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The study is devoted to the analysis of the possibilities of using the Stable Diffusion neural network for visualizing crime scenes and modeling criminal events. Thanks to the model's ability to generate high-quality and realistic images based on textual descriptions or other raw data, it opens new horizons for forensic investigations. In particular, Stable Diffusion allows you to create accurate crime scene visualizations, recreating the events before, during, and after a crime is committed. This approach contributes to the improvement of the analysis of crime scenes, more effective planning of investigative actions and hypothetical modeling of possible scenarios of the development of events. One of the unique features of the neural network is the possibility of reconstructing scenes based on textual descriptions, which is especially useful in judicial and investigative practice for presenting the evidence base and visualizing criminal events to jurors. The model also allows the use of interactive tools for studying crime scenes in different dimensions, which increases the accuracy and efficiency of forensic investigations. The article discusses in detail the technical possibilities of Stable Diffusion, including the stages of image generation, from random noise to full-fledged visualization. The possibilities of integrating a neural network with virtual reality (VR) systems and 3D modeling programs are analyzed, which opens up new perspectives in creating full-fledged virtual reconstructions of crime scenes. At the same time, the main challenges and limitations are discussed, including the need for high computing power, legal justification, and ensuring data privacy. Advances in machine learning technologies make Stable Diffusion a promising tool for improving forensics investigations and training. The paper also provides examples of interactive work with virtual scenes, when investigators can change model parameters for a better understanding of events. This allows for a comprehensive analysis of the crime scene, including taking into account various variables, such as viewing angle, changing lighting or other seasons, which significantly improves the decision-making process during investigative activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kurdish smugglers have been targeted and killed by security forces in Turkey's Van borderlands systematically and with impunity. In response, the killed smugglers' families and their lawyers conducted what I call vernacular counterforensics—the forensic examination both of the killings and of the legal authorities' failure to investigate them properly. Associating the Kurdish borderlands with terrorism, the legal authorities often avoided collecting evidence on the killings to make potential perpetrators remain unknown or legally authorize the killings. By documenting this impunity work through their counterforensics, Kurdish complainants and lawyers demonstrated the judiciary's complicity in the systemization of state anti‐Kurdish violence. While anthropological studies show that criminal law operates by individualizing violation claims and perpetrators, vernacular counterforensics illustrates a distinct use of criminal law that reveals, rather than blurs, the state crimes' systematic‐collective aspects. Rather than differentiating technoscientifically produced crime scene evidence from the political circumstances of state crimes, Kurdish complainants and their lawyers used the selective production of such evidence to corroborate the killings' unlawfulness and their systematic‐collective character. This dual use of forensic evidence permits us to rethink analytical and methodological premises that view forensic evidence as fully verifiable and universally applicable and contrast it against contextual and contingent knowledge forms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the time dimension is part of the definition of serial crime, little attention has been given to understanding offending timelines and the impact of patterns of shorter or longer delays between crimes on the evolution of series on the ability to link crimes. Given the scarcity of research focusing on the timelines of serial offenders, the current study aimed to (1) determine whether series can be classified based on their timeline trajectories (e.g., progressively shorter intervals or progressively longer), and (2) determine whether these timeline trajectories correlate with trajectories of behavioral consistency and change across series. Data included 43 homicide series encompassing 216 crime scenes. Trajectories were determined based on whether intervals increased, decreased, or remained consistent across series, and whether timeline trajectories and behavioral trajectories align. Results revealed that distinct timeline trajectories can reliably distinguish between series. Results also suggested a complex interaction between time between crimes and how this relates to behavioral consistency and change trajectories, thus, suggesting that time is a useful, but potentially separate dimension in the linkage process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Violent crimes are often pigeon-holed by bloodstain found at the crime scene. The science of analysing the bloodstains found at the crime scene is referred to as bloodstain pattern analysis (BPA). The bloodstain pattern analysis embraces analysts recognising and interpreting bloodstain patterns to uncover how they were bent, when they were created, who created them and what object was used. Bloodstain pattern analysis is an important technique for determining what happened at the crime scene and presenting answers to the crime that occurred. Bloodstain pattern analysis is a subfield of forensic science that utilises blood evidence to dive a conclusion about a crime and to illustrate the shadows of violent crimes. Though violent crime scenes that involve bloodshed often provide a prosperity of data in the form of the patterns, location, and possible causes of the bloodshed, it is unfortunate that such critical information can be missed and/or evidence demolished due to futile ways of protecting and preserving bloodstain patterns at the crime scene by the crime scene investigators from the Local Criminal Record Centre. The article took qualitative empirical approach where participants were interviewed with the permission obtain from South African police Services and ethical clearance acquired from the University of South Africa. Findings and recommendations in this article were significant for implementation by the police. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractDealing pollution cases as criminal offences requires proof beyond reasonable doubt for conviction. To meet this highest standard of evidentiary requirement, forensic professionals need to adopt the best tools and methods available to them. “Crime Scene Reconstruction” is a method adopted in traditional crimes to recreate the exact sequence of events leading to the crime from the physical evidences collected at the crime scene. This paper presents the adoption of the method of crime reconstruction to environmental crimes. All stages of traditional crime scene reconstruction, starting from recognition of physical evidence from the scene, its identification and individualization, collection of data, hypothesis formulation, it’s testing and final reconstruction are explained in the context of environmental crimes. An effective method to apply in the reconstruction of an environmental crime scene must rely on several experts of different scientific domains who are united in defining, through the search for evidences, the causal link that connects the “victim”, the “guilt” and the “perpetrator”. Often, the difficulty in such reconstruction is because the perpetrator’s motive is not really connected to environmental aspects, but only the consequential effects are revealed in the environment. However, even if the actions that caused the damage to the environment were not the real motive of the perpetrator, this does not redeem him from the responsibility of associated environmental crimes, but makes the process of reconstructing the crime more complex, especially in the search for the cause-effect relationship. The activity related to the analysis of an environmental crime scene