The forensic′s scientist craft: towards an integrative theory. Part 1: microapproach

Defining the nature of forensic science and criminalistics is a topic that has been vigorously revisited in international literature. At the core of this discussion is the demarcation of principles that would characterize forensic science as an autonomous science, with its methods. The concept of theoretical synthesis as elaborated by Walker and Avant (2011) was adopted. In this theoretical model, concepts and principles are organized in a coherent and integrated way. In this first paper, the theory synthesis was elaborated from basic concepts and practices related to the work of the forensic scientist. Basically, the procedures for searching and collecting traces and the analytical methods of identification and individualization of traces. The theory synthesis was mainly developed based on: a) the reasoning method adopted in cognitive operations by forensic scientists; b) the way of obtaining information and interpreting phenomena from observation of facts and traces; c) how forensic scientists perform their investigations, analysis or synthesis from evidence and its main practical limitations. In short, the proposed theory synthesis reinforces the idea that forensic science is a specific science, capable not only of applying technologies and using scientific methods but also of producing knowledge inherent to its performance and scope.