through signature analysis.
Homicide – Murder, a death caused by another person.
Hypothermia - This situation occurs when the core temperature of one's body falls below normal. It is the failure of the body to maintain adequate production of heat under conditions of extreme cold.
I
Impression Evidence – The evidence left by anything that leaves a kind of impression at the scene or on an item, such as footprints, tire tracks, or tool marks.
Indent – An impression left on paper caused by the force from a pen tip.
Infrared - Light that is so red humans cannot see it. A band of the electromagnetic spectrum between the visible and the microwave. Photons of infrared light are less energetic than photons of visible light.
Infrared spectroscopy (IR Spectroscopy) - A type of spectroscopy that uses the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. The infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum; electromagnetic wave frequencies below the visible range.
Insanity – The legal term for a mental disease or defect that may essentially absolve the person of responsibility.
L
Lacerations - Anything that has been torn roughly for example - a rough cut.
Larvae - The young of any insect which goes through metamorphosis (changes in body structure) before becoming an adult.
Locard’s Exchange Principle – Every contact leaves a trace. A theory stating that anyone who enters a crime scene will leave something behind or take something away.
Luminal spray - A substance used to enhance fingerprints.
Luminescence - Emission of light by chemical or electrical means.
M
Maggots - The larvae of flies and other insects that live on rotting food.
Manner of Death – The way in which death was caused; homicide, suicide, accidental, natural, or undetermined.
Mass Killer – An individual who kills many people at the same time.
Medical Examiner - Doctor who examines bodies and performs autopsies to determine the time and cause of death.
Meteorologist - Forensic meteorology is the process of reconstructing weather events for a certain location. The forensic meteorologist reviews weather reports, radar and satellite images, and conducts interviews with witnesses to determine the weather at the time of a crime, and if this data matches up with the rest of the evidence.
Mitigating Circumstances – Factors that may diminish the degree of guilt in a criminal offence, such as age or influence of drugs.
Murder - A manner of death in which one person kills another. Murder is the most serious way of causing the death of another person under the law. It can also be manslaughter (a less serious charge).
Musicologist - As the name suggests the musicologist is an expert who looks for musical or audible evidence and identifies the source. This could be listening to noises in the background of an audio or video recording to attempt to identify time and location.
N
Naked eye - The eye, unaided by any optical instrument that alters the power of vision or alters the apparent size or distance of objects; "it is not safe to look directly at the sun with the naked eye".
Nucleus - A part of the cell containing DNA and RNA and responsible for growth and reproduction.
O
Odontologist - This specialist is also known as a forensic dentist. They examine evidence related to teeth and bite marks, and also assist in the identification of a person by their dental records.
Optical - Optical means something that pertains or is designed to assist sight; pertaining to or using light.
Ossification (osteogenesis) - A three-stage process by which bone is formed. The first step is the formation of a mesh of collagen fibers. Next, the body produces a "cement" substance (polysaccharide). Finally, small crystals of calcium salts are deposited into the cement to form bone.
P
Palynologist - Forensic Palynologists are experts in the field of pollens and powders that can be found at a crime scene. Like the entomologist, they search for evidence that a crime took place at a certain location, and examine clothes to determine if a suspect had likely been at a scene based on the trace amounts of the environment they collect just by being there.
Pathologist - Pathologists are trained medical doctors who attempt to determine the cause of death of a person. They conduct autopsies and present evidence to the cause of death of a person in a court of law.
Pattern Evidence – Evidence which can be read from a specific pattern, such as a show impression.
Perpetrator - The person who commits a crime.
Petty crime - A small crime such as minor theft or trespass.
Physical Evidence – Is any item relevant to an occurrence of a crime.
Polygraph - A medical instrument that records several physiological processes simultaneously (e.g. pulse rate and blood pressure and respiration and perspiration).
Prosecutor - The lawyer that represents the government.
Postmortem – After death.
Postmortem Interval – PMI. The time since death.
