What is the specialty of Forensic Science:

Forensic science, also known as criminology, is the application of science to criminal and civil laws, primarily - on the criminal aspect - during a criminal investigation, in accordance with legal standards of accepted evidence and criminal procedure.

Forensic scientists collect, preserve and analyze scientific evidence during an investigation. While some forensic scientists travel to crime scenes to collect the evidence themselves, others occupy a laboratory role, analyzing objects brought to them by other individuals. They are used to investigate financial crimes and may be employed as consultants from private companies, academia, or government employees.

In addition to their laboratory role, forensic scientists testify as expert witnesses in both criminal and civil cases and can work in either the prosecution or defense. While any field can technically be in forensic medicine, certain departments have evolved over time to include the majority of issues related to forensics. Forensic science is a combination of two different Latin words: forensic science and science. The former, forensic, relates to a discussion or examination that is conducted in public. Since trials in the ancient world were usually held in public, they carry a strong judicial connotation. The second is science, which is derived from the Latin word meaning "knowledge" and today is closely associated with the scientific method, which is a systematic method of acquiring knowledge. Forensic science together means the use of scientific methods and processes to solve the crime.

History of the Forensic Science Specialization:

The ancient world lacked standardized forensic practices, which enabled criminals to get away with it. Criminal investigations and trials relied heavily on forced confessions and witness testimony. However, ancient sources contain many accounts of techniques foreshadowing concepts in forensic science developed centuries later.

The first written account of the use of medicine and entomology to solve criminal cases is attributed to the book Xi Yuan Lu (translated as Washing Away of Wrongs), written by Song Si in China in 1248 (宋, 1186-1249), director of justice, prison, and supervision During the Song Dynasty.

Song Ci provided regulations regarding autopsy reports to the court, how to protect evidence in the examination process, and explained why forensic personnel must show impartiality to the public. He devised ways to make antiseptic and to promote the re-emergence of hidden injuries to corpses and bones (using sunlight and vinegar under the red oil canopy); to calculate the time of death (taking into account the weather and insect activity); Describe how to wash and examine the body to ascertain the cause of death. At that time, the book described ways to distinguish between suicide and counterfeiting.

In one of Song Ci's novels (Washing Away of Wrongs), the case of killing a person with a scythe is solved by an investigator who orders each suspect to bring his scythe to one place. (He realized it was a sickle by testing different blades on an animal's carcass and comparing the wounds.) Ultimately, flies are attracted by the scent of blood on a single sickle. In light of this, the owner of that scythe confessed to the murder. The book also described how to distinguish between a drowning (water in the lungs) and suffocation (broken neck cartilage), and described evidence from examination of cadavers to determine whether the death was caused by murder, suicide, or accident.

Methods from around the world included saliva and an examination of the mouth and tongue to determine innocence or guilt, a precursor to a polygraph test. In ancient India, some suspects were forced to fill their mouths with dried rice and spit it out again. Similarly, in ancient China, those accused of a crime would put rice powder in their mouths. In ancient Middle Eastern cultures, accusers would briefly lick hot metal rods. These tests are believed to have some validity [citation needed] because the guilty person produces less saliva and thus has a drier mouth; Defendants will be found guilty if the rice sticks to their mouths too much or if their tongues are badly burned due to the lack of protection from saliva. 

The importance of studying the specialty of Forensic Science:

Forensic science is one of the most important aspects of any criminal investigation, as it can allow authorities to do everything from positively identifying a suspect in a crime to determining exactly when and how the crime occurred. According to the National Institute of Justice, forensic science is the application of science to matters of law and can be used to match an individual's DNA, understand blood spatter patterns, and learn the composition of an unidentified drug. With forensic science, authorities can analyze physical evidence and feel confident in every decision they make about a criminal case. Additionally, forensic test results can be used in court to support admissible evidence at trial.

Forensic Science courses:

• Chemical biology.
• Bioanalytical techniques.
• Applied Statistics.
• Biochemical Toxicology.
• Molecular and Cellular Biology.
• Criminal Law and Evidence.
• Genetics and Development.
• Principles of human disease.

Fields of work for the Forensic Science major:

• Fingerprint Analyzer.
• Technician guides.
• Forensic science technician.
• Forensic specialist.
• Forensic Director.
• Forensic investigator.
• Forensic accountant.
• Forensic engineer.

Best Universities for Forensic Science in Turkey::

• Istanbul Uskudar University