is to be considered a situational awareness activity that aims to evaluate not only a specific action in a scene but the entire dynamics of a complex scenario. Considering the complexities that are characteristic of environmental crimes, we propose one more stage in addition to the general stages of traditional crime reconstruction, that of presenting the reconstructed scenario in a way that is easy for the legal fraternity to comprehend. Finally, the entire procedure of reconstruction is demonstrated using an actual case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the court put forward higher requirements for quantitative evaluation and scientific standards of forensic evidence, how to objectively and scientifically express identification opinions has become a challenge for traditional forensic identification methods. Score‐based likelihood ratios are mathematical methods for quantitative evaluation of forensic evidence. However, due to the subtle differences in inter‐class barefootprints, there is no automatic barefootprints matching algorithm with high accuracy under large‐scale dataset validation, and there are few studies related to deep learning barefootprint features for evidence evaluation in court. Therefore, score‐based likelihood ratios for barefootprint evidence using deep learning features are proposed by this paper. Firstly, the largest barefootprint dataset (BFD) is constructed, which contains 54,118 barefootprint images from 3000 individuals. Then, an automatic barefootprint feature extraction and matching algorithm is proposed, which achieves a retrieval accuracy of 98.4% on BFD and an AUC of 0.989 for barefootprint validation. Next, Cosine distance, Euclidean distance and Manhattan distance are employed to measure the comparison scores between intra‐class and inter‐class barefootprints using deep learning features in four dimensions of 64, 128, 512 and 1024, respectively. The performance of proposed model is evaluated by comparing the Cllr$$ {C}_{llr} $$ values and the Tippett plot. Finally, simulated crime scene barefootprint samples are constructed to verify the practical application of the proposed method, which provide further support for the quantitative evaluation of barefootprint evidence in court. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examines the coverage of femicides in a period of 3 years (January 2018 – December 2020) in German-language news. The content of 383 articles from 14 different Austrian, German and Swiss quality and tabloid newspapers was analysed, focusing on used labels, the contextualisation as a structural or individual issue, as well as on reported crime scenes, victim–perpetrator relationships, migration backgrounds and religious faith. The results inter alia show that femicides are rather contextualized as an individual tragedy than as a structural problem. Furthermore, the use of euphemistic and sensationalist labels such as “relationship drama” or “blood deed” differ significantly depending on the reported victim–perpetrator relationship. Gender-focusing labels such as “femicide” or “murder of women” were rather used when a perpetrator’s migration background was mentioned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal‐related crimes have increased with an increase in the number of pets worldwide, underscoring the importance of animal‐related biological evidence at crime scenes. Evidence obtained in cases involving dogs and cats often includes a mixture of human and animal DNA. In this study, we developed a method using droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) to simultaneously identify and quantitatively detect human, dog, and cat DNA in mixed samples. HLA‐DRA was chosen as a human‐specific marker, OR6D7 as a dog‐specific marker, and FLAI‐K as a cat‐specific marker. The species specificity of each target was confirmed using 14 control DNA samples from 11 mammals and 3 birds. Sensitivity tests determined the limit of detection to be 0.0008 ng/μL for human DNA and 0.00061 ng/μL for dog and cat DNA. In the mixture test, each DNA sample was independently and accurately detected in samples containing trace amounts of all three types of DNA. This study demonstrated the effectiveness of applying ddPCR to forensic case samples from dog‐ and cat‐related incidents. We have presented a reliable method for the accurate identification and quantification of human, dog, and cat DNA simultaneously, offering possibilities for advancements in forensic DNA analysis and related fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study of 21 youthful parricide offenders (YPOs) ages 11–21 examined the relationship between psychopathology, level of psychopathy, and crime scene behaviors, particularly two forms of “body management”: (1) “body movement” and (2) “body alteration.” Undoing, a form of body alteration reflecting psychological rather than practical needs, for example, to lessen guilt or symbolically reverse the killing, was present in one‐third of the sample. The sample shared common characteristics with juvenile parricide offenders overall in that most of them killed one parent, were victims of chronic child abuse, had one or more psychiatric diagnoses (PTSD was most prevalent), used a firearm, and committed the killings at the family home. Unexpectedly, YPOs who were child abuse victims were not more likely to engage in undoing behaviors than non‐abused youth, and over half of the youth with undoing behaviors had elevated psychopathy levels. Three‐quarters of youth who moved victim bodies following the murders had elevated psychopathy levels. Similarly, all three youth who transported bodies away from the crime scene had elevated psychopathy levels and conduct disorder. None of the youth with psychotic symptoms engaged in undoing behaviors, altered victim bodies, moved bodies either within or away from the home, or had an elevated degree of psychopathy; they also most often killed using bladed weapons, whereas the nonpsychotic youth usually used firearms. Studies examining the influence of mental illness and psychopathy level on parricidal behaviors by youth are scarce, and to our knowledge this is the largest study to date investigating this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern criminal investigations heavily rely on trace bodily fluid evidence as a rich source of DNA. DNA profiling of such evidence can result in the identification of an individual if a matching DNA profile is available. Alternatively, phenotypic profiling based on the analysis of body fluid traces can significantly narrow down the pool of suspects in a criminal investigation. Urine stain is a frequently encountered specimen at the scene of crime. Raman spectroscopy offers great potential as a universal confirmatory method for the identification of all main body fluids, including urine. In this proof-of-concept study, Raman spectroscopy combined with advanced statistics was used for race differentiation based on the analysis of urine stains. Specifically, a Random Forest (RF) model was built, which allowed for differentiating Caucasian (CA) and African American (AA) descent donors with 90% accuracy based on Raman spectra of dried urine samples. Raman spectra were collected from samples of 28 donors varying in age and sex. This novel technology offers great potential as a universal forensic tool for phenotypic profiling of a potential suspect immediately at the scene of a crime, providing invaluable information for a criminal investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Body disposal methods complicate homicide investigations, obscuring links between both demographic factors and crime scene behaviors. This study is a comprehensive empirical assessment of offender and victim demographics, alongside crime scene behaviors, in relation to body disposal methods in homicides. This was done through the examination of 326 homicide cases involving 403 offenders and 334 victims through regression analyses. Key findings revealed significant associations between body disposal methods and factors such as victim gender, substance use by victims and offenders, and offenders’ prior sexual offense records. Additionally, the cause of death, location, and cleaning or destruction of evidence were predictive of disposal methods taking place. Notably, the presence of sexual elements appeared to influence only a small