Protocol - A set of formal rules describing how to transmit data, especially across a network. Low-level protocols define the electrical and physical standards to be observed, bit- and byte-ordering and the transmission and error detection and correction of the bit stream. High-level protocols deal with the data formatting, including the syntax of messages, the terminal-to-computer dialog, character sets, and sequencing of messages.
Psychiatrist - Forensic psychiatrist are the link between psychiatry, the stud and treatment of mental disorders, and the people that suffer from them, and the justice system. They interview accused criminals and determine if that person is competent to stand trial.
Psychological Profile – A method of gathering speculative information regarding a suspect’s psychological makeup in order to aid the investigation.
Puncture Wound – An injury caused by the piercing of the body, often by a hand-held object.
Putrefaction – One of the final changes to take place in the human body, essentially the anaerobic bacterial digestion of the remains.
R
Ransom - An exchange or buy back for money; under threat.
Residue - Matter that remains after something has been removed.
Ridge Characteristics – The endings, bifurcations, enclosures and similar ridge details in a fingerprint.
Rigor mortis - The stiffening of the body muscles after death.
Ritual - Stereotyped behaviour.
S
Serrated - Containing sharply pointed teeth.
Serial Crime – Any crime occurring in a pattern indicating a single offender.
Serial Killer – An individual who has murdered three or more people with a cooling-off period in between.
Serologist - Serologists search for evidence of bodily fluids that may be found at a crime scene, either from the victims or the accused criminal. They may also be involved in blood spatter analysis or the collection of DNA from the fluids they have collected.
Signature Crime – A crime scene bearing the individual ‘stamp’ of a particular offender.
Solvents - Liquids, usually petroleum based, that can dissolve solids and keep them in solution. May contribute to pollution through evaporation.
Speculative Search – A search based on information rather than actual evidence.
Spree Killer – An individual who murders numerous people with no cooling-off period in between.
Stippling – Minute burn marks left by gunpowder as it leaves the gun, also known as tattooing.
Strangulation - The condition of having respiration stopped by compression of the air passage.
Subconscious - Subconscious mind: psychic activity just below the level of awareness.
Super Glue Fuming – A method of developing latent fingerprints using the fumes of cyanoacrylate or a similar substance, which adheres to the oils in the fingerprint, visualising it.
T
Tape Lift – An adhesive used to lift trace evidence from a crime scene or object.
Textiles - Clothes and fabrics.
Toxicologist - Toxicologists research and assess the effects of chemicals on a person or the environment, and perform carefully designed studies and experiments. Forensic toxicologists look for toxic substances in a crime scene, and act as experts when presenting this evidence in court
Trace Evidence - Evidence such as hair, fibres, dust or soil particles, paint flakes or other microscopic material that can link a suspect to a place where a crime was committed.
Trajectory – Trajectory is the path of a fired projectile.
Trauma - A physical injury or wound caused by an external force of violence, which may cause death or permanent disability. Trauma is also used to describe severe emotional or psychological shock or distress.
U
Ultraviolet - Of or relating to the range of invisible radiation wavelengths from about 4 nanometers, on the border of the x-ray region, to about 380 nanometers, just beyond the violet in the visible spectrum.
Ultraviolet light - Radiation lying in the ultraviolet range; wave lengths shorter than light but longer than X rays.
V
Vagus nerve - Either of two cranial nerves extending through neck into thorax and the upper part of the abdomen - a pneumogastric nerve.
Verdict - The finding or answer given to the court by the jury.
Vertebrae - One or twenty-four moveable segments of the human spinal column. Two vertebrae adjacent to each other form a motor unit.
W
Whorls – A pattern within a fingerprint in which the ridge makes at least one complete circuit.
Wisdom teeth - The third molar teeth, the last in each quadrant.
X
X-rays - Invisible, highly penetrating electromagnetic radiation of a much shorter wavelength than visible light, discovered in 1895 by Wilhelm C. Roentgen. Most applications of X rays are based on their ability to pass through matter. They are dangerous in that they can destroy living tissue, causing severe skin burns on human flesh exposed for too long a time. This property is applied in x-ray therapy to destroy diseased cells. See Ionising radiation.