STUDY MATERIAL
B.SC. FORENSIC SCIENCE – SEMESTER I
CORE I – BASICS OF FORENSIC SCIENCE
, BASICS OF FORENSIC SCIENCE
UNIT I - BASIC KNOWLEDGE IN CRIME
Definition of crime, characteristics of crime, classification of crimes, A brief ideas about
White collar crime, professional crime, organized crime, present scenario of crime in India
UNIT II - INVESTIGATION AND PHYSICAL EVIDENCE
Crime scene Investigation: Definition of Crime Scene. Classification of crime Scene: indoor
& outdoor, primary & secondary, macroscopic & microscopic crime scene. Significance of
crime scene, argument and ethics of crime scene. Physical evidence: Definition, classification
of physical evidence, types of physical evidences, sources of physical evidence, signification
and value of physical evidence, linkage between crime scene, victim and criminal, study of
some special crime scene such as mass disaster, terror attack, geological scene and explosive
etc.
UNITIII - BASICS OF FORENSIC SCIENCE
Introduction Global History and Scope, Need and Development Principles, emphasizing on
Specific contribution of Scientists in the field of Forensic Science.
UNIT IV - DOMAINS IN FORENSIC SCIENCE
Branches of Forensic Science, Police officers, Prosecution, Judicial Officers and Medico
legal expert etc. Role and Qualifications of forensic scientists. Code of conduct for forensic
scientists, Ethical issue in Forensic Science, professional standards for practice of
Criminalistics, sanction against expert for unethical conduct.
UNITV - FORENSIC SCIENCE LABORATORY
Structure and function of State and regional Forensic Science Laboratory, Central Forensic
Science Laboratory and facility provided, Mobile Forensic Science Laboratory. Directorate of
Forensic Science Service. Police and Forensic scientist relationship, role of FSL in criminal
investigation, relationship between forensic expert and judiciary officer, Importance of FSL,
National and International scenario of FSL, facilities provided in forensic science laboratory.
BOOKS FOR STUDY AND REFERENCES
,1. B.B. Nanda and R.K. Tiwari, Forensic Science in India: A Vision for the Twenty First
Century, Select Publishers, New Delhi (2001).
2. Suzanne Bell, Forensic Science: An Introduction to Scientific and Investigative
Techniques, Fifth Edition, (2019)
3. Forensic Science in Crime Investigation in written by B.S. Nabar, Asia Law House
Hyderbad Edition, (2018)
4. M.K. Bhasin and S. Nath, Role of Forensic Science in the New Millennium,
University of Delhi, Delhi (2002).
, UNIT I
BASIC KNOWLEDGE IN CRIME
An action committed or omitted, which constitutes an offence and is punishable by law, is a
crime. Crime is an unlawful act that is forbidden and punished by the State or the law. In
other words, anything which is injurious to public welfare is a crime.“A suspect” is a person
who is believed to have committed a crime, but has not yet been found guilty. If a suspect
received an arrest warrant, they might then be identified as a defendant; and after the suspect
was convicted or found guilty, they would be called an offender. “Victim” means a person
who has suffered any loss or injury caused by reasons of the act or omission for which the
accused person has been charged. “Witness”a person who gives testimony, as in a court of
law. a person who signs a document attesting the genuineness of its execution.
The main elements that make up a crime are:
1. Human Being
The first element of a crime is a human being. Any wrongful act to be called a crime must be
done by a human being. There must be a human being under a legal obligation to act in a
particular way, and it must also be capable of being punished.
2. Mens Rea
The second essential element of a crime is mens rea or guilty mind or evil intent. Mens rea
refers to the mental element that is necessary for a particular crime. Any wrongful act
committed by a human being cannot be called a crime if committed without evil intent. There
must be an evil intent while doing an act.
