Forensic Entomology
Forensic Entomology
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Introduction Forensic entomology combines the study of insects and other arthropods with the science of crime investigation. It entails any study of insects that interrelate with legal matters (Hall & Brandt, 2011). Whenever a murder crime takes place insects can accumulate in or on the body of the victim. In entomology, such insects are considered as part of the evidence. In this regard a major area of emphasis in forensic science is the use of insects in investigating geographical inferences and time estimation related to time and location of human death (John, 2012). Experts in forensic entomology can accurately estimate the time of death, and establish whether toxins or drug caused the death in question. At the moment there are many police agencies within the United States security dockets using forensic entomology to help in answering issues relating to death inquiry (Goff, 2000). Even though forensic entomology is useful in unraveling crimes involving murder, it is not only limited to this field. It is also applicable in cases that involve child neglect where the wounds are infested with insects, in cases involving stored foodstuff damaged by insects and in structural (buildings) entomology (Hall & Brandt, 2011). In investigation of human death, pathologists identify the type of the insects in the or on the human body, use different methods to estimate its age and provide a relative accurate estimate of time and cause of death. In an a forensic investigation involving insects one major assumption is made; that the human body has not been dead for a very long duration, longer than the time taken by the insect to get to the body and develop. In this respect the age of the oldest insect in the human corpse is the one that is used to determine the post-mortem interval (Erzinçlioglu, 2000; Amendt, 2010). Postmortem interval is a scientific jargon that is used to refer
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Date of Submission
Introduction Forensic entomology combines the study of insects and other arthropods with the science of crime investigation. It entails any study of insects that interrelate with legal matters (Hall & Brandt, 2011). Whenever a murder crime takes place insects can accumulate in or on the body of the victim. In entomology, such insects are considered as part of the evidence. In this regard a major area of emphasis in forensic science is the use of insects in investigating geographical inferences and time estimation related to time and location of human death (John, 2012). Experts in forensic entomology can accurately estimate the time of death, and establish whether toxins or drug caused the death in question. At the moment there are many police agencies within the United States security dockets using forensic entomology to help in answering issues relating to death inquiry (Goff, 2000). Even though forensic entomology is useful in unraveling crimes involving murder, it is not only limited to this field. It is also applicable in cases that involve child neglect where the wounds are infested with insects, in cases involving stored foodstuff damaged by insects and in structural (buildings) entomology (Hall & Brandt, 2011). In investigation of human death, pathologists identify the type of the insects in the or on the human body, use different methods to estimate its age and provide a relative accurate estimate of time and cause of death. In an a forensic investigation involving insects one major assumption is made; that the human body has not been dead for a very long duration, longer than the time taken by the insect to get to the body and develop. In this respect the age of the oldest insect in the human corpse is the one that is used to determine the post-mortem interval (Erzinçlioglu, 2000; Amendt, 2010). Postmortem interval is a scientific jargon that is used to refer
References: Amendt, J. (2010). Current concepts in forensic entomology. Dordrecht: Springer. Boca, R. (2012)..Arthropods in Legal Investigations. FL, USA: CRC Press Byrd, J. H. and Castner, J. L. (2007). Forensic Entomology : Utility of Arthropods in Legal Investigations. Erzinçlioglu Z (2000). Maggots, Murder,and Men: Memories and Reflections of a Forensic Entomologist. Colchester, UK: Harley Books Gennard, D. (2013). Forensic entomology: An introduction. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley. Goff M.L. (2000). A Fly for the Prosecution: How Insect Evidence Helps Solve Crimes. Cambridge, MA,USA: Harvard University Press Greenberg B, Kunich JC (2002). Entomology and the Law: Flies as Forensic Indicators. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press Hall,M and Brandt,A.(2011).Forensic entomology. The Natural History Museum in London, UK John,M. (2012). Use of insects to help solve crime. Retrieved from: http://www.einsteins-emporium.com/life/animal-info/insects/insect_identification.htm Kiely, T.F. (2005). Forensic Evidence: Science and the Criminal Law. CRC Press.