Forensic Science

The term, "forensic science," encompasses a range of disciplines employed for legal purposes. Depending on the branch of science, forensic professionals may include, among others, physicians, nurses, chemists, and coroners. These individuals' expertise may be applied to both civil and criminal investigations. It can provide a means for determining cause of death in murder investigations, and can also be used to determine suspects' guilt or innocence in cases of sexual assault. Obviously, given the broad scope of the forensic sciences, abundant opportunity exists for those seeking a career in this field. Moreover, of the many different options available, some may be particularly suitable for women.

Forensic science combines scientific knowledge with the basic principles of law (Lynch 14). The word, "forensic," may be defined as "belonging to the courts of justice" (Wetther 23). Additionally, "science" can be defined as a particular branch of knowledge. Hence, "forensic science" is the application of some branch of science to the law. This broad classification encompasses many different subspecialties. For example, pathologists, psychiatrists, and other physicians may practice forensic medicine. In addition, there are a variety of subspecialties in forensic nursing. Thirdly, forensic scientists may also include chemists and molecular biologists. Despite the diversity inherent to forensic professionals as a group however, all are committed to

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oo the examination of crime victims in hospital emergency departments. These professionals share a mutual responsibility with the criminal justice system with regard to both the survivors and the perpetrators of violent crime. In addition to physicians, forensic nurses can also make an important contribution to the medical branch of forensic science. Such nurses may be defined in a community mental health role; they make an important contribution to medico-legal nursing. For example, in the U.S., there is currently a lack of physicians skilled in sexual assault examination. Moreover, many physicians are lacking in expert witness testimony ability; whereas others lack the interpersonal skills necessary to provide for continuity of care between the hospital emergency department and the courts (Lynch 9). Such needs, however, can be adequately served by the various forensic nursing subspecialties. In general, the role of the forensic nurse is complementary to that of physicians. For example, the sexual assault nurse examiner, examines adult and pediatric sexual assault victims. Typically, such nurses are skilled in advanced physical assessment, stabilization of the victim's emotional state, collection of forensic evidence,

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