Women in Forensics
Expert Profile :
Anna Barbaro is a Forensic Geneticist serving as the WAWFE President and Chief of the Forensic Genetics Department at SMEF. She is a Forensic Geneticist Senior certified ISO17024 Honor Dean of the Superior School of Criminalistics and Criminology (Spain) and Member of Editorial Board of the Journal of Forensic Science and Legal Medicine (FSLM).an of the WAWFE Journal. She is also a Scientific Researcher at Alcalá University, Community of Madrid, Spain. She has taught Forensic Genetics at the University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Italy and Lecturer in several international forensic congresses. She is also the Honour Member of the Georgian Academy of Forensic Sciences (GAFS) and of the Peruvian Association of Forensic Odontology (APOFOR). She has been regarded as a member of various associations namely, President Worldwide Association of Women Forensic Experts (WAWFE), Honor Member of the Georgian Academy of Forensic Sciences (GAFS), Honor Member of the Peruvian Association of Forensic Odontology (APOFOR), Member of the Italian National Order of Biologists (ONB), Member of the Italian Group of Forensic Geneticists (GEFI), Member of the Spanish-Portuguese Group of Forensic Geneticists (GHEP), Member of the International Society of Forensic Genetics (ISFG), Member of the American Investigative Society of Cold Cases (AISOCC), and Past General Secretary of the Mediterranean Academy of Forensic Sciences (MAFS).
Foreground
The session was exclusively based on detailing the commendable contribution of famous women personalities in forensic science. the session has consisted of the following points.
WHAT IS FORENSIC SCIENCE?
According to the American Academy of Forensic Science, 2010 Forensic Science is defined as the application of science to the resolution of legal issues. It’s an intersection between law and science and includes criminalistics and criminology.
Criminalistics consist of the applications of the scientific methods of recognition, collection, identification, and comparison of physical evidence generated at the crime scene. Criminology is the study of crime and deviant behavior. Criminology is an interdisciplinary field in both the behavioral and social science
But reality differs from what is shown in movies because many people leave this field because they are not able to meet up to expectations or are not able to handle or see the dead bodies or the samples and evidence collected.
Forensic science begins at the crime scene!
According to Locards Exchange Principle, “every contact leaves the trace” and as our speaker describes there’s an adult relationship between the elements present at the crime scene, victim and suspect.
So when we investigate the crime scene we need five answers for the questions – what? where? when? how? who? with? And to whom?. Different people have different roles when they investigate a crime scene like some analyses crime scene to find and collect evidence while others have to work on the samples and evidence brought to them in labs and some also perform both the task of collection and analyses in the lab like our speaker. Because of this forensics science involves many scientists in different areas like biology, chemistry, physics, ballistics, medicine, informatics, botany, etc.
This field requires scientific competency because the person needs to prove the innocence or guilt of the person and it could be achieved only by proper education, training, specialization in a specific field, bluriannual experience, proficiency testing, by following national and international protocols and maintaining work ethics.
Legal competence
Forensic experts must have some basic knowledge in civil and criminal legal matters. They should know the concepts, rules, and dynamics of a legal system according to the country where they are working so that one can prepare reports for the court after all the technical analysis. The judicial system I very complex so one should have knowledge of it too.
Women and Forensics
According to one of the papers published by our speaker on women in forensics, it's an international overview of the scientific activities in which women are involved. According to her women are more attentive and concentrated on the case and are able to maintain a high level of patience and attention, especially when working with the evidence which is very useful in forensics.
Famous Forensic Women
Marie Owens was the first police officer in the USA hired at the Chicago Police department, Alice Stebbins Wells was the founder of the International Policewomen Association (1915), Frances Gertrude McGill was the first woman pathologist in Canada and is called Sherlock Holmes of Saskatchewan. Frances Glessner is called as mother of forensic science and she created the Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death, 20 true crime scene dioramas recreated in minute detail at dollhouse scale, used for training homicide investigators.
Then comes the famous female criminals in history which include Locusta the first serial poisoner. Lavinia Fisher is the first serial killer who killed their victims by crushing their heads in between her legs. She’s the first woman executed by hanging. Aileen Wuornos is one of the cruelest serial killers who killed her victims by shooting. Her story is also portraited in the movie Monster.
Now according to some studies as the number of females is increasing at university-level education and jobs the number of women involved in crime is also increasing. Its seen that married women are involved in property crimes more than violent crimes. Women are not only discriminated in job market but also in the crime market
Many female International associations have been formed with the aim to support female forensic students like The Association of Women in Forensic Science, Women in Technology International, etc. WAWFE is a multi-disciplinary association that brings together professionals/ students of forensic science with aim of promoting professionalism, integrity, and competency in forensic science, and one needs to apply for membership to become its part. It provides training, certificate programs, and certificate courses in forensic science and has published many books on forensic science.
President Anna Barbaro of WAWFE commemorated International Forensic Women Day celebrated on 16th October from the year 2020.
As per the notion, women are considerably weaker because they don’t show positive attitude towards the crime and cannot handle it strongly but against the notion, women are very much stronger and can be better forensic scientist due to the qualities like patience, attentiveness, and concentration.
Conclusion
The session was so exciting. Knowing about the role of the most renowned personalities of forensic science. In the last few years, due to the great evolution of technologies and the rise of TV shows, movies, and true crime podcasts, general interest in crime and forensic sciences has heightened. Working in the forensic field requires a high level of education, a strong aptitude, and a willingness to work many hours. Notwithstanding difficulties and a salary underpaid by almost 20% compared with men, forensic science seems to be a very attractive career for women.
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