Forensic Equipment
Forensic science has long been glamorised on television, but in real life, it is a painstaking, time-consuming, methodical and minutely precise discipline that uses a wide spectrum of sciences to recognise, identify and evaluate physical evidence. It is one of the most valuable investigation tools for facilitating crime scene investigation and evidence collection and is an essential part of any judicial system.
Expertise, Experience and Service
Lepton Scientific is an innovative supplier of high-quality, professional forensic science, crime scene investigation and evidence collection products. Our many years in the business have seen us become a trusted and reliable authority in this complex and technical field, and we source and supply only those products that adhere to strict manufacturing protocols, and which meet our own exacting standards of quality and performance.
You can rely on us to provide you with prompt, professional and reliable service in the following areas:
- Crime Scene Investigation
- Chemicals and Reagents
- Measuring Devices
- IT Support
Crime Scene Investigation
Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) is the umbrella under which logic, law and science converge. Despite what popular television would have us believe, it is a time consuming and tedious process involving meticulous documentation of conditions and painstaking collection of evidence.
CSI teams are usually the first technical experts to arrive at a crime scene, and the manner in which they process the scene can have a direct bearing on the ultimate outcome of a case.
While no two crime scenes are ever exactly the same, there is a standard methodology to the way in which they’re processed. Although specialized evidence equipment is used to collect samples for later analysis in the laboratory, much can be done there and then on site.
The instruments and apparatus used have been
designed specifically for field forensics, allowing the CSI Technician to work in professional conditions even though they’re not in a lab.
Some of the evidence collected from the scene could include:
- Latent fingerprints (or other prints such as foot or palm)
- Biological evidence (body fluids, blood, hair, tissue matter)
- Digital evidence (computers, cell phones)
- Firearms
- Narcotics/Drugs
- Trace evidence (particles of soil, glass or vegetation)
- Tyre and other tracks
Preserving the integrity of this evidence is crucial not only for accurate analysis but also to ensure that any ensuing conviction of a perpetrator isn’t overturned due to evidence being contaminated or incorrectly processed.
To this end, CSI Technician’s need a comprehensive selection of crime scene processing equipment, which could include:
- Fingerprint powders, Various Types eg, Aluminium, Black , Gold etc
- Anisaldehyde stain colours
- Blood reagents
- Light Sources
Not all crime scene tools are necessarily high tech. Some can be quite simple but are still an important part of the crime scene investigation process. Caution tape, for example, may seem like a mundane piece of forensic equipment, but it plays an important role in keeping a crime scene secure and preventing the area from becoming contaminated. Other “low tech” items, such as gloves, small blades, tweezers and plastic containers or bags are all used to collect vital evidence.
Chemicals & Reagents
Chemicals
Chemistry forms a large part of any crime scene investigation. Many forensic scientists are also chemists, using their specialist knowledge to analyse evidence such as fibres, glass, soil, explosives, charred debris, paint, drugs and firearms.
Chemicals used in forensic science include those for various fingerprinting methods, as well as the chemical enhancement of fingerprints.
The chemical enhancement of fingerprints is done using silver nitrate and ninhydrin – as a spray or dip – which react to oil and sweat and make the fingerprints change colour so that they are easier to see.
In other fingerprinting techniques, forensic science experts use iodine or cyanoacrylate (more commonly known as Super Glue), which is heated to create fumes.
The development of latent fingerprints is done using chemicals such as sudan black, rhodamine, androx, diazafluoren and thenoyl europium chelate. These chemicals help to expose fingerprints on porous surfaces by stablising and dying the prints.
Reagents
Reagents, which can be mixtures or compounds, are those substances added to a system to either test for, or cause, a reaction. They can also indicate the presence or absence whether or not a specific chemical substance is present by deliberately causing a reaction to occur with it. In compound chemistry, most reagents are either inorganic compounds or small organic molecules.
Chemicals and reagents are extremely important in the capturing and analysis of fingerprints, especially those on surfaces at violent crime scenes where blood could act as a transfer medium for latent finger or shoe prints.
Measuring Devices
Accuracy and precision are two words that are continually repeated whenever we talk about forensic science and crime scene investigation. A huge part of obtaining accurate and legally defensible information is being able to take precise measurements of room dimensions, trajectories, tilt and horizontal distance, among others.
At Lepton Scientific, we are proud suppliers of Leica Measuring Devices. Standout features of these multi-function devices include:
- Bluetooth technology, for wireless and accurate transferring of results to tablets and PCs.
- Simple determination of horizontal distance, even over the tops of people and objects.
- Calculation of triangular and rectangular areas, determination of volumes and various Pythagoras functions.
- Clear, brilliant display.
- Auto-CAD plugin.
- Easy to use, with precise, quick and reliable measurements.
- One-touch measurement of angles up to 45°.
- Indirect measurements from inaccessible positions
- Hassle-free measurement from corners or edges.
- Easily work out the area of a differently-shaped, or many cornered room.
IT Support
Although not directly related to Forensic Science and the supply of Crime Scene Investigation equipment, IT support deals with the provision of help with products such as cell phones, computers, televisions and digital video recorders, and there are definite areas of overlap with the field of digital forensics.
Also referred to as Technical Support, IT support is an area of Lepton Scientific’s business that offers help to consumers when they’re having a problem with a technology-based product.
While some companies have an in-house IT Support department, it is becoming more and more common – especially with smaller businesses who may have limited resources – to outsource their IT support to a specialist company.
At Lepton Scientific, we have a team of dedicated IT experts on hand to help you as often or as infrequently as you need them to – at a fraction of the cost of maintaining a full-time team of specialists. We guarantee you will have real-time conversations with real IT representatives who will be available to help you without you having to wait on the phone for hours.
