Editing Forensic science (section)

{{Short description|Application of science to criminal and civil laws}}
{{Redirect-several|Forensic|Forensics|Crime scene investigation}}
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'''Forensic science''', often confused with '''criminalistics''',<ref>{{Cite web |title=Criminalistics |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/science/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/criminalistics |access-date=5 March 2005 |website=[[Encyclopedia.com]] |postscript=. Article source: World of Forensic Science edited by K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth, Vol. 1, p. 183. Farmington Hills, Mi., [[Gale (publisher)|Thomson Gale]], 2006.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Criminology Vs. Criminalistics: What's the Difference? |url=https://bestaccreditedcolleges.org/articles/criminology-vs-criminalistics-whats-the-difference.html |access-date=April 21, 2025 |website=Best Accredited Colleges |quote=Criminalistics, also known as forensic science, is the application of scientific principles to provide evidence in criminal cases.}}</ref> is the application of [[science]] principles and methods to support legal decision-making in matters of [[Criminal law|criminal]] and [[Civil law (legal system)|civil law]].

During [[criminal investigation]] in particular, it is governed by the legal standards of [[admissible evidence]] and [[criminal procedure]]. It is a broad field utilizing numerous practices such as the analysis of [[Genetic analysis|DNA]], [[fingerprint]]s, [[Bloodstain pattern analysis|bloodstain patterns]], [[firearm]]s, [[ballistics]], [[toxicology]], [[microscopy]], and fire debris analysis.

Forensic scientists collect, preserve, and analyze [[evidence]] during the course of an investigation. While some forensic scientists travel to the scene of the crime to collect the evidence themselves, others occupy a laboratory role, performing analysis on objects brought to them by other individuals.<ref name="job desc">{{cite web | title=Job Description for Forensic Laboratory Scientists | website=Crime Scene Investigator EDU | date=12 November 2013 | access-date=28 August 2015 | url=http://www.crimesceneinvestigatoredu.org/forensic-scientist-job-description/ | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906092342/http://www.crimesceneinvestigatoredu.org/forensic-scientist-job-description/ | archive-date=6 September 2015 }}</ref> Others are involved in analysis of financial, banking, or other numerical data for use in financial crime investigation, and can be employed as consultants from private firms, academia, or as government employees.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Prosecutors just got millions of pages of Trump documents. His taxes are only the beginning.|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/prosecutors-just-got-millions-trump-documents-his-taxes-are-just-n1258876|access-date=2021-02-27|website=NBC News|date=25 February 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

In addition to their laboratory role, forensic scientists testify as [[expert witness]]es in both criminal and civil cases and can work for either the [[Prosecutor|prosecution]] or the defense. While any field could technically be ''forensic'', certain sections have developed over time to encompass the majority of forensically related cases.<ref name="aafs sections">{{cite web | title=Sections | website=American Academy of Forensic Sciences | date=27 August 2015 | access-date=28 August 2015 | url=http://www.aafs.org/about-aafs/sections/ | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150830013131/http://www.aafs.org/about-aafs/sections/ | archive-date=30 August 2015 }}</ref>