Pedology Applied to Forensics

Pedology forensic research studies and analyzes traces of geological debris and loose materials connected to a crime, in order to provide assistance to the judicial police activities and to obtain evidence useful in carrying out an investigation. In the context of forensic analysis, such materials are commonly referred to by the term ‘soil’ and include sand, mud, soil in the strict sense, etc. This chapter treats the characteristic of forensic soil and the issues related to the traces of soil. The site survey activities in forensic soil science applications and the collection of soil trace evidence and their preservation are also dealt with the following pages.