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Forensic Laboratory Management and Analysis System

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Journal of Basic and Applied Engineering Research
p-ISSN: 2350-0077; e-ISSN: 2350-0255; Volume 3, Issue 2; January-March, 2016, pp. 154-156
© Krishi Sanskriti Publications
http://www.krishisanskriti.org/Publication.html

Forensic Laboratory Management and

Analysis System
Smrita Singh1, Shiv Prasad Kushwaha2, Santosh Patnaik3 and Shweta Sharma4
1
Bioinformatics Infrastructure Facility (BIF) Gargi College (University of Delhi), Siri Fort Road, New Delhi – 110049
2
IBM India Pvt. Ltd., Gurgaon, Haryana- 122001.
3
Dept. of Ocular Pharmacology & Pharmacy All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) New Delhi- 110029
4
Dept. of Pharma Chemistry Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi - 110062
E-mail: 1smrita1@gmail.com

Abstract—In criminology, systematic maintenance of information
and records is crucial. With the steady increase in number of cases
for investigation, the demand for an efficient system to organize and
store data in crime bureau becomes imperative. Keeping this in view,
Forensic Laboratory Management and Analysis (FLMA) software
was developed. The idea was not only to store data but share it
simultaneously which can definitely help in faster decision making in
criminal investigations. The software integrates data using front end
as visual basic platform and upload data directly into database. The
user can log on to the system and can make use of dynamic menu
generation to add, delete, update, save and view details of forensic
records, thus providing an efficient system to manage forensic data in
the laboratory. The FLMA software provides the operations to be
performed on the database containing details of specimen, apparatus,
book, chemicals and racial chart, matching of sequences, details of
person including his/her DNA sequence and Staff involved in
investigation. An authentication key is provided which will be
available to the authorized persons only. This forensic laboratory
management and analysis system software developed, has immense
potential in laboratories dealing with crimes.
Keywords: FLMA, Database, Forensic Laboratory, Records,
Software, Visual Basic.
1. INTRODUCTION
Forensic science deals with criminal and civil laws. Forensic
scientists are involve in collection, preservation and scientific
evidence analysis related to criminal or civil prosecution.
According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), sharp
rise in crimes have been observed. NCRB reports 4404176
(total all India verbal complaints) and 176165 (total all India
court complaints) complaints received by police and cases
registered under IPC and SLL during 2014 [1]. This sharp and
gradual increase in number of cases for investigation needs
systematic maintenance of information and records. For
maintenance of information and records, it’s important to have
efficient system to organize and store data in crime bureau.
Best utilization of available resources- timely and quickly,
accurate information is very vital and important. Therefore,
the available resources are to be kept in an organized and
easily retrievable form.
For this purpose, “Forensic lab management and Analysis
system (FLMA)” software was developed. This software is for
record keeping and provides data about various aspects of
Forensic Lab Management and Analysis. The idea behind the
development of this software is not only to store data but, also
to share this data simultaneously. This makes decision making
process easy, faster and effective. The software integrates data
using front end as visual basic platform and also upload data
directly into database. User can log on to the system and can
make use of dynamic menu to add, delete, update, save and
view details of records concerned with crime, and therefore
can help in forensic investigation.
Traditional forensic science analysis deals with accurate
information analyzed through proved and well known
methodologies. Derived information through forensic science
analysis has application for court law sought for defendant and
prosecutor. This FLMA software provides the operations to be
performed on the stored database containing details of
specimen, apparatus, racial chart, matching of sequences,
details of person including his/her DNA sequence and staff
involved in forensic investigation of a crime and criminal. A
person can easily view, edit, and update the details by logging
in through pre-registered user Id and password. FLMA
software is flexible, reliable and user friendly for smooth
operation of a forensic laboratory.
2. TECHNOLOGY AND METHOD
Visual Basic (VB) version 6.0 (Enterprise Ed) was used as
front end tool and SQL server 2000 as back end tool. VB is an
integrated development environment in which programme
coding, execution, testing and debugging can be done [2-4].
SQL server 2000 is a client/server Relational Database
Management System (RDBMS) that has collection of
Microsoft SQL Server Service (MSSQL Server), Microsoft
SQL Server Agent (SQL Server Agent), Microsoft Search,
Forensic Laboratory Management and Analysis System
Microsoft SQL Server OLAP Service, Microsoft Distributed
Transaction Coordinator (MS- DTC) and Server Network
libraries [5]. SQL server retrieves records from database and
returns them to client. Enterprise manager and query analyzer
are SQL server client applications that were also used while
developing software. Enterprise manager is a visual
application that allows viewing and editing all the object of
SQL server. One can create new database, edit table, and
manages current activity of the connected server. Query
analyzer tool analyzes, execute, save and displays the query
and its result.
2.1. Design
For the development of software, a prototype was designed
(Figure1). The first and important issue was security of the
software. Therefore, password security was designed to
implement at three stages viz. General users, Biological login
and Chemical login while entering into the software for
completing the job based on the type of work, whether general
or biological or chemical. As per the requirement of forensic
lab management and analysis, ten sections were designed for
maintaining information and records.
Fig. 1: Prototype schema of Forensic Lab Management and
Analysis Software workflow
2.1.1. Staff contacts: This section was designed for keeping
record of laboratory staff along with designation and working
address. Also, the facility the software to search staff details
on the basis of designation was provided in the software.
