Computational Forensics: Towards Hybrid-Intelligent Crime Investigation

In recent years, mathematical, statistical and computer science methods have found extensive application in developing new procedures for crime investigation, prosecution and the enforcement of law. Computer-based methods have also become important tools for performing certain forensic functions. Yet, knowledge and intuition of the human expert plays a central role. This paper gives a brief overview of the potential of computational methods in forensics. The state of the art is described, some practical examples are given and a viewpoint is expressed that the methods can be extended to functions that currently rely only on expert knowledge.