Don't forget to swab the nobs: forensic science with Nigel Hodge

Forensic science is derived from the Latin 'forensis' meaning 'of or before the forum', which implies the relationship between evidence linked to criminal cases and courts of law where criminal trials take place. In ancient Rome the role of evidence in trials was to bolster arguments given by both the accused and the accusing parties; this evidence would be presented to members of the public, who gather at the forum.

For many people the most common interpretations of forensic science lie in its portrayal by media, especially renowned programmes like CSI (Crime Scene Investigation). In such TV shows where this physiological science is present as a plot component it is rendered much simpler than it is in reality.

Take for instance the largely dismissive inclusion of actual procedure that would take precedence over high-octane moments of adrenaline rush in reality. For real life crime scenes to become examples of high-risk gun-play and edgy suspense there would have to be extreme imaginative allowances in place. Remember the reality of agonising investigation work the next time you watch the drama of fictional forensics; that 30-second mishmash of handprints, graphs and microscopes is more like a year's worth of mental anguish for the men and women behind the lens.

The truth of forensic science was laid bare for me by an expert forensic consultant, Nigel Hodge, who has been actively involved in the study and its purpose in criminal investigations for several years now. His business includes various intriguing activities, such as blood pattern analysis and forensic DNA profiling. An exemplary advocate of professionalism, Nigel makes it his responsibility to adhere to the rules of impartiality in any case concerning acts that appear suspicious. Whether its a typical rape case or a high-profile murder inquiry, Nigel insists on conserving his integrity to the facts.

What was revealing for me was when I asked him what his most significant case to date was. In response to this query he replied, "every case is the same". The forensic imperative is to exclude notions of the superior and inferior by cancelling out emotional attachment with goal-orientated analysis of the case specifics. Nigel assiduously pointed out that the press have a tendency to manipulate the specific qualities of particular cases in order to provoke fear and anger from their audience. Emotion is the big red light in forensics; the green light is raw data.

A crucial advancement of DNA profiling - the study of a person's genetic make-up used in the identification of suspects in criminal cases - is low copy number profiling (LCN), which enables results to be gained from smaller amounts of DNA present at a crime scene. A thought occurred to me when Nigel spoke frankly of the nature of a crime scene (exhibit): there is no such thing as a clean crime scene - images of lice-infested, blood-spattered hovels for junkies arose out of my imagination. Therefore, there is always evidence of something and facts waiting to incriminate the guilty or exonerate the innocent.

As a self-professed pragmatist, Nigel encouraged his audience to think outside the box a little by positing the question: how would we be able to prove beyond a responsible doubt that he had, in fact, been present in our newsroom at the University without us being aware of it previously? This got us thinking and raised a further question: how easy is it to find reliable evidence, proof of a suspect's involvement in a crime, that will stand up in court?

Beyond the highly engaging science of the subject, Nigel was keen to graft his experience onto our understanding of forensics through constant reminders of the irrelevance of morality and speculation in relation to his field of expertise. Aware of our position as journalists, he deftly advised us to "never send copy off for publication when you're angry, you'll regret it" - to be in a lucid frame of mind when on the job is key to successfully solving a murder or disseminating a case in a newspaper.

The visit by Nigel Hodge was a cogent nudge in the right direction; his intellectual sense of humour went down a treat, with an anecdote referring to police officers swabbing door 'nobs' proving unequivocally hilarious. I personally thanked Nigel for sparing some of his time to impart his professional wisdom in regards to the Innocence Project and asked him in particular why he preferred to support defendants - villains as he classically called them - in court. He admitted to me that he'd always been gripped by the concept of the antagonist or evil-doer; but more importantly he believes in the fairness of our criminal justice system and agrees that a person's human rights aren't automatically denied after they're charged with a crime, or even once they're incarcerated. A practical perspective from a charming professional.

For more on Nigel Hodge's visit to the University of Winchester and forensic science click here.