READ: Trace Evidence and Microscopes

How and Why are Microscopes Used?

Though microscopes have been used for hundreds of years to investigate scientific queries, they were not used in Forensic Science in any great amount until the early 1900s. Today, microscopes are a very important part of the crime lab; whether examining skin cells, hair or fiber evidence, microscopes enable the scientist to see details not visible to the naked eye. Microscopes are also used to locate, isolate, identify, and compare samples. In general, there are six types of microscopes used in Forensic Science:

Each of the microscopes used in Forensic Science has different features which lend themselves to various functions and capabilities in the crime lab. While some of the microscopes are used as a preliminary tool to locate or survey evidence, others are used to identify crystalline structures or to view the minute surface details on a specimen of evidence. Without microscopes, Forensic Science would not be able to identify and compare many pieces of evidence due to their size or uniform appearance to the unaided eye. Microscopes are incredibly versatile and useful in detecting these tiny characteristics that would go unnoticed otherwise.

Though microscopes are very useful in the crime lab, one must always be very careful to remain objective when evaluating microscopic evidence. Being objective simply means that any observations made are based only upon facts. A forensic scientist must make careful observations of the evidence that are without opinion or assumption and always remain objective throughout analysis of evidence. If a scientist does not remain objective while evaluating evidence, he or she risks the evidence becoming inadmissible to court, reaching the wrong conclusion or even implicating an innocent person in a crime.

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