number of factors, being victim gender and crime scene cleaning. These results suggest enhanced investigative training on recognizing crime scene and victim characteristics may aid in refining investigative approaches and hypotheses. The findings also suggest that distinguishing between sexual and non-sexual homicides may not be crucial, allowing for more streamlined investigations and better resource allocation. This research advocates for interdisciplinary collaboration to improve investigative accuracy, highlighting the pivotal role of understanding the interconnectedness of behaviors in understanding body disposal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological fluid stains can be instrumental in solving crimes. Identification of semen can help reconstruct events in sexual assault cases and identify suspects via DNA profiling. Current methods for semen identification suffer from limitations, including destruction of the sample and potential false positives. One of the main unsolved issues is the elimination of underlying substrate interference. In this paper, chemometric approaches were developed to isolate and identify a biofluid stain on interfering substrates using Raman spectroscopy. The first approach, called Multivariate Curve Resolution with the Addition Method, combines the standard addition method with multivariate curve resolution. The second one uses a criterion based on reducing the spectrum complexity when a spectral component is removed from a Raman spectrum of a multi-component sample entirely. The results demonstrate the superiority of the first approach relative to the second for both small volume fraction of the fluid stain compared to the substrate and random noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual homicides (SHs) demand nuanced research for effective prevention, treatment, risk assessment and theoretical insights. Intimate‐partner sexual homicides (IPSHs), comprising approximately 20% of SHs, have received limited attention. This study compares IPSHs (n = 56) and non‐intimate partner sexual homicides (NIPSHs) (n = 236) in Australia and New Zealand by investigating offender, victim, and crime‐scene characteristics. While IPSH perpetrators were typically older, separated, and had prior domestic violence convictions, victims were more often non‐white with histories of domestic violence and substance use. Although crime‐scene locations and post‐offence behaviours differed, similar crime scene behaviours were displayed across offender groups, which seemed to be routed in different underlying motives. Whereas drivers of IPSH commonly were grievance and anger, associated with offences occurring after arguments, drivers for NIPSH were more often sexual deviance and sadism. Overall, IPSH encompasses aspects of domestic violence, homicide, and sexual violence, distinguishing it from SH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study was conducted to confirm the characteristics in sexual homicide and to explore variables that effectively differentiate sexual homicide and nonsexual homicide. Further, newer methods that have received attention in criminology, such as the machine learning method, were used to explore the ideal algorithm for classifying sexual homicide and patterns for sexual homicide in Korea. To do this, 542 homicide cases were analyzed utilizing eight algorithms, and the classification performance of each algorithm was analyzed along with the importance of variables. The results of the analysis revealed that the Naive Bayes, K‐Nearest Neighbors, and RF algorithms demonstrate good classification accuracy, and generally, factors such as relationships, marriage, planning, personal weapons, and overkill were identified as crucial variables that distinguish sexual homicide in Korea. In addition, the crime scene information of the crime occurring in the dark (at night) and body disposal were found to have high importance. The current study proposes ways to enhance the efficacy of crime investigation and advance the research on sexual homicides in Korea through a more scientific understanding of sexual homicide that has not been thoroughly explored domestically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first few months of Second World War were marked by numerous mass crimes against humanity committed by Third Reich civil servants on citizens of the Second Polish Republic – local intelligentsia, people with mental disorders, and the Jewish minority. The bodies were then disposed of by hiding them in mass graves. In the second half of 1944, the Nazis returned to the scenes of the crimes to delete the traces of mass executions – as part of a special operation (Aktion 1005) and cover up all evidence of their crimes. This article analyzes the process undertaken by the Nazis to destroy graves as part of Aktion 1005 through the concept of necroviolence on human corpses – defined by Jason De León, as, ‘the intentional infliction of violence on human corpses’. The following case study presents evidence excavated during archaeological research conducted in the Szpęgawski Forest in Gdańsk Pomerania, Poland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Detecting and recognizing text in natural scene images and videos is vital for several real-world applications, such as in the analysis of Crime scene CCTV footage, sports videos, and autonomous driving, to name a few. Therefore, one can expect several challenges, namely arbitrarily oriented and shaped text detection and identification in movies and natural environments. Many methods have been developed in the past to address these challenges, including advanced deep-learning models and transformers. Due to several methods available in the literature, it is not so easy to understand the open challenges, applications, directions, scope, limitations, and weaknesses of the methods. Therefore, there is a need to write a survey/review to highlight and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the developed methods. This survey/review presents different categories of work and discusses their importance, limitations, new challenges, applications, and, finally, directions such that readers can choose appropriate methods and directions to carry out research work in the field of text detection/recognition in the natural scene and videos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pixel binning, a feature of high-megapixel smartphone cameras, exhibits performance comparable to traditional cameras. The field of photogrammetry has explored and adopted most kinds of technology, hence, pixel binning too should be adopted into forensic photogrammetry. This study evaluates the application of pixel binning technology in forensic photogrammetry, specifically in 3D reconstruction at crime scenes. A simulated crime scene conducted at the UTM-PDRM lab was captured using smartphone cameras of 12MP and 50MP, and a 20MP DSLR camera. First, the cameras were calibrated to ensure their stability. Following the image capture, the data were processed to generate 3D point cloud models of the simulated crime scene. The geometric parameters resulting from the camera calibration were discussed. The 3D point cloud model by DSLR camera exhibited better visual quality than the smartphone cameras. This finding was supported by an analysis of overlapping images by each camera and a side-by-side comparison of the models. Measurements from the smartphones 1, 2 and the DSLR camera were compared to conventional Vernier calipers used in crime scene documentation. The resulting Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) differences were approximately ±5.62mm, ±5.59mm, and ±5.40mm, respectively. In conclusion, the pixel binning of smartphone cameras was able to produce reliable accuracy but requires stability in technology for 3D reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fingerprint patterns (or epidermal ridges) are by far one of the most reliable techniques for individual identification. Fingerprint patterns get deposited on all kinds of solid surfaces due to human transudation or exudation process. Bodily fluids through sweat glands contain moisture, natural oils and proteins. Since latent fingerprint patterns are not readily recognizable they are collected from a crime scene and are further processed physically or chemically. Fingerprints obtained using conventional