Hair examination is classified as considerably less invasive, and it is among the specialized approaches used in forensic science to investigate crimes. As are strands of hair that are left behind that can be useful in joining or suspecting certain crime scenes & in some cases may even determine the identity of the suspect. In this blog we will elaborate on how hair examination services help forensic investigators nail the bad guys and get to the bottom of things.

Hair Examination in a Forensic Setting

Hair examination in forensics therefore refers to study of hairs that are collected from scenes of crime. When hair samples are taken by the investigators, the samples are then observed under the microscope to look at the structure and other related features. It can reveal origin, color and state of hairs as well as evidence whether hair was pulled or cut, in other words, forcibly or naturally.

How Does Hair Examination Help in Forensic Science?

Hair evidence can be identified with different offenses such as intention of physical force offense, theft, and rape. Using forensic microscopy, hair left on garments or any surface can be used to match a suspect against a victim. Here's how hair examination assists forensic investigators:

Narrowing Down Suspects

Quite often hair analysis can reveal data about the person who lost the hair for example race, color, whether the hair was cut or dyed and if the hair was damaged or not. While this is not always going to result in identifying the suspect, it does narrow down the list of suspects considerably. For example, an offender-compliant hair might be dark and curly, while a non-suspect hair may be straight blonde.

Tying a Suspect to the Crime Scene

Police forensics can match the head of hair collected from a criminal scene to the head of hair collected from the main suspect. And if it turns out that the characteristics of the found hair are similar, then the probability that the suspect was at the scene will also rise. This makes analysis easier when presenting evidence before the courts since combined with other evidence such as fingerprints or DNA it will be easy to nail a suspect.

Identifying the Victim

Sometimes, hair can be useful in victim identification where the body is mutilated or not found at all. Forensic experts can collect evidence about a person’s identity by studying a hair strand left behind at the scene. In some circumstances relatives of the missing people can easily give hair samples for identification purposes.

Supporting DNA Analysis

One of the most important facts about hair examination service is that DNA may be found in hair especially if the root is there. It can be compared with the DNA of a suspect or victim, which provides clearer evidence of the involvement in the crime since hair contains DNA obtained therefrom. However, as will be obvious, the structure of the hair by itself can offer quite a lot of information even when the root is absent.

On this basis, the “hair examination” is considered to be the least invasive method of collecting DNA samples since hair seldom touches the skin surface and is easily shed, especially in profiles that have been designed by professionals for the purposes of sampling.

Techniques Used to Analyze Hair Evidence

Here are the primary ways how hair is analyzed by forensic scientists and the techniques, which are applied in this analysis. These methods enable them to examine the hair and place it in either the composed samples or the relevant samples. Here are some of the most common methods:

Microscopic Analysis

The simplest and the most commonly implemented technique is the microscopical examination. Forensic scientists then use high powered microscopes and take an opinion on whether the cuticle, cortex, and the medulla have been damaged. The outer portion of any hair is known as the cuticle through which one may find distinctive scale patterns that may be used to make comparisons. The cortex shows the hair’s pigmentation and gives its nature as being coarse or fine.

DNA Analysis

In cases where the hair sample taken has the root, the forensic scientists extract the DNA and use it to match with the participants. It is a very efficient technique that has a lot of valuable evidence in criminal trials. A single strand of hair containing the root can therefore provide conclusive evidence of linking a particular person to a crime scene.

Chemical Testing

Hair can also be subjected to a chemical test for the presence of such things as drugs, toxins, or even environmentally borne compounds. Such elements may include poison, which if taken by the suspect, is well illustrated in the hair and may be used to incriminate the suspect.

Limitations of Hair Examination

Hair examination however does have its limits When used singly hair examination is a very powerful tool. Hair by its nature is not unique and cannot be used for positive identification of an individual unless the hair carries DNA. Further, it should be noted that hair can carry contagions from one person or place to another, even if the two are not in direct contact with each other. For example, hair may get on someone’s clothing without having been at the scene at the time.

Conclusion

Hair examination services are very significant in solving any crimes and getting to grips with the offenders. When seeking to eliminate suspects or connect people to specific crimes, specifically crime scenes, hair evidence is beneficial to forensic investigators. Despite this, the analysis of hair has its good strengths as a form of forensic science when it is used in conjunction with other forms of forensic science to ensure that criminals are arrested and that victims find justice.