Forensics, also known as forensic science, is the application of scientific methods to answer questions related to crime or civil action. It is a multidisciplinary subject that involves various sciences such as chemistry, biology, physics, geology, psychology, and social science. Forensics provides scientific evidence that can be used in criminal investigations, with forensic scientists assisting the investigation by analyzing the evidence gathered by crime scene investigators.
Criminology, on the other hand, is the study of criminal behavior, the causes of crime, ways to prevent crime, and rehabilitation or punishments for criminals. It is an interdisciplinary field that combines behavioral sciences, social sciences, and law. Criminology can be used to develop criminal profiles, which can then be used by law enforcement agencies in their investigations.
Key Takeaways
- Forensics involves the application of scientific methods to answer questions related to crime or civil action and provides scientific evidence for criminal investigations.
- Criminology is the study of criminal behavior, causes of crime, crime prevention, and rehabilitation or punishments for criminals, and is used to develop criminal profiles for investigations.
- While both fields are related to criminal investigations, forensics focuses on the scientific evidence, while criminology focuses on understanding and addressing the underlying causes of criminal behavior.
