A forensic investigation is the practice of lawfully establishing evidence and facts that are to be presented in a court of law. The word forensic is derived from the Latin word forensis and means “of or before the forum.” It was used as early as the Roman Empire when people accused of crimes were brought before a public group and allowed to argue their case. In modern times, the term is used for nearly all investigations, ranging from computer crimes to murders. When most people think about a forensic investigation, they think about crime scene investigation, but there are other forms of forensic investigation.

The type of forensic investigation most people know about revolves around violent crimes. Forensics used in these investigations can uncover scientific evidence that may provide enough proof or evidence to convict a violent criminal, or to disprove outdated evidence that could lead to the release of someone who was wrongly convicted. The main kinds of evidence this form of forensic investigation yields are biological or DNA evidence, such as blood spatter and hairs; impression evidence, like fingerprints and tire tracks; and weapon identification, the microscopic examination of firearms and tools for the purpose of matching weapons to wounds. After the evidence is carefully collected at the crime scene, it is typically processed inside a crime lab.

Another fast-growing division is digital or computer forensics. This is a branch of science involving legal evidence that is found in digital storage mediums and in computers. This field of forensic investigation has several subdivisions including database forensics, firewall forensics, and portable or mobile device forensics. Digital forensic investigation is useful in a variety of situations, such as the examination of a defendant’s computer system to look for evidence, or to recover lost data after a system-wide computer crash. Careful handling and presentation of digital evidence is necessary in order for it to be admissible in a courtroom setting.

There are several other subdivisions of forensic investigation that help with the collection of factual evidence. Investigators specializing in entomology conduct investigative examinations of insects on or near human remains to help determine location and time of death. Forensic odontology is the investigation of dentition, or teeth, which is often crucial in the identification of human remains. Other subdivisions include forensic anthropology, forensic geology, and forensic toxicology. Investigators in all of these divisions carry out exacting techniques to collect sufficient data that will be used to prove or disprove accusations of criminal or civil wrongdoing.