black and white powders face severe drawbacks including low sensitivity, high background interference from the substrates, involvement of toxic materials, and poor stability. To overcome the above-listed issues, especially for coloured and transparent substrates, luminescent materials have emerged as potential agents for rapid visualization of high-contrast latent fingerprints. This review covers the recent advancements in luminescent nanomaterials of both kinds (up and down conversion) and persistent nanophosphors for developing latent fingerprints. Special emphasis has been given to an unusual class of luminescent materials known as persistent nanophosphors, which do not require a constant excitation, thereby completely eradicating background noise. The review also covers different approaches to gathering fingerprints such as powder dusting, cyanoacrylate fuming, ninhydrin fuming and vacuum metal deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Towards the end of his life, Bataille became increasingly fascinated by prehistoric culture. His analysis of the Lascaux cave frames it as the symbolic site of our birth, envisioning in its art the final step to anthropogenesis: we, as a species, became human once we began smearing pigment on cave walls. Bataille’s account of this dual birth of art and humanity is neither an ode to our rational mind nor to our capacity for aesthetic contemplation. Rather, the murals adorning the cave would be the result of primordial ecstatic experiences. For Bataille, art ties in with excess: an activity devoid of use-value rising above necessity or instinct. Lascaux becomes the scene of a primordial crime against utility. Bataille’s cave stands as a counterargument to the enlightenment’s fixation on progress and productivity. The decades since, have seen our obsession with productivity grow even more pervasive. This paper explores the constellation of excessive behaviours which Bataille presents as key to the birth of art and, through an autoethnographic study, asks whether, and how, this ‘spectrum of excess’ is still relevant to artists today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stock theft is a persistent and widespread problem affecting farmers in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. This study aimed to explore farmers' perceptions of stock theft in the region. A mixed methods approach was used to collect data. 192 pre-tested questionnaires were collected from a sample of farmers in three districts in the province. The descriptive and chi-square test was used to test the associations between demographic profile statistically, knowledge of stock theft, reported stock theft cases, the economic impact of stock theft, and stock theft control. According to the findings, stock theft is significantly more likely to occur during the winter season (P < 0.05). About 94.8% of farmers are in the communal farming sector in the three districts visited. Furthermore, 81.2% of the respondents believe that the government needs to do more to combat the spread of stock theft. This study also revealed that most respondents (88.6%) agree that branding and tattooing should be made available to all registered farmers, while 53.1% believe that forensic deoxyribonucleic acid should not be used to control stock theft at crime scenes. This study highlights farmers' perceptions and knowledge of stock theft to enable policymakers to develop targeted interventions and strategies. Policing strategy must be adaptive and technology-driven to fast-track detection, prevention, and reduction of stuck theft crime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methods used nowadays in forensic laboratories allow to stop some kinds of projectiles with degree of deformation which lets to use them for comparing traces to projectiles found on the crime scene. However they are not useful for every type of projectiles. Comparative physical tests are enough to indicate the best method for soft catching projectiles. For this aim point of view no modeling needed. The paper presents the results of ballistic tests of impact of chosen types of soft point projectiles into water. The behavior of projectiles of various shapes, with different kinetic energy, was analyzed. On the basis of the obtained results, the projectiles with the highest susceptibility to deformation were identified. Research works described in the paper were performed within the framework of the project Laboratory stand for stopping high-energy projectiles financed from the National Centre for Research and Development (Agreement no. DOB-BIO10/04/02/ 2019). The project is implemented in cooperation with Warsaw University of Technology, Military Institute of Armament Technology and Tebbex 2 since 2019 to 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although forensic pathology age estimation of a wound is difficult, it can help reconstruct murder scenes and identify potential culprits. Forensic specialists usually focus on two aspects when evaluating wound life and determining how long ago the wound occurred. Recent developments in forensic techniques, particularly in high-throughput analyses, have allowed for the simultaneous evaluation of several markers and molecular and cellular levels of material analysis. Aim: To evaluate valuable additional information offered by each marker, summarize recent literature, and offer an update on wound-age estimation in forensic pathology. With the intention of providingsome insight for future research, prospects for evaluating wound age in forensic practice are finally examined. Conclusions: Although forensic pathologists find it difficult to determine the age of wounds, doing so can help reconstruct crime scenes and help apprehend suspects. In circumstances where several traumas are sustained by various offenders, forensic pathologists must determine the chronology and sequence of injuries because the severity of an injury usually determines the severity of punishment. Wound tracing, photographic recording (including image analysis), biophysical approaches, and/or invasive protocols requiring wound biopsies are examples of protocols that can be used to do the assessment. We give a summary of some of the most frequently required and utilized methods in this article: (a) Preclinical and animal models, such as those involving incisions, excisions, burns, and damaged wounds; (b) techniques for assessing the rate of healing, image-based wound analysis, biophysical evaluation, histological, immunological, and biochemical assays; and techniques for assessing the healing progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2016 presidential campaign saw high levels of anti-Muslim online and offline hate. But, by the August 2017 'Unite the Right' rally, anti-Muslim discourse and hate crimes had partly receded, despite the group remaining politically salient and despite a sharp increase in White 'nationalist' activity targeting another religious minority, Jews. Was this by chance? Because we might expect White nationalist activity to increase hate against all groups, the counter-intuitive decline in anti-Muslim hate could have been coincidental. We argue instead that those shifts in animus toward Muslims and Jews should be considered in tandem, and that these over-time patterns of hate reflected different manifestations of elevated and constant religious ethnocentrism, especially among far-right extremists. Using data on fringe and mainstream social media sites and hate crime databases, we present two core sets of findings. First, increased anti-Jewish speech was partly driven by the same far-right communities and extremists who previously promoted anti-Muslim speech. Moreover, combined anti-Muslim and anti-Jewish rhetoric in fringe far-right social media over this period was sustained at a high and largely constant level, seeing shifts primarily in the targets of hate speech. Second, similar patterns manifest offline: hate crimes were more strongly associated with which group was targeted by hate speech, but not the overall prevalence of hate speech. Together, this study demonstrates a robust link between the dislike toward Muslims and dislike toward Jews, and how fringe groups organize the dissemination of hate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In forensic casework, time since death (TSD) estimations may play a crucial role to establish