Technical forensic technique of human hair examination: Forensic practice

Abstract

The paper presents the capabilities of comprehensive examination of human hair with the use of methods that were developed and put to practice by the Criminal Expertise Centre of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. It contains the description of examination of hair that allows identifying the most probable origin of hair belonging to a particular person, including a new method – analysis of DNA extracted from a single hair for the purpose of identification of a person who lost it. The paper describes the basics of diagnostic and identification examination of odor traces collected from the human hair. Details of the capabilities of each hair examination method and obtaining search and evidence information, which is particularly important in the operational investigative work of law enforcement agencies. The description is based on the development of a series of well-known researchers and practitioners, generalized and complemented with authors’ projects. The methods can be used in the search, investigation and forensic work of the departments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation and other government services and agencies.