Comprehensive Introduction to Forensic Science and Sub-Disciplines

Forensic science represents the application of scientific or technical practices to the recognition, collection, analysis, and interpretation of evidence for several legal areas, including:
- Criminal law.
- Civil law.
- Regulatory issues.
A distinction is drawn between scientific practices and technical practices. Throughout training, it is essential to understand that not every practice utilized in forensic science is rooted in the scientific method.
Historically, certain practices have been identified as lacking because they were not sufficiently rigorous and were not built upon the scientific method.

The word forensic originates from the word fora.
Fora translates to "before the people" or "before the court" and is associated with being "subjected to a quorum."
The ultimate objective of forensic work is to place findings into a legal context. Examples of this work include:
- Making an identification, such as a DNA analyst identifying a victim.
- Excluding a specific suspect as the source of biological evidence, such as skin found underneath the fingernails of a victim.
Forensic science must be presented in a way that is understandable and explainable to a broad audience, regardless of their background.

The foundations of forensic science, particularly from a Western-based perspective, were initially established by the Greeks and Romans.
Forensic science is inherently multidisciplinary because it applies to diverse contexts including law enforcement cases, criminal cases, civil matters, and various legal issues.

The American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) serves as the primary overarching organization for the field within the United States.
The sub-disciplines of forensic science are diverse and include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Forensic Biology: Practiced at institutions like Western.
- Forensic Chemistry: Practiced at institutions like Western.
- Forensic Anthropology: Practiced at institutions like Western.
- Forensic Psychology: Notably not available at all institutions, such as Western.
- Criminalistics: A broad category covering various evidence types.
- Pathology: Associated with the work of medical examiners.
- Odontology: The application of dentistry to legal matters.
- Toxicology: The study of drugs and poisons.
- Wildlife Forensics: Specialized investigation of crimes involving animals and nature.
- Forensic Accounting: Financial investigations for legal purposes.
- Food Forensics: Includes specialized determinations, such as "wine and crap kind" determinations.

Forensic pathology involves the determination of how a disease or an injury specifically led to the death of an individual.
In the United States, there are five banners of death utilized by medical examiners and investigators. These include:
- Natural.
- [Further banners follow in the classification system.]