chains of events as well as for alibi assessment in homicide cases. Classical TSD estimation relies on reasonably stable ambient temperatures and a correct documentation of ambient and rectal temperatures. This constancy is in some cases disturbed by post-discovery alterations of the crime scene, e.g. opening a window. In order to develop a better understanding of this alteration-based detrimental impact on TSD estimation as well as to identify feasible recommendations for casework, the present pilot study examined ambient temperature effects of different window opening scenarios regarding various time intervals (5 to 360 min) in a furnished 10 m2 apartment during winter. In this context, in addition to the ambient temperature and thus the cooling rate of the room, re-approximation to initial room temperature, potential influences on a nomogram-based time since death estimation using a fictitious case, and the impact of the measurement height above the ground were investigated. Our data indicate a significant reduction of the mean temperature decrease rate after 15 min regardless of the remaining opening time and a correlation with the size of the respective opening surfaces. Re-approximation to initial room temperatures was observed with up to three times longer than the initial opening time. There was no evidence of a substantial advantage of temperature measurements above the level of the corpse (> 0.1 m). The limitations of the study and its applicability for forensic casework are critically reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The offender-victim spatial relationship is crucial in reconstructing a crime scene. The study aims to evaluate the spatial relationship of performing slashing attacks on a dummy using a Chinese kitchen knife, and thus to establish a scientific basis for crime scene reconstruction. Methods: Twenty-four participants (12 males and 12 females) slashed a dummy's neck or chest using a kitchen knife, and the kinematic data were obtained using a three-dimensional motion capture system. The spatial relationships among offender, knife, and victim during slashing attacks were analyzed. Results: Slashing distance and occupancy area are significantly influenced by gender (all P < 0.05), with males having higher values than females. Body parts significantly influence bevel angle, offender and victim azimuth angles, slashing distance, relative slashing distance, and occupancy area (all P < 0.01), with slashing the chest resulting in larger values than slashing the neck. Conclusion: Gender and body position significantly influence the spatial relationships of slashing action. Our data indicate that males stand farther away and occupy a larger area during slashing attacks. When the chest is slashed, the wound orientation is more diagonal, the offender's standing position and slashing distance are farther, and the occupancy area is larger compared to the neck. The findings could help identify the spatial relationships among offender, knife, and victim, providing a scientific basis for criminal investigations and court trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the possibilities of working in a virtual high-dose rate field following a procedure developed at the Nuclear Security Department of the Centre for Energy Research (EK NSD) in Budapest. Real-life simulation of a radiation survey and a radiation risk assessment as well as searching for lost radioactive sources, monitoring surface contamination (SC), in addition to localizing and overseeing materials out of regulatory control (e.g., at a radiological crime scene) are only possible under inactive conditions or in low-dose rate environments in accordance with the as low as resonably achievable (ALARA) principle. A virtual radioactive source system (VRSS) developed at the Nuclear Security Department (NSD) makes it possible to simulate "measured" values very accurately, even in a high-dose rate environment, but without exposing trainees to radiation hazards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decisions in forensic science are often binary. A firearms expert must decide whether a bullet was fired from a particular gun or not. A face comparison expert must decide whether a photograph matches a suspect or not. A fingerprint examiner must decide whether a crime scene fingerprint belongs to a suspect or not. Researchers who study these decisions have therefore quantified expert performance using measurement models derived largely from signal detection theory. Here we demonstrate that the design and measurement choices researchers make can have a dramatic effect on the conclusions drawn about the performance of forensic examiners. We introduce several performance models – proportion correct, diagnosticity ratio, and parametric and non-parametric signal detection measures – and apply them to forensic decisions. We use data from expert and novice fingerprint comparison decisions along with a resampling method to demonstrate how experimental results can change as a function of the task, case materials, and measurement model chosen. We also graphically show how response bias, prevalence, inconclusive responses, floor and ceiling effects, case sampling, and number of trials might affect one's interpretation of expert performance in forensics. Finally, we discuss several considerations for experimental and diagnostic accuracy studies: (1) include an equal number of same-source and different-source trials; (2) record inconclusive responses separately from forced choices; (3) include a control comparison group; (4) counterbalance or randomly sample trials for each participant; and (5) present as many trials to participants as is practical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• S tability and regularity analysis of bare footprint measurements at different motion speeds. • Significant differences were found in length measurements (A1-A5). • MPJ and Calc width showed no significant differences across different speeds. • Mean length measurements decreased gradually as walking speed accelerated among young adults in eastern China. In some crime scenes, there may be bare footprints. Analyzing and testing the linear measurements of bare footprints in crime scenes can play an important role in personal analysis and individual identification. However, the linear measurements of bare footprints may be influenced by different motion states, leading to changes in length and width or even significant deviations. Previous studies focused on the linear differences between static and dynamic footprints, and failed to take the speed factor into consideration. This paper studied the stability and change regularities of the linear measurements of bare footprints in four different motion states: standing, normal walking, fast walking and trotting. Dust footprints of the right feet were collected from 80 healthy young adults under these four motion states. Seven linear measurements were obtained for each footprint using the Reel method, totaling 2240 data sets. One-way repeated measures ANOVA was used to assess the measurement variations across the four states. The results showed that there were statistically significant variances in the length measurements (A1-A5) between the standing state and other motion states, whereas no statistically significant variances were observed between the three dynamic states. It was found that the mean values of the five length measurements (A1–A5) increased from static to dynamic state, and then gradually decreased slightly as the walking speed increased. Additionally, no significant differences were found in the two width measurements (MPJ Width and Calc Width) between the four motion states. As a preliminary study, this study can provide a reference for the analysis of bare footprints in different motion states extracted from crime scenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process of identifying and recognising the criminal is the time consuming and difficult task. There are several ways to identify culprits at the crime site, including fingerprinting, DNA matching, and eyewitness testimony. The criminal face identification system will be built on a existing criminal database. The method for identifying a human face using features extrapolated from an image is presented in this study. The technique for identifying a human face using characteristics