How the Scientific Method is used in CSI

The Scientific Method has been in use by the general scientific community for what is believed to be well over a thousand years. In the last few decades the Scientific Method has begun to be used in the word of CSI. Many in criminal investigation though do not yet understand what the Scientific Method is and how to use it.

History of the Scientific Method in CSI

The idea of using the Scientific method in criminal investigation was first introduced by fire and arson investigators. The process of figuring out how a fire had started was mostly historically an art, not a science. When arson investigators in court were being asked to explain and prove their findings in a case they sometimes could not.

So the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) added the use use of the Scientific Method into their guidelines for fire and arson investigators. Slowly the idea of the use of the Scientific method has crept into other facets of criminal investigations.

The Scientific Method for CSI

The most simple way to explain the scientific method is to say, gather all the facts first, then let the fact help you make an hypothesis. In the context of a criminal investigation the hypothesis is your theory of what took place and who did it. So in other words collect all the evidence and initial interviews, and then start to make assumptions about how this crime took place.

The Scientific Method also indicates that a hypothesis needs to be tested. Testing the hypothesis looking at alibi statements and the evidence at hand. Can the evidence we have break the alibi statements? Do we have evidence that contradicts the hypothesis? Can we give a valid explanation for any contradictions?

In testing a hypothesis we as investigators scrutinize our own work. We may even have a fellow officer scrutinize our work, some call this peer review. If after testing the hypothesis still looks solid, then we can move forward with certainty.

Example

Imagine that an investigator is called to death investigation. The body and the weapon are in close proximity such that at first glance this could be a suicide. What happens if the investigator automatically assumes suicide?

The investigator begins to look for anything that supports the assumption of suicide. Which could cause something that shows this scene to be an accident or a homicide to be overlooked.

Making use of the scientific method in this crime scene the investigator need to push that assumption out of their mind. Then they document all the facts of this scene. Once the facts are known, only then the investigator is able to make an informed decision as to if this is suicide or homicide or an accident.