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Duties and Tasks
Forensic scientists may perform the following tasks: - identify illicit drugs
- analyse drugs and poisons in human tissue and body fluids, including blood alcohol results
- examine and compare materials such as fibres, paints, cosmetics, oils, petrol, plastics, glass, metals, soils and gunshot residues
- examine human and animal biological material to be compared with victims and suspects using DNA profiling
- conduct botanical identification of plant materials at trace levels and whole-plant identification (e.g. cannabis)
- conduct document examinations, both physical (e.g. handwriting, typewriting) and chemical (e.g. analysis of inks and papers)
- examine crime scenes
- identify firearms and ammunition (forensic ballistics)
- detect, enhance, recover and identify latent fingerprints, footprints, tool marks, shoe marks, tyre marks and tracks
- examine fire and explosion scenes to establish the origin and cause
- improve the clarity of and analyse audio recordings
- produce reports, appear in court and present scientific and/or opinion testimony accurately and in a manner which is readily understood by the court
- make presentations to a wide variety of audiences on the work of forensic scientists
- keep contact with, and provide advice to, police investigators, scientists and pathologists across a broad range of disciplines.
Specialisations
A wide range of expertise is required for forensic investigations. A forensic scientist may specialise in chemistry, physics, biochemistry, molecular biology, botany, geology, metallurgy, pharmacology, toxicology, crime scene examination, firearms examination, fingerprint and document examination.
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Quick Facts