extrapolated from a picture is presented in this research. It is quite difficult to develop a computer model for recognizing the human face since it is a complicated multidimensional visual representation. The video captured by the camera will be translated into frames as part of the suggested process. To increase detection accuracy, this suggested a Binary Gradient Alignment (BGA) algorithm a description texture classification technique. When a facial feature is detected in an image frame, it undergoes pre-processing to eliminate unnecessary data and reduce unwanted distortions. The real- time processed image is compared to the trained images that have previously been saved in the database. The technology will send an automatic email notice to the police officials if the surveillance camera detects a criminal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The measurement of security perception is necessary as one of the tools to assess the effectiveness of security policies and enforcement in a country. The aim of the paper is two-fold. Firstly, the study presents an attempt to develop the Security Perception Index (PSI) based on Malaysia's specific context. Secondly, the study purports to measure the perception of Malaysia's security for the year 2021 using the developed PSI framework. Six domains were utilised based on the country's national policies on security and public order, such as the National Security Policy (2021–2025) and the Security and Public Order Policy (2019). A total of 15,461 samples were collected within the period of three months. The perception index score is 64.67%, which falls into the "perceived as safe" category and implies that the public perceives Malaysia as a safe country to live and work in. The scores are also calculated for each state and the Federal Territories, with Johor obtaining the highest score (72.37%) and Sabah with the lowest score (54.3%). Implications of the study include prevention and monitoring, law enforcement, and community engagement. Future studies should consider integrating secondary data such as crime, crime scene frequency, and visualisation using geographical information systems (GIS) to provide more integrated and real-time information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional approach to the verification of testimony at the crime scene has currently become, to a large extent, detached from the requirements of judicial practice, not reflecting the contemporary possibilities of the technical progress and remaining isolated in certain traditional forms of implementation. Likewise, along with criminal prosecution situations specific for the activity of investigation of criminal deeds, new doctrines and fields of knowledge are continuously being consolidated, such as: forensic reconstruction, tactical operations, etc. Besides, these doctrines and areas of knowledge undoubtedly influence the tactics of verification of testimony at the crime scene. The traditional approach to the procedures for verifying testimony at the crime scene no longer allows us to fully reveal the essence of this criminal prosecution action. However, a complex analysis of the current condition of the verification of testimony at the crime scene from the positions of the criminal procedure law, forensics, forensic psychology, computer science, etc. is necessary. The foregoing justifies the selection and topicality of the study, including the relevance of the further development of a various spectrum of aspects related to the use of verification of testimony at the crime scene as an effective means of establishing the truth in criminal cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For over a century, fingerprints have served as a pivotal tool for identification of individuals owing to their enduring characteristics and easily apparent features, particularly in the realm of criminal investigations. Latent fingerprints (LFPs) are "invisible fingerprints" that are most commonly available at crime scenes and require a rapid, selective, sensitive, and convenient method for detection. However, existing fingerprint development techniques harbour limitations, prompting the exploration of novel approaches that prioritize investigator safety and environmental sustainability. Leveraging the unique photophysical properties of aggregation-induced emission luminogens (AIEgens) has emerged as a promising strategy for on-site analysis of LFP visualization. In this highlight, we have presented a comparative analysis of various AIEgens (organic compounds, metal complexes, nanoparticles, and polymers) for the development and detection of LFPs. Through this examination, insights into the efficiency and potential applications of AIE-based fingerprint development techniques are provided. In addition, several strategies have been proposed for circumventing the limitations of existing AIEgens. We hope that this highlight article will encourage more researchers to investigate AIEgens in LFP detection, contributing to forensic science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accurate classification of human activities in crime scenes during forensics (criminalistics) is of utmost importance in classifying suspicious and unlawful activities, easing their acceptability and interpretability by judges during legal procedures in courts or by other non-experts in the field of forensics. This paper implements machine learning (ML) algorithms: support vector machine (SVM) and decision tree (DT), to demonstrate with a high accuracy, how data emanating from smartphones' sensors reveal and isolate relevant information about static and dynamic human activities in criminalistics. Smartphones' data from five different sensors (accelerometer, gravity, orientation, Gyroscope and light), related to ten recurrent crime scenes activities, grouped into three classes of events (normal, felony and none-felony events) are classified by the proposed algorithms, with novelty being the classification decisions based on the entire period of the events and not instantaneous decision makings. Three independent data-subsets were made, with permutations done between them and at each time, two sets used for training and the third set used for testing. Time- and frequency-domain features were initially used separately and then combined for the model training and testing. The best average training accuracies of 100% and 97.8% were obtained for the DT and SVM, respectively, and the testing accuracies of 89.1% were obtained for both algorithms. We therefore believe that these results will serve as a solid persuasive and convincing argument to judges and non-experts of the field of forensics to accept and easily interpret computer-aided classification of suspicious activities emanating from criminalistic studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Height is known to be a classically heritable trait controlled by complex polygenic factors. Numerous height-associated genetic variants across the genome have been identified so far. It is also a representative of externally visible characteristics (EVC) for predicting appearance in forensic science. When biological evidence at a crime scene is deficient in identifying an individual, the examination of forensic DNA phenotyping using some genetic variants could be considered. In this study, we aimed to predict 'height', a representative forensic phenotype, by using a small number of genetic variants when short tandem repeat (STR) analysis is hard with insufficient biological samples. Our results not only replicated previous genetic signals but also indicated an upward trend in polygenic score (PGS) with increasing height in the validation and replication stages for both genders. These results demonstrate that the established SNP sets in this study could be used for height estimation in the Korean population. Specifically, since the PGS model constructed in this study targets only a small number of SNPs, it contributes to enabling forensic DNA phenotyping even at crime scenes with a minimal amount of biological evidence. To the best of our knowledge, this was the first study to evaluate a PGS model for height estimation in the Korean population using GWAS signals. Our study offers insight into the polygenic effect of height in East Asians, incorporating genetic variants from non-Asian populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil is a one of the important physical evidence that could be encountered in any objects including car tire, shoes, or clothes. This study presents the comparison of the soils in Ömerli Dam, Istanbul-Türkiye. 