Forensic Technologie

Technology advancements in forensics have been of considerable importance in recent years. Recent examples include improved fingerprint recovery from metals, such as gun cartridges and bomb fragments, use of the chemistry of color to identify chemical and biological weapons, and sensing technologies that are improving the detection of drugs and explosives at security checkpoints. Other advancements include portable DNA profiling techniques used at crime scenes, greater accuracy in ascertaining the age at death of victims of crime, and developments in scanning.

These technological advancements have reduced per unit costs in practical applications, thus enhancing the affordability of forensic applications and increasing their market penetration. Greater use of DNA testing and other technologies has also brought high visibility to forensic testing. The number of crime laboratories in the U.S. performing forensic analyses has grown from 300 in 1999 to an estimated 475 in 2007. Looking at just the top 50 publicly funded forensic crime labs, such labs now have an aggregate annual budget of about $360 million. These laboratories analyze hundreds of thousands of samples annually.

Although the market for forensic analyses and related products is smaller than the market for biotechnology and pharmaceutical products, crime laboratory analyses serve a critical function and the forensics sector will expand significantly in the future. Advancements in technologies related to forensics, such as improved extraction of fingerprints from metals as in fragments and gun cartridges, portable use of color chemistry in identification of biological and chemical weapons, DNA-profiling techniques, and sensing technologies, which are aimed at improving detection of explosives and drugs at various security checkpoints, among others, have all played their part in increasing the market prospects for forensic technologies and services over the years. With the Internet emerging into a ubiquitous vehicle for communication, and transfer and storage of sensitive data, there has been a surge in Internet related crimes, and abuse of corporate and government information assets. Hacking into secure networks for unauthorized access and use of data, and illegal data compromises, such as unauthorized use of credit/debit card information, result in significant business losses, which creates a special need for computer forensics technology, including tools for collecting and analyzing electronic data for presenting it as evidence in a court of law. Another noteworthy growth driver for this market is the growing prominence of DNA testing. The heavily financed, researched, and scientifically validated field of DNA analysis has made DNA testing a de facto standard in forensic science. The increase in crime clearance rate has been directly attributed to the successful use of DNA technology. Forensic DNA diagnostics products and testing/analysis services are expected to benefit largely from the numerous government and federal level funding measures taken to upgrade the aging crime lab infrastructure. The government’s special focus on increasing the use of DNA technology for advancing the cause of justice will additionally drive gains in this space. DNA analysis, together with cyber/computer forensics and explosives investigation, has come to form an integral part of forensic science in the 21st century.