Criminalistique

Criminalistique is a discipline focused on the identification, collection, preservation, and interpretation of physical evidence from crime scenes to support criminal investigations and judicial proceedings. In many French-speaking contexts the term is synonymous with forensic science, the application of natural and social sciences to legal questions. The field covers the detection of traces, reconstruction of events, and the presentation of findings in ways that are admissible in court. It is distinct from criminology, which studies crime as a social phenomenon, and from law enforcement, which enforces laws.

Practices include systematic scene processing, proper evidence collection and documentation, and laboratory analysis across biology, chemistry, physics, and specialized domains. Common activities include fingerprint analysis, ballistic and tool-mark examination, handwriting and document analysis, trace evidence (fibers, hair, minerals), toxicology, and DNA analysis, as well as newer fields such as digital forensics and forensic photography. Techniques rely on microscopy, chromatography, spectroscopy, genetic testing, imaging systems, and computational tools. Throughout, professionals maintain chain of custody, apply validated methods, and prepare objective reports and testimony for the courts.

Historically, criminalistique emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as investigators began to rely on scientific methods. A pivotal figure is Edmond Locard, who established the first police laboratory and articulated the exchange principle—every contact leaves a trace. Since then, the discipline has expanded with advances in molecular biology, instrumentation, and data analysis, becoming a core component of modern justice systems. While its terminology and scope vary by country, the core aim remains: to turn physical evidence into reliable, comprehensible information for decision-makers.