35 of soil samples from 7 different regions have been collected around the lake. FTIR and ICP-OES have been utilized for structural analysis and detection of metal contect in soil samples. Moreover, textural analysis, pH, sedimentation, color tests have been systematically investigated. The image of soil samples is also captured under different light of sources by VSC 8000. The outcome shows that discrimination of soil samples could be studied using various techniques including FTIR, textural analysis, metal concentrations and their color. ICP-OES analysis showed that the soil have various elements such as Si, Fe, Mg, Ca, Cu with a different amounts which provide discrimination for soil samples. The natural pH of the samples varied between 6.1 and 8.3 that are from slightly acidic to moderately alkaline character. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Establishing geographical location is a crucial aspect of forensic sciences, distinguishing between primary and secondary crime scenes, linking an individual to a crime scene, or detecting sources of disease. Microorganisms can be used as geolocation indicators since microbial communities vary according to climatic factors (e.g. temperature, humidity, soil properties, altitude). Therefore, this systematic review aimed to investigate whether the human or environmental microbiomes help to determine a crime's geolocation. Articles were searched in PubMed,Scopus and Web of Science using keywords and data fields. The final selection included seven (of 172) manuscripts. The results showed that the microbial profile of either human or environmental samples have the potential to link a cadaver or a crime scene to a given location, highlighting microbes' usefulness in obtaining information from geographical locations (e.g. soil samples from a suspect's shoe matched to a source). However, research is required before applying this forensic strategy to real scenarios. For instance, optimizing and standardizing the microbiome analysis methods and determining several factors that may influence the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This preliminary research aimed to determine if a forensically useful human DNA profile could be obtained from latent blood past the point at which the blood could be visualized with luminol. Five participants with differing physical characteristics created shoeprints from fresh human blood over concrete, linoleum and carpet. The amount and distribution of both visible blood and chemiluminescence emanating from latent blood were documented. DNA analysis was performed on samples taken from the fifth last latent shoeprint to show chemiluminescence and the first and tenth steps after which chemiluminescence no longer occurred. DNA from the blood source was obtained past the point of visualization using luminol, with 2 of the 30 samples generating full STR DNA profiles, 18 generating partial profiles of 4 or more alleles, and 3 generating between 1 and 3 alleles. Of the 7 samples which did not generate a profile, 6 came from the concrete. Higher amounts of DNA, and more full and partial profiles, were obtained from linoleum compared to concrete or carpet. Participant effect was not observed. These findings demonstrate that it may be possible to obtain forensically useful DNA from crime scenes even when blood is not able to be visualized with chemiluminescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decades, significant scientific and technological advancements have been made in the field of forensic science, particularly in the advancement of fingerprint technology. Latent fingerprints (LFPs) are considered to be the most crucial evidence found at crime scenes, necessitating extensive research efforts for their advancement. Conversely, conjugated polymers are extremely adaptable substances that are utilized in many domains like photonics, bio-imaging, optoelectronics, nanomedicine, and more. Conjugated polymers, especially conjugated polymer nanoparticles and polymer dots, exhibit remarkable photophysical and chemical features that contribute to their high resolution, enhanced selectivity, and heightened sensitivity in the development of LFPs. This provides a detailed overview of the production of LFPs utilizing conjugated polymers, as well as the imaging techniques employed for their visualization. Particular attention is given to conjugated polymer nanoparticles and polymer dots. In addition, the most often employed techniques for producing conjugated polymer-based nanoparticles have also been examined. Additionally, it encompasses the historical background of LFP identification and offers a valuable understanding of the diverse conventional approaches investigated for their advancement. This article offers a comprehensive examination of conjugated polymers as contrasting agents for imaging LFPs on different surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article studies norm translation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda by interrogating the ways in which external support can contribute to gendering the security sector in conflict-affected countries. Through a case study of a Norwegian-led Specialized Police Team which provided capacity building in crime scene management to Malian Security Forces as part of the UN mission in Mali, it analyses how different understandings of gender inform gender mainstreaming practice. The analysis shows that while the Norwegian officers worked actively to promote gender equality and women's participation, the possibilities for capacity building to contribute to a gendering of the security sector are limited by the lack of more transformative understandings of gender to inform practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research introduces a novel and comprehensive framework for digital forensics-based crime scene interpretation. The proposed framework comprises five algorithms, each serving a distinct purpose in enhancing image quality, extracting features, matching, and constructing a database, recognizing, and reconstructing objects in 3D, and conducting context-aware analysis. An ablation study validates the necessity of each algorithmic step. The framework consistently outperforms existing methods in terms of accuracy, precision, recall, and processing time. A detailed comparative analysis of parameters further highlights its cost-effectiveness, moderate complexity, superior data integration, and scalability. Visualizations underscore its dominance across multiple metrics and parameters, positioning it as an advanced solution for digital forensic-based object recognition in crime scene interpretation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Forensic Science & Technology is the property of Institute of Forensic Science, Ministry of Public Security and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Forensic Science & Technology is the property of Institute of Forensic Science, Ministry of Public Security and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The advancement of technology and its developments have provided the forensic sciences with many cutting-edge tools, devices, and applications, allowing forensics a better and more accurate understanding of the crime scene, a better and optimal acquisition of data and information, and faster processing, allowing more reliable conclusions to be obtained and substantially improving the scientific investigation of crime. This article describes the technological advances, their impacts, and the challenges faced by forensic specialists in using and implementing these technologies as tools to strengthen their field and laboratory investigations. The systematic review of the scientific literature used the PRISMA® methodology, analyzing documents from databases such as SCOPUS, Web of Science, Taylor & Francis, PubMed, and ProQuest. Studies were selected using a Cohen Kappa coefficient of 0.463. In total, 63 reference articles were selected. The impact of technology on investigations by forensic science experts presents great benefits, such as a greater possibility of digitizing the crime scene, allowing remote analysis