Optional Paper - II: Law and Forensic Science

Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Law University, Jaipur · LL.B. Semester 4 · 4.5.2

Unit I — FORENSIC SCIENCE AND LAW

1.1 Nature, Need and Scope of Forensic Science · 1.2 Forensic Science Laboratories and Forensic Science Institutions in India · 1.3 Services Provided by Forensic Science Investigators; Functions and Responsibilities of Forensic Scientist · 1.4 Importance of Forensics in the Criminal Justice System · 1.5 Forensic Principles: Locard’s Law of Exchange, Law of Individuality, Law of Comparison, Law of Progressive Changes and Law of Probability

Introduction and branches of forensic science

Unit II — GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION AND EVIDENCE COLLECTION

2.1 Crime Scene Investigation – Process, Planning, Organization and Coordination, Importance, Problem and Evaluation · 2.2 Preservation of Crime Scene and its Evidence, Methods for the Preservation of Crime Scene and Evidence; · 2.3 Crime Scene Management: Documentation of the Scene – Photography/Videography and Sketching, Recognition and Recovery of Physical Evidence, Possession Log · 2.4 Forensic Evidence: Physical, Biological, Chemical, Digital and Psychological; · 2.5 Significance of “Chain of Custody” and Expert Witness

Forensic evidence and types of forensic evidences

Unit III — FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY AND ADMISSIBILITY OF FORENSIC EVIDENCE

3.1 Definition and Fundamental Concepts of Forensic Psychology · 3.2 Role of Forensic Psychology in the Investigation of Crime · 3.3 Criminal Profiling, Overview of Polygraph (Lie Detection), Narco-Analysis, Brain Mapping · 3.4 Admissibility and Evidentiary value of Narco-Analysis, Brain Mapping, Psychological assessment and Polygraph tests · 3.5 Admissibility of Forensic Evidence in Court: Admissibility of Expert Testimony and Evidence in Court, Frye Standard and Daubert standards

Unit IV — SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES

4.1 Ballistics - Classification of firearms/ammunition, firearms evidence collection and its admissibility in Law · 4.2 Fingerprint - Classification of fingerprints, method of collection, judicial response and admissibility in Law · 4.3 DNA Fingerprinting - DNA profiling, Application of DNA, Admissibility of DNA Evidence, Judicial response and DNA Technology · 4.4 Toxicology and Chemical Analysis - Classification of Poisons, Significance of Post Mortem. Types of Illicit Drugs · 4.5 Digital Forensic and Cyber Forensics - Types of cybercrimes, admissibility of electronic evidence, Cyber Security and Cyber Hygiene.