SCIENCE AND THE CRIMINAL

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 14571, 15 January 1948, Page 5

SCIENCE AND THE CRIMINAL

NEW METHODS CHECK CRIME IN BRITAIN

USE OF DISCOVERIES FOR DEFENCE

"Science has gone a long way to check the criminal," said Dr J. B. Firth, director of the North-western Forensic Science Laboratory, in a lecture to the Manchester Luncheon Club recently. "There, is evidence that the criminal class is becoming aware of the new difficulties whicn sdence is putting in its way and old hands have been known to refer with regret to 'the good old days'." • Dr F&h said that in the _ past, where investigation had been in the harSs of a limited few, here had wn a tendency to create "corners* and if one could not afford the services of any of this limited few one was at a disadvantage. Again, there had been always a tendency to regard these people as oracles, and that had been dangerous. "There is one thing not commonly known" hi exeplained. . "Whatever Tfind in our laboratories is availTio hnth for the prosecution and able both ior > * u in _ !^ se dC i e o n ss-exam!nation. We differ t / n So expert witness fr ° m P t are repeatedly in the cause we fl ic i ? must retam courts and thereioi Qnce th f dveaS indication of prejudice l ß fl fading the evidence we are fin AUuding to the detection of forgnr Firth said that some inks ery. Dl A., "tain pens were very used in. fountam pen therefore , soluble important docuwisC;. m to P use the old-fashioned ink ifj 1 ' °eei nib so that alteration, would not be so easy.