Topic > History of Hair and Fibers in Forensic Science

The importance of examining a hair or fiber was documented in the early stages of forensic science. One of the first forensic science reports regarding the scientific study of hair was published in France in 1857. This introduced the idea of ​​hair and fiber analysis, and the field expanded rapidly in the early 20th century after the examination microscopic of the hair became known. In 1883, a landmark text on forensic science “The Principles and Practice of Medical Jurisprudence” by Alfred Swaine Taylor and Thomas Stevenson was published, where a chapter was written on the use of hair in forensic investigations and included drawings of human hair under magnification. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In 1910, a detailed study of hair titled "Le Poil de l'Homme et des Animaux" (The Hair of Man and Animals) was published by French forensic scientists Victor Balthazard and Marcelle Lambert. Numerous microscopic studies of the hair of most animals have been included in this text. In 1931 Professor John Glaister published "The Hair of Mammals from a Medico-Forensic Appearance" and "A Study of the Hair and Wool Belonging to the Mammalian Group of Animals, Including a Special Study of Human Hair" (1937). It has become an important and widely used resource for hair analysis information. In 1977, John Hick laid the foundation for the use of hair evidence by the forensic examiner in the publication of "Microscopy of Hairs: A Practical Guide and Manual". In this manual, the relevance of hair and fiber analysis in the field of crime has been established. These publications established the accuracy and validity of hair as part of forensic science. Forensic hair analysis has played a vital role in the courts since the early 1900s. The academic and scientific world had to consider hair analysis as an established science. The first examination of hair in a criminal investigation occurred on the occasion of the murder of the Duchess de Praslin in 1847. Dr. Edmond Locard, a French scientist, was a pioneer of forensic science, often informally called the "Sherlock Holmes of France", as he formulated the basic principle of forensic science: “Every contact leaves a trace”, that is, found or discovered by the investigation. Dr. Locard found that people are constantly picking up and transferring bits of hair, fibers, dust and other trace materials without realizing it. Dr. Edmond Locard determined that these material exchanges were critical to analyzing the crime scene. This became known as Lockard's Exchange Principle and formed the foundation of forensic science from the early 1900s to the present day. One practice of the Prince of Locard is fiber analysis. Fiber transfer can occur during close contact with the victim or suspect. Textile fibers can also be transmitted from carpets or blankets by contact between two individuals, between an individual and an object, or between two objects. Analysis of fibers found on a victim will involve determining the types of fibers present at the scene. Fibers found at the crime scene will not be as significant as a fiber found on a victim (who is present nowhere else at the scene). This is because if a similar fiber is found on a suspect, it can be powerful evidence linking the suspect to the crime. Please note: this is just a sample. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Customize essayFiber analysis is used by law enforcement agencies around the world to place suspects at crime scenes 1968.