Scent as Forensic Evidence

Law enforcement agencies around the country use specially trained dogs for a variety of purposes. The primary reason is that they are cost-effective means for crime control (O’block, Doeren, & True, 1979; Lilly & Puckett, 1997). At this time, dogs still possess abilities that far exceed that of existing technology. Unfortunately, empirical evidence documenting how the canine utilizes his amazing olfactory skills is far from complete and little scientific testing of law enforcement canines has been conducted (Department of the Treasury, 1993). Only through a review of the literature in a range of law enforcement functions can even a fuzzy picture of the nature of scent, as a form of forensic evidence be perceived. This review of the literature attempts to link the commonalities found in research of different disciplines and form a better understanding scent that will drive future research. ORIGIN OF SCENT
Man has utilized the scenting power of dogs for thousands of years (Chapman, 1990). The ability of dogs (Canis familiaris) to detect human...