From Experimental Work to Real Crime Scenes and the Courts

Abstract Since most crime investigations ultimately lead to court, the applicability of the forensic subdisciplines, including forensic ecogenomics for subsequent use in real crime scenes, are considered. Projections on the relevance of these and related tools in legal proceedings are ultimately also made with the requisite degree of care and caution. Where relevant, discussions in the preceding chapters have been cross-referenced to appraise critically the potentials and limitations of implementing experimental findings, particularly in real crime situations. The chapter is designed to reflect the unique challenges and opportunities that are likely to arise from different country-specific policing and investigative systems. Therefore it consists of a range of historical perspectives, case studies, and trends that illustrate how established and new forensic approaches are adopted and have potential in four countries from three different continents. The exclusion of other nations/continents is not deliberate. Also, although the focus of the chapter is largely on body deposition and decomposition, we recognize the relevance of our discussions in other forensic contexts.