through extended reality technologies, improvements in the accuracy and identification of biometric characteristics, portable equipment for on-site analysis, and Internet of things devices that use artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques. These alternatives improve forensic investigations without diminishing the investigator's prominence and responsibility in the resolution of cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Bloodstain Pattern Analysis (BPA) is a forensic scientific discipline used to resolve criminal events. By studying the size, shape, and distribution of the bloodstains that constitute one or more bloodstain patterns, it is possible to determine the physical events responsible for their creation, as well as the positions and movements of the victim and, in cases of homicide, the perpetrator during the act. Materials and Methods. BPA analysis was applied as a support in the reconstruction of the event dynamics in four forensic cases, in addition to the data collected during on-site inspections and instrumental investigations including PMCT, autopsies, histological, and toxicological analyses. Particularly laborious was its application in a case involving a decomposed body. In all cases, a thorough photographic analysis of the bloodstains found on the clothing worn as well as in the areas surrounding the location of the corpse was conducted. Conclusions. The combination of investigations, together with the data derived from the application of BPA, allowed events to be attributed to: homicide by blunt force trauma; homicide-suicide using a bladed weapon; homicide using firearms; unplanned complex suicide. The analysis of the cases presented highlights the importance of a multidisciplinary approach through the use of additional instrumental and specialist investigations such as the study of bloodstains present at the crime scene for the reconstruction of criminal events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. In the evolving field of forensic medicine, artificial intelligence (AI) technologies may revolutionize traditional autopsy practices by enhancing the precision and efficiency of postmortem examinations. Methods. A review of the literature was carried out on the Pub-med and Scopus search engines by inserting the keywords "artificial intelligence" AND "forensic" AND ("autopsy" OR "crime scene management" OR "forensic odontology" OR "post mortem interval" OR "forensic anthropology" OR "forensic sciences"). The works that analyzed the applications of artificial intelligence in the forensic and autopsy field were analyzed. Conclusion. The results showed the application of different forms of artificial intelligence such as machine learning, deep learning, robotics, artificial neural networks. Various applications are therefore possible in the autopsy field including forensic identification, analysis of radiological data through Virtopsy, estimation of the weapon used through analysis of firearm damage with ballistics, estimation of the Post-Mortem Interval (PMI), forensic toxicology. Al's potential to aid in the precise identification of causes of death, estimation of postmortem intervals. With forensic pathologists facing the constant challenge of making accurate diagnoses under pressure, AI applications can offer much-needed support by reducing subjective judgment and the inherent human error due to fatigue. Therefore, the integration of AI into autopsies, while promising in terms of efficiency and accuracy, demands a careful balance between technological advancement and ethical responsibility to ensure trust and integrity in forensic practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Crime scenes are possible scenario of accidents for operators, despite those risks the are no operative protocols in literature. However, COVID-19 pandemic has affected in a positive manner the management of infectious risk, encouraging use of Personal protective equipment (PPE). The aim of the study is to deepen and examine the occupational risk of all health professionals involved in the analysis of the crime scene and biological material collection to develop an operational protocol that explains in detail all the strategies applicable to reduce it. Materials and Methods. We conducted a review of the Literature researching among the main databases, such as: PUBMED, EMBASE, COCHRANE introducing as keywords: crime scene, medico-legal investigations, occupational risk, infections. Subsequently, we developed an operational protocol that is currently applied during the activity of the Institute of Forensic Medicine "Magna Graecia" of Catanzaro. Conclusion. The crime scene can show numerous dangers for operators, due to the presence of syringes, contaminated biological material or sharps or access to areas with poor hygienic and sanitary conditions. This paper shows various strategies that may be implemented to reduce the risk. The aim of this work is to focus on the occupational risk for operators by proposing an operative protocol showing in detail how to manage a crime scene by reducing the infectious risk for operators until the transfer of the body and the collected evidence to the morgue and to the laboratory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forensic science not only provides evidence to support criminal investigations, but also contributes to knowledge surrounding criminal phenomena. Forensic scientists are in the unique position to strategically combine information gained from traces to create intelligence that can assist the security space in keeping our communities safe. Research into the use of traces for more than just criminal investigations, with a focus on the greater "utility" of a trace, has pointed to the broader problem‐solving potential of traces when more fully exploited. Alongside this, there has continued to be an exponential increase of the use of biological traces for criminal investigations, in particular the collection of trace DNA specimens. The potential for identification, among other information, trace DNA can provide is vast, however much of the previous research has predominately focused on recovery rates which does not provide a holistic view of the value of trace DNA. This paper summarizes the current knowledge on the utility of trace DNA, as well as makes suggestions toward the creation of a decision‐making model that can inform scene of crime officers in regards to trace selection and decisions about trace analysis. This article is categorized under:Forensic Biology > DNA Databases and BiometricsCrime Scene Investigation > From Traces to Intelligence and Evidence [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analysis of substances and samples obtained from a crime scene is very important in solving forensic cases. To determine the variables involved in a crime and to expedite the investigation process, the rapid analysis of body fluids in small quantities and within environments containing diverse components is particularly necessary. For this reason, it is of great importance to analyze biological fluids with rapid, noncontaminating, nondestructive, low-cost, and accurate techniques. In recent years, with advancements in laser technology, spectroscopic methods have been introduced as analytical techniques in forensic medicine and chemical studies. This study focuses on surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to demonstrate the detection of blood samples in simulated crime scenes. To minimize the background signal from fluorescent biomolecules in blood, dilution was performed with two different components and Raman analysis was performed for four different concentrations of blood. In general, a decrease in noise in the spectra was observed as the blood was diluted. Crime scenes consisting of pure blood, blood diluted with ethanol and distilled water (1:2, 1:4, and 1:8), a blood--mineral water mixture, a blood--cherry juice mixture, and silver nanoparticle-added mixtures were simulated, and their spectra were examined. Chemometric analyses of the data were performed. Despite high noise and low peak intensities, blood-identifying signals were detected when examining different blood concentrations. It was observed that silver nanoparticles provided high enhancement of blood peaks thanks to their strong plasmonic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]