2.1.2. Book details: Book section was for book related
information on various topics specifically for Life science,
Computer science, Biotechnology and Nuclear science. The
provision was facilitated for the searching of book by
choosing the subject.
2.1.3. Chemical details: This head was designed for record
keeping about chemicals used in forensic lab with chemical
Journal of Basic and Applied Engineering Research
p-ISSN: 2350-0077; e-ISSN: 2350-0255; Volume 3, Issue 2; January-March, 2016
155
ID, name, properties, self-number and volume in liter. Details
of chemical can also be assessed by selecting the chemical
name.
2.1.4. Apparatus detail: Apparatus section was designed to
keep information for apparatus related to computer, stationary
and laboratory. This has information with name, item number,
and quantity and store number. There is also an option for
searching apparatus by selecting subject like computer,
stationary and laboratory.
2.1.5: Specimen details: To keep specimen related
information whether zoological or botanical, a section was
designed with facility of data storing and searching the
specimen detail with selection of department name viz.
zoology, botany.
2.1.6. Persons DNA details: Persons DNA sequence
information was kept in this section. This was designed with
name, address, date of birth and sex.
2.1.7. Search and entering sequence: This section was
designed for keeping information about unknown person
sequence that may be DNA or protein during investigation or
test. It could be searched using this software.
2.1.8. Matching Sequence: This part was designed for
matching unknown sequence with sequence saved in database
to know related organism name, species and matching
percentage.
2.1.9. Racial Differentiation: This section was designed for
record keeping for racial differentiation on the basis of
skeleton, Caucasian, Mongolian and Negro.
2.1.10. Data Report: This was designed to display chart for
taking print on racial and lead description.
3. RESULT AND DISCUSSION
The benchmarking studies on the developed software shows
that it can keep track record of laboratory information and
sequence matching along with software security concerns.
Software security refers to functioning correctly under
malicious attack. Any programme that seems to be safe but
can have security holes [6]. Software security risk is high with
computer revolution and software security literatures are
emerging in the research community but still we are not able
to solve the security problem. Keeping this in mind, tough
security in the software was enabled with, three levels of login
classes were programmed (Fig. 2). General user login could
have access to the general utilities. Biological login could
have access for biological work like entering of DNA
sequence, specimen details, matching of sequences etc.
Chemical login could make access to chemical information of
forensic lab. For the security point of view, login ID and
password should match with the same in database. The user
has to enter their login name and password that will match
with login and password stored in database for authentication
and then they are permitted to login to their respective fields.
156 Smrita Singh, Shiv Prasad Kushwaha, Santosh Patnaik and Shweta Sharma
viz. apparatus, books, staffs, chemicals and specimen detail,
person’s DNA details, search and entering sequence, matching
sequence and data report generation etc. Good record is
necessary for data analysis, publication, collaboration, and
review and research activities [7]. This software provides good
record keeping that enhances the laboratory work. Forensic
DNA analysis and bioinformatics are two major fields that
have interdisciplinary techniques for personal identification
and finding their connection with other person [8]. DNA
analysis is quite common in cases like terrorist attack, airplane
crash, tsunami disaster [9-10]. The useful implication of DNA
analysis while court prosecution, helps in solving the
investigation. This has been achieved by the developed
software to store sequences and matching of short sequences.
Fig. 2: Shows the flowchart for software security while logging in
the Forensic Lab Management and Analysis software
4. ADVANTAGES AND FUTURE PROSPECT
The developed FLMA software has advantage over the
manual keeping of track record of lab and scientific
investigation information. It is user friendly and efficient.
Staff can easily add, save, update, delete and view details
according to their use. Further, matching even a small
sequence of DNA manually is time consuming. This problem
has been solved in the developed software as it takes hardly
few seconds. This software can be upgraded for piracy,
matching of sequences and direct intervention in database
table through SQL and for large number of data as it is limited
for small set of data. It can also be upgraded for online access
Journal of Basic and Applied Engineering Research
p-ISSN: 2350-0077; e-ISSN: 2350-0255; Volume 3, Issue 2; January-March, 2016
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and making it fast and flexible using other programming
platform or latest technology. Many other works like finger
print matching, serum testing etc. can be added to it in future.
It will enhance the working speed of investigation bureau.
5. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I am thankful to Indira Gandhi National Open University
(IGNOU), New Delhi for giving me opportunity to work on
software development project and Bioinformatics
Infrastructure Facility, Gargi college (University of Delhi)
funded by Dept. of Biotechnology, Ministry of science and
Technology, New Delhi for providing me infrastructure to
accomplish the work for publication. Also, I am thankful to
Dr. Aparajita Mohanty for supporting me in writing this
research paper.
REFERENCES
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police and cases registered under IPC and SLL during 2014
under IPC and SLL during 2014 (state/UT-wise)”, Crime in
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[2] Kiong, L.V., Visual Basic 6 Made Easy : A complete tutorial for
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[3] Petroutsos, E., Mastering Visual Basic 6, BPB, 1998.
[4] Cornell, G. Visual Basic 6 from the Ground Up, McGraw Hill
Professional, 1998.
[5] Guerrero, F. G. and Rojas, E., Microsoft SQL server 2000
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[6] Cheswick, W. and Bellovin, S., Firewalls and Internet security:
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[7] Macrina, F. L., Scientific Integrity,3rd Ed., ASM, 2005.
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