NEKOLIKO PRIMJENA MATEMATIKE U FORENZICI
SOME APPLICATIONS OF MATHEMATICS IN FORENSIC SCIENCE

Summary/Abstract: Reason(s) for writing and research problem(s): Forensics and criminology are not only qualitative but also quantitative disciplines. A large number of today’s statistical and mathematical findings generally find their application in forensics. Therefore, the problem of this article is to remind or inform this expert profile of several mathematical and logical procedures useful for forensic purposes. Aims of the paper (scientific and/or social): The aim of this paper is to illustrate four applications of mathematics to forensic science, i.e. for criminology purposes. The first one takes into account height assessment with regard to the length of a footprint. The second one considers time-after-death assessment, based on body temperature. The next application considers the proper usage of the probability theory while making conclusions in forensic science. The last application of mathematics that is shown here includes geographic profiling. It is about determining the zone where an offender stays or resides. Methodology/Design: As a review article, an analysis of the content of other authors works and the relevant results they came up is conducted. Research/paper limitations: Not all applications of mathematics in forensic science are included in the article, but examples of several selected applications. Results/Findings: Taking into account the aforementioned utility of the applied mathematics, it should be highlighted that forensic expert, in order to use them correctly, should know the following things: how to interpret correlation coefficient properly, how to use regression coefficients adequately (it is needed in the field of anthropometric data); how to apply the fundamentals of logarithms, differentials (derivatives), and integrals (all of this is the background of determining time of death on the basis of body temperature); basic principles of the probability theory, inductive reasoning, and interpreting the results of statistical tests, as well as how to use appropriate IT devices, by reading various values and figures correctly concerning the geographic profiling with Rossmo’s formula. General conclusion: The role of mathematician/statistician in the forensic team is of great practical significance. Research/paper validity: The paper draws attention to the usually neglected field of applied mathematics within forensic science.

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