Less specific, but more in-depth forensics, fiber database.

[Guest]

As it stands, forensics is essentially taking prints/fibers from a scene, running them through a microscope scanner, and getting results on the exact item that left a trace at the scene of a crime, often this gives the investigator a huge lead or not much of one at all.

My suggestion: rather than just giving the FT/CSI an immediate answer as to what item left a trace at the crime, have their fibers be color/material specific. Black gloves would leave black fibers, for example. At the same time, a black jumpsuit would also leave black fibers. Latex gloves wouldn't entirely leave fibers pointing directly at a pair of latex gloves, but rather leave trace materials found in latex at the scene of a crime.

Adding a computer that contains the fiber and material type of every clothing item found anywhere, would be useful for crosschecking. Enter applicable fields and you get a list of possible items with X fiber and Y material, and you have a few possible matches, but not 100% accurate and on-point.

[Dea Tacita]

I like this.

Would make CSIs more interesting to be I think.

[Susan]

Pointlessly complicated, 500 different uniforms with red fibers, no absolute response.

Fibers would become utterly useless.

[Chaznoodles]

Could be a nice touch. It would mean more work to figure out a crime, but that's part of the fun, taking what you've got and making sense of it!

[Jamini]

Pointlessly complicated, 500 different uniforms with red fibers, no absolute response.

Fibers would become utterly useless.

 

Actually, aren't fibers inadmissible in a number of courts for how highly inaccurate they are?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiber_analysis

 

This method is usually not used to actually pinpoint an offender in an investigation as it is not as reliable as DNA.[1]

[SgtSammac]

We've already completely buffed up the forensics side of detective work in have last 6 months thanks to Sue....

I just feel that this will just be too complicated for what we need it for, and with the number of different uniforms, and clothing items and colours on those items. Sorry.

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

The fiber-side of CSI work tends to be circumstantial. People treat crime scenes like a fingerpainting exhibit and just roll all over everything, smearing their dirty, dirty hands over everything. The biggest support I would have for something like this would be for the really specific fibers. Like 'mangled gloves' should have a 50/50 chance to show up as regular gloves, and perhaps vaguefying the really, really specific items that I can't name off-hand.