Challenges faced when examining controlled dangerous substance (CDS) evidence, bloodstain patterns, and DNA evidence include potential contamination of the samples due to the wrong handling and collection techniques. Additionally, laboratory analysis can be disrupted or hindered if proper protocol is not taken from start to finish to ensure the accuracy of results. Furthermore, the chain of custody must be maintained throughout the process to hold up in court. For any evidentiary value, it has to remain intact – meaning that all persons who have had contact with the sample must sign off that they interacted with said sample (Stuart, 2020). Finally, one other challenge is when dealing with trace amounts or small quantities collected at a crime scene; an accurate weight measurement may not be probable enough without special equipment, which can sometimes take a long time to obtain and prove expensive should funds get tight during prosecution proceedings.
Two ways these challenges can be minimized include carefully maintaining records on training sessions regarding proper collection techniques as well as utilizing supervisory staff or professionals trained in drug analyses during sample collections at crime scenes alongside law enforcement personnel who are under direct supervision to achieve accurate measurements of suspected contraband/substances being analyzed before hand over for testing at laboratories approved by local authorities as required by state laws (Maricque et al 2020). Additionally, a committee of forensic personnel should be established at the regional level to plan, develop and enforce protocols that ensure proper evidence collection and storage during prosecutions to maintain chain of custody and prevent contamination in samples.
DNA evidence presents one of the most difficult challenges when collecting proof due to its complexity, uniqueness, sensitivity, and potential destruction; even though minor inconsistencies can prove catastrophic for convictions in court cases, using it as the significant component of their case’s collateral points or defense strategy argues against it even if accurate results are obtained from laboratory experiments with regards to testing procedures used on them compared to other types such CDS or bloodstain patterns which have much more lenient requirements for accuracy thanks to their very nature with respect time frames since crime scene was discovered Gardner,2022).
Bloodstain pattern analysis is an effective method used by forensic scientists when dealing with situations where direct physical contact between perpetrators and victims had not occurred but may still exist inside a given scenario – typically after special stains are applied to surfaces before being followed up by microscopic analyses under specialized lighting conditions that can only be found within laboratory settings complete facilities available only among serious scientific research foundations or universities/technical schools which offer courses related directly where this like this field are concerned (Joseph, 2022); additionally said stain can be analyzed with the naked eye where possible — such comparisons between patterns and size of pigments found at crime scenes can be used to circumstantially build a case against defendants who may not have been directly involved but that still possess some association with case either through direct involvement or by other associations by being present during in when incident occurred which is considered then as demonstrative evidence.
Conclusion
In conclusion, evidence collection and analysis of CDS, bloodstain patterns, and DNA pose unique challenges that should be appropriately addressed to ensure that forensic processes can produce accurate results. By carefully training personnel on proper evidence collection protocols and maintaining a chain of custody throughout any legal proceedings, as well as establishing committees tasked with creating guidelines for handling all types of forensics cases – one can minimize any potential issues that may arise during investigations or prosecutions related directly to this type of analyses performed. Finally, when differentiating between direct, circumstantial, or demonstrative evidence – it is essential to consider the nature in which each type carries its weight within a courtroom depending on the individual situation relative to an example like bloodstain pattern analysis where observed trace amounts of handled properly can provide investigators with a wealth possibility even without clear cut physical contact between perpetrator and victim is present in the given scenario.
References
Stuart, B., Borden Warrenne T., & Williams III JT (2020). Bloodstain Pattern Analysis: Guidelines to Enhance the Quality of Courtroom Testimony by Forensic Scientists and Crime Scene Investigators. Journal of Forensic Science & Criminal Investigation, 6(1), 13-27
Maricque, B., Gubbay, A., Balnymaraibeo Saharudin S., et al (2020). Challenges in DNA Evidence Collection and Preservation Techniques at the Crime Scene: Legal Implications towards its Admissibility in Malaysian Courts. Asia Pacific Management Review , 25(2), 128–138
Gardner, E. A., DellaRocco, R., & Bever, R. (2022). Forensic Science in the United States. I: Historical Development and the Forensic Science Laboratory System. Forensic Science Review, 34(2), 72-82.
Joseph, C. M. (2022). Forensic Biology: A Passport for Biological Evidence. In Crime Scene Management within Forensic Science: Forensic Techniques for Criminal Investigations (pp. 121-153). Singapore: Springer Singapore.
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