This article presents a critical review of forensic developments made in the field of vibrational spectroscopy since 2012.
This review demonstrates how valuable vibrational spectroscopy, such as Raman and Infrared (IR), is in the field of forensic science. Many techniques are still being developed while others already have countless applications and have proven their validity. As the need for more information from evidence arises, the development of new vibrational spectroscopic techniques will follow suit. These methods have shown their importance in forensic science thus far and will continue to do so for years to come. Vibrational spectroscopy methods are already useful tools for forensic scientists. Their quantitative and nondestructive nature ensures that analyses are objective and preserve the evidence. As expected, spectroscopic methods are becoming increasingly more popular for forensic evidence analysis. These new developments could have a significant impact on the field of forensic investigation. Portable Raman and IR spectrometers continue to become more affordable and accessible to crime laboratories. Raman and IR spectroscopy could potentially be used at the scene of a crime to analyze almost any form of physical evidence, without the risk of destruction.