Forensic Institute
Forensic Institute
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Transcription of the NFI Corporate Film
18-07-2008 | wmv-file, 10:16 min., 35,5 Mb
If necessary, forensic experts from the Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI) are present at the crime scene. They give independent forensic advice on the finding of and the best possible way to safeguard trace evidence.
The NFI provides a great variety of forensic services, making use of the latest technologies and scientific insights.
Clients of the NFI are: police, prosecution councils, judiciary and in some cases the defence. The NFI also does research for other national as well as international organisations, such as the Internal Revenue Service, criminal courts and the UN.
It’s possible to construct a three-dimensional model of the crime scene. The advantage of such a model is that it provides more insight into the situation. Thus, it’s possible for example to make visible reconstructions of ballistic trajectories and blood trail patterns.
In a complex case various research areas of the NFI will be involved. During a so-called ‘forensic intake’, experts from the NFI and the client are both present. Here, agreements are made about the kind of casework the NFI will undertake on behalf of the client.
The pathologist’s task is to determine the cause of death. In this case, the investigative question is whether or not the victim’s death was caused by the bullet.
Immediately after the autopsy the pathologist writes a report.
It is of the utmost importance to prevent evidence from the suspect and the victim getting mixed up. However, evidence from the suspect may be also found on the victim.
To guarantee the quality of the investigation, extensive measures are taken throughout the process to prevent contamination. That is, the pollution or mixing up of evidence. The work processes are also carefully monitored.
Evidence such as ballistic traces may also be found on a suspect.
Gunshot residues that are released from the sides, the bottom or the top of the firearm are deposited on, for example, the hands or sleeves of the shooter. The shooting hand of the possible shooter is examined by taking samples from the hands. The samples are analysed by means of this scanning electron microscope (SEM). This way, it can be determined whether someone has gunshot residues on their hands.
Almost everyone has a computer at home. Often it contains information that is important to the investigation.
A laptop opened up at the NFI is examined and data is read out on a different computer.
During a comparative glass analysis the NFI examines the relation between glass found on the suspect and glass from the crime scene. With this device, the Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICPMS), the elemental composition of a glass splinter can be analyzed, for example, to see if a person or object has been in contact with the broken vase from the crime scene. Regular appeals to this special device of the NFI are often made from abroad.
Perpetrators often think that destroying a telephone will wipe out all the evidence. However, the NFI has developed a technology to read out chips from apparently destroyed cell phones.
The NFI invests a lot in research and development so that its services are continually being improved and updated according to the needs of the client. It allows the institute to meet the changes in forensic questions, making use of the latest technological developments. Sometimes knowledge and technology have to be brought in from outside. For that purpose, the NFI collaborates with knowledge institutes, universities and the business world.
Even when the investigation has been completed and the report has been handed in, the work of the forensic experts is not always finished. They can be called upon during the trial, as expert witnesses.
The field of forensic technical research develops rapidly. The interest in the work of the NFI has increased a lot. It’s only logical that the institute keeps examining itself critically. The NFI invests in expertise and innovation in response to social, technological and scientific developments. The NFI plays a leading role in this process, also in an international context.
