Forensic science or forensics, as it is commonly known, is the application of science to find answers that the legal system seeks. These answers may pertain to criminal or civic actions. It is also very much associated with the scientific field today.

Forensic science that is used to answer criminal questions provides answers through the comparison of biological evidence, controlled substances and firearms that may be found at the site of the crime. In addition to this, with the help of trace evidence and impression evidence like fingerprints, tire tracks and footwear impressions and all other evidence that may be found in a scene of crime, the necessary answers for criminal investigations can be found with forensic science.

Evidence found in the site of the crime is usually processed in the crime lab; and it is this branch of forensic science that is used in the media and shown in fiction stories and programs. Besides this, forensic sciences have other disciplines it is used for as in forensic accounting which is the study and understanding of accounting evidence. When you speak of forensic economics, it relates to the branch of forensic science that studies economic damage that leads to the loss of a business, household service or business profits.

With forensic engineering, you get to study the reason for the failure of a structure or device and forensic anthropology is a branch of forensic science that helps in the identification and recovery of any skeletonized human remains. When the legal system requires linguistic expertise, forensic linguistics is usually resorted to. The study of teeth structure is referred to as forensic odontology in forensic science.

Another part of forensic science that involves the accurate reproduction of a crime scene to be presented to a court of law is called forensic photography. The court of law resorts of forensic psychology and psychiatry to prove human behavior in legal matters. Forensic science that deals with the effects of drugs and poisons on a person is called forensic toxicology.

With forensic entomology, you get to find out the consequences of insects found in, on and around human remains. With this, it is possible to find out the time and location of death, and if the body was moved after death. So it can be seen that forensic science greatly helps the legal system to solve complicated and unsolved cases.