UTS researcher at work in the Forensic Science laboratory (photographer: Kevin Anastacio)
What do the US Secret Service, Canadian Mounties, UK Home Office, Israeli police and Interpol have in common? They all utilise a cutting-edge fingerprinting technique known as the ‘Australian formula’.
Developed at the UTS Centre for Forensic Science (CFS) in collaboration with the University of Canberra and the Australian Federal Police, the method is recognised globally as the best standalone technique for recovering fingerprints that are often invisible on porous surfaces such as paper.
Professor Claude Roux, who led the research, says the Australian formula is just one of a suite of breakthroughs in fingerprinting technology developed by the centre.
In Australia alone, it is estimated this research saves the community $1.6 million for every homicide where fingerprints that would otherwise go undetected are found.
A number of other CFS techniques have also improved the detection of fingermarks that would be otherwise missed, especially on difficult surfaces such as semi-porous, heavily patterned or fluorescent surfaces, through, for example, hyperspectral imaging and nanotechnology.
“This research has enabled an increasing proportion of latent fingermarks to be available and identified to known fingerprints or other fingermarks,” he says. “The CFS’s impact has been exceptionally high.”
But it’s not just fingerprints. The CFS has also broken new ground in its development of forensic technology including a world-first stabbing machine, known as Conan, which can help identify murder weapons by recreating the exact marks left behind in knife attacks.
CFS investigators are also investigating the use of genetic data in crime detection. In one example, CFS researcher Dr Mark Barash is analysing thousands of specific ‘bits’ of DNA responsible for the differences in the way humans look, with the hope it can lead to identikit-style predictions of a person’s appearance from a DNA sample.
World-class facilities play a pivotal role in the centre’s pioneering research, including the Data Arena, purpose-built labs, crime-scene simulation spaces and the state-of-the art Australian Facility for Taphonomic Experimental Research (AFTER), the first body farm outside the US.
The centre aims to push the field of forensic science beyond the application of chemistry and biology, towards a distinctive discipline encompassing the comprehensive analysis of traces – the remnants of people and their activities.
“Society is experiencing rapid digital transformations that are challenging the role and place of traditional forensic science,” says Roux. “The holistic trace-driven approach advocated by CFS is crucial to address these challenges and propose solutions that work in detecting both physical and digital traces.”
Society is experiencing rapid digital transformations that are challenging the role and place of traditional forensic science. The holistic trace-driven approach advocated by CFS is crucial to address these challenges and propose solutions that work in detecting both physical and digital traces.
— Professor Claude Roux, Centre for Forensic Science
Roux says importantly when this approach is systematically applied, patterns of crime or security concerns emerge.
This is critical for the broad range of forensic science industries and organisations such as the Australian Federal Police and anti-terrorism agencies that collaborate with CFS.
“In this way, forensic science is enabling authorities to be proactive about crime prevention, crime disruption and policy changes. This creates real and tangible social impact.”
Research team
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Distinguished Professor, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
Research centre
Partners
- University of Canberra
- Australian Federal Police
