The document discusses several branches of forensic science, including forensic ballistics, forensic psychology, forensic questioned documents, digital forensics, and forensic toxicology. Each section outlines the key functions and provides hypothetical scenarios demonstrating how these disciplines contribute to solving crimes and securing convictions. The emphasis is on the application of scientific methods to analyze evidence related to firearms, psychological profiling, document authenticity, digital data recovery, and toxic substance analysis.

1. IFS
Lecture !!
Alana Dixon
Kristu Jayanti College Autonomous

2. Forensic
Ballistics
Forensic Ballistics is a branch of
forensic science that deals with the
examination of firearms, bullets, and
the effects of their use. It involves
studying the behavior of projectiles
(like bullets) and the damage they
cause, helping to link a bullet to a
specific firearm and determine what
happened during a shooting.

3. Key Functions of
Forensic Ballistics
Identifying Firearms
Analyzing Bullet
Trajectories
Determining the Range
of Fire
Examining Gunshot
Residue (GSR)
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4. Imagine a situation where a suspect is involved in a drive-by
shooting. The police recover several shell casings from the
scene. Forensic ballistics experts analyze these casings and
match them to a gun found in the suspect’s possession.
They also reconstruct the bullet trajectories to determine
the position of the car during the shooting. This evidence
plays a critical role in securing a conviction in court.

5. Forensic
Psychology
Forensic Psychology is the
intersection of psychology and the
legal system. It involves applying
psychological principles and
methods to understand the minds of
criminals, victims, and others
involved in legal cases. Forensic
psychologists help in profiling
suspects, assessing mental health,
and providing expert testimony in
court.

6. Key Functions of
Forensic Ballistics
Criminal Profiling
Expert Testimony
Risk Assessment
Victim Support and
Counselling
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7. Imagine a case where a serial arsonist is terrorizing a
community. The police have little evidence to go on. A
forensic psychologist is brought in to create a profile of
the arsonist based on the patterns observed at the
crime scenes. The profile suggests that the arsonist is
likely a young male with a history of mental health
issues related to anger. This leads the police to focus
their investigation on a specific suspect, who is
eventually caught and convicted.

8. Forensic Questioned
Documents
Forensic Questioned Documents is a
branch of forensic science that deals
with the examination and analysis of
documents that are in dispute.
These documents can include
handwriting, signatures, printed
materials, alterations, and more. The
goal is to determine their
authenticity, origin, or to detect any
tampering or forgery

9. Key functions
Handwriting and
Signature Analysis
Ink and Paper Analysis
Detection of Alterations
and Erasures
Examination of Indented
Writings
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10. Imagine a scenario where a business owner
discovers that a contract has been altered, favoring
the other party. The owner suspects foul play and
consults a forensic document examiner. The
examiner analyzes the ink, paper, and signature on
the contract, discovering that the document was
altered after it was signed. This evidence is
presented in court, helping the business owner win
the case.

11. Digital Forensics
Digital Forensics is a branch of
forensic science that focuses on the
recovery, analysis, and investigation
of data from digital devices. This
includes computers, smartphones,
tablets, and other electronic devices.
The goal is to uncover and preserve
digital evidence that can be used in
legal investigations.

12. Key Functions
Data Recovery
Analysis of Digital
Footprints
Examination of Digital
Devices
Preservation of Digital
Evidence
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13. Imagine a situation where a company
experiences a data breach, and sensitive
customer information is stolen. The company’s IT
team is unable to trace the source of the breach.
Forensic digital experts are brought in to
investigate. They analyze the company’s network
logs, recover deleted files, and trace the hacker’s
digital footprint back to a disgruntled former
employee. This evidence is used to prosecute the
individual responsible and strengthen the
company’s security systems

14. Forensic Toxicology
Forensic Toxicology is a branch of
forensic science that involves the
study of toxins, drugs, and other
chemicals in the human body. It
helps in determining whether these
substances contributed to or caused
harm or death.

15. Key Functions of
Forensic
Toxicology
Determining Cause of
Death
Detecting Drug Use
Identifying Poisoning
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16. Thank You