Forensic Science

Stevens 1

Corey Stevens

Language Arts Period 3-4

Ms. Truax

March 28, 2005

Forensic Science

Forensic scientists solve exiting and puzzling mysteries, which makes the unsolvable crimes solvable. Forensic science started in England in the 1780's. Scientists use microscopes that can magnify things from 1,500 to 250,000 times! This enables them to contribute like none other to the capture of criminals. In order to become a forensic scientist, first you must become a scientist first.

The history of forensic science goes back all the way to the 1780's in England. In 1783 scientists found many ways to identify criminals. One way was fingerprinting. They also used sketch artists and witnesses who saw the criminal. In 1787, scientists learned how to identify lethal poisons.

Identifying takes a very important role in the field of forensic science. Scientists use skilled drawings of major suspects drawn by a sketch artist. Another method of identifying criminals is fingerprinting. Not one person in the whole world has the same fingerprint. Your fingerprints start forming five months before you are born. Your fingers contain oil, sweat, and bacteria, which appear on glass, plastic, wood, and metal. Scientists use black powder to find and make the prints more visible. Scientists use a process called dactylography, which matches a finger to a similar one. Your toes also

have prints on them. Scientists use footprints to tell your weight, height, and witch way you were walking. Scientists also use teeth prints in a crime. Scientists look for prints in a sandwich and cups.

Scientists use many different tools in a crime. Scientists use thermometers to determine the time of death. Scientists also use a tape measurer to measure the distance between footprints. Scientists use microscopes that can magnify things from 1,500 times to 250,000 times! These microscopes are called electron microscopes. They use a beam of electrons to magnify the object. Scientists also use comparison microscopes, which are used to compare two things. They can see extremely small objects. They can enlarge things up to 1,500 times. They use light rays, which pass through the lens, which bends the light rays and magnifies the object.

To be a forensic scientist you need a bachelor's degree in college. If you would like to get in the field of forensic science, you must take a heavy concentration of science courses including biology, chemistry, and physics. Computer skills are also very important, especially for finger print identifiers. A number of colleges provide programs in forensic science, pathology and other versions of forensic science. Your salary could range from $20,000 to over $100,000 a year. You can make even around $250,000