Forensic serology studies blood and bodily fluids to aid in criminal investigations, including determining victim and suspect information, cause of death, and DNA analysis. It is often used in violent crimes and can be pursued by serologists, biologists, and medical examiners. Blood evidence can also be used to find perpetrators through DNA matching.
Forensic serology is the study and use of blood and other bodily fluids in the investigation and resolution of criminal cases. This field of study typically focuses on blood evidence, although other fluids such as saliva and semen can also be used and provide a great deal of information. Blood evidence at a crime scene, especially a violent crime, can be used to establish certain information about a victim or possible suspect, including gender, age range, and probable ethnicity. Forensic serology is often closely related to the study of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and may be involved in DNA typing and analysis.
The field of forensic serology can be pursued by serologists, biologists, and medical examiners. Some criminal investigation facilities may have a dedicated forensic serologist, although this is quite rare and blood evidence investigations are typically handled by other forensic lab technicians. Blood evidence is one of the most common and important types of evidence, especially for violent crimes, and can be used in reference to both victims and perpetrators. Through forensic serology, the cause of a victim’s death can sometimes be determined, and any traces of blood or other bodily fluids left at the crime scene can be traced back to potential suspects.
Forensic serology will often study blood from a body found at a possible crime scene to help establish the cause of death. A blood sample can be tested for toxins that could indicate the presence of drugs or poisons in a person’s system that could have caused their death. Similarly, through DNA analysis, a person can potentially be identified without recognizable features, dental records, or fingerprints as compared to other DNA samples. While forensic serology is not always used to analyze DNA evidence, the two fields have become increasingly interconnected as technology has advanced.
This type of DNA evidence, often analyzed through forensic serology, can also be used to find perpetrators of crimes. If blood or other fluids not belonging to a victim are found at the crime scene, they can be analyzed for information on possible suspects. DNA and blood can indicate a person’s gender, give clues about age through the presence of vaccines or diseases, and even suggest an ethnicity based on common traits found in blood. Once a suspect is found, DNA matching can often be used to prosecute or release a person, as blood and other bodily fluids can create a direct link between a violent crime scene and an attacker.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
