Thugs and Thieves, beware!
By ALOKE LAL
The advancement in human knowledge ironically comes with a flip side: it can be used for malevolent purposes also. As a new weapon is made, with the laudable objective to provide for protection against aggressors, it also becomes available to the latter.
The rapid strides in information technology are a case in point. The fact that a smart cell phone is available to all highlights, both, its positive uses by the well-intentioned law-abiding person, and undesirable applications for committing crimes by a malefactor. We hear of the distressing upsurge of cybercrimes as more and more users have access to smart phones.
The challenge thus posed needs to be countered – and the solution lies in application of more science. The world of crime has seen a sea change; the time is here to use science and technology as tools to deal with these posers.
What is investigation in the context of police detective work? The elements of who, what, when, where, why, and how are the basic aspects of any investigation. In a civilised society with democratic values as the basis for governance, investigations must adhere to principles of respect for human rights, legal procedure, and appropriate methodology. Apart from the humans involved in the crime, that is, the perpetrator, the victim and the witness; we have circumstances as a significant element to be considered. The crime scene is the storehouse of vital clues. The use of fingerprints is an old story (fingerprints have been in use for personal identification in the forensic community for more than one hundred years). Even the analysis of DNA can no longer be termed as today’s technology because it was used the first time for the purpose almost four decades ago.
Let us look at only a few new tools being used by modern police forces.
Carbon Dots Powders
Fingerprints are sometimes hard to see clearly. The reasons may be low sensitivity, low contrast, or high toxicity, and, at times, inhospitable surface with chemical obliterations.
Carbon dots (CDs), a new member of the carbon-based material family, possess unique properties, such as high fluorescence, non-toxicity, eco-friendliness, stability and cost-effectiveness. These properties helped CDs receive tremendous attention in various fields, including forensic science. Researchers have developed a fluorescent carbon dot powder that can be applied to fingerprints, making them fluorescent under UV light and subsequently much easier to analyse. With this new application, fingerprints will glow red, yellow, or orange.
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) has been used in many fields for many years, yet its application in forensic science is relatively new. This is primarily because all evidence and the analysis must stand up in court and the application of law is often on traditional lines. However, recent advancements have seen AI utilised successfully in many countries in all forensic components of a criminal case. While AI is most often used in digital forensics, it is increasingly used to analyse a crime scene, compare fingerprint data, draw conclusions from photograph comparisons, and more. It is a revolutionary technology with the reach of its applications an ever-expanding phenomenon.
It is an exciting new tool, and has given the investigator an effective method to recreate a scene of crime. Facial recognition and comparison is also greatly facilitated.
Nanotechnology
Analysing forensic materials at the nano-level can offer vital insights to scientists that previously were not available. Nano particles are particles that are measured in nano-meter scale (1nm = 1 billionth of a meter). Nanotechnology in conjunction with other technologies enables forensic scientists to analyse complex bits of evidence accurately and also find even the smallest traces of evidence at a crime scene. Nano-sensors are being utilised to examine the presence of illegal drugs, explosive materials, and biological agents on the molecular level. The uses of nano-technology in police work include, among other applications, collection and identification of trace fingerprints, explosive residue detection, DNA analysis, ion beam analysis. Nano[1]trackers are also being used to prevent thefts.
It is also used in screening of drug[1]facilitated crime (DFC), commonly termed as date rape (includes rape or other sexual assault, robbery, money extortion, and physical harm to all ages of individual under the influence of psychotropic substances). Nanotchnology helps in terms of sensitivity, cost-effectiveness, affordability, and capability of miniaturization and automation. The potential integration of all laboratory processes onto a nanoplatform is conceivably the most interesting development which may further minimize laboratory contamination issues.
Proteomics
Forensic scientists have traditionally relied heavily on DNA to determine a suspect or victim. However, advances in detecting and identifying proteins have made proteomes an essential forensic science tool. Proteomes are a complete set of proteins produced by an organism. Scientists can find proteomes in blood, bones and other biological materials and analyse them to find answers, such as if a victim came in contact with an otherwise undetectable venom, or matching a severely degraded body fluid sample to a perpetrator.
The exciting developments in the spheres of crime detection and prevention with emerging new methods are being introduced in many countries. India must seize upon the moment to lend an edge to her fight against crime.
(Aloke Lal is a former Director General of Police and a best-selling author of books on crime)