There is a well-known maxim– „Actus non facitreum nisi mens sit rea.‟ It means „the act
itself does not make a man guilty unless his intentions were so.‟ From this maxim, there came
another maxim- „actus me invitofactus non est mens actus,‟ which means „an act done by me
against my will is not my act at all.‟
3. Actus Reus
B.SC. FORENSIC SCIENCE – SEMESTER I
CORE I – BASICS OF FORENSIC SCIENCE
, BASICS OF FORENSIC SCIENCE
UNIT I - BASIC KNOWLEDGE IN CRIME
Definition of crime, characteristics of crime, classification of crimes, A brief ideas about
White collar crime, professional crime, organized crime, present scenario of crime in India
UNIT II - INVESTIGATION AND PHYSICAL EVIDENCE
Crime scene Investigation: Definition of Crime Scene. Classification of crime Scene: indoor
& outdoor, primary & secondary, macroscopic & microscopic crime scene. Significance of
crime scene, argument and ethics of crime scene. Physical evidence: Definition, classification
of physical evidence, types of physical evidences, sources of physical evidence, signification
and value of physical evidence, linkage between crime scene, victim and criminal, study of
some special crime scene such as mass disaster, terror attack, geological scene and explosive
etc.
UNITIII - BASICS OF FORENSIC SCIENCE
Introduction Global History and Scope, Need and Development Principles, emphasizing on
Specific contribution of Scientists in the field of Forensic Science.
UNIT IV - DOMAINS IN FORENSIC SCIENCE
Branches of Forensic Science, Police officers, Prosecution, Judicial Officers and Medico
legal expert etc. Role and Qualifications of forensic scientists. Code of conduct for forensic
scientists, Ethical issue in Forensic Science, professional standards for practice of
Criminalistics, sanction against expert for unethical conduct.
UNITV - FORENSIC SCIENCE LABORATORY
Structure and function of State and regional Forensic Science Laboratory, Central Forensic
Science Laboratory and facility provided, Mobile Forensic Science Laboratory. Directorate of
Forensic Science Service. Police and Forensic scientist relationship, role of FSL in criminal
investigation, relationship between forensic expert and judiciary officer, Importance of FSL,
National and International scenario of FSL, facilities provided in forensic science laboratory.
BOOKS FOR STUDY AND REFERENCES
,1. B.B. Nanda and R.K. Tiwari, Forensic Science in India: A Vision for the Twenty First
Century, Select Publishers, New Delhi (2001).
2. Suzanne Bell, Forensic Science: An Introduction to Scientific and Investigative
Techniques, Fifth Edition, (2019)
3. Forensic Science in Crime Investigation in written by B.S. Nabar, Asia Law House
Hyderbad Edition, (2018)
4. M.K. Bhasin and S. Nath, Role of Forensic Science in the New Millennium,
University of Delhi, Delhi (2002).
, UNIT I
BASIC KNOWLEDGE IN CRIME
An action committed or omitted, which constitutes an offence and is punishable by law, is a
crime. Crime is an unlawful act that is forbidden and punished by the State or the law. In
other words, anything which is injurious to public welfare is a crime.“A suspect” is a person
who is believed to have committed a crime, but has not yet been found guilty. If a suspect
received an arrest warrant, they might then be identified as a defendant; and after the suspect
was convicted or found guilty, they would be called an offender. “Victim” means a person
who has suffered any loss or injury caused by reasons of the act or omission for which the
accused person has been charged. “Witness”a person who gives testimony, as in a court of
law. a person who signs a document attesting the genuineness of its execution.
The main elements that make up a crime are:
1. Human Being
The first element of a crime is a human being. Any wrongful act to be called a crime must be
done by a human being. There must be a human being under a legal obligation to act in a
particular way, and it must also be capable of being punished.
2. Mens Rea
The second essential element of a crime is mens rea or guilty mind or evil intent. Mens rea
refers to the mental element that is necessary for a particular crime. Any wrongful act
committed by a human being cannot be called a crime if committed without evil intent. There
must be an evil intent while doing an act.
There is a well-known maxim– „Actus non facitreum nisi mens sit rea.‟ It means „the act
itself does not make a man guilty unless his intentions were so.‟ From this maxim, there came
another maxim- „actus me invitofactus non est mens actus,‟ which means „an act done by me
against my will is not my act at all.‟
3. Actus Reus
