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At the scene of the crime

Forensic scientists are trained to evaluate evidence. Often, it is the police who collect it. Historic photos belonging to the Zurich city archives show the wide range of incidents and locations that are potentially scenes of crimes.

From the first recorded autopsy, performed on the body of stabbing victim Julius Caesar in 44 BC, to fingerprinting, developed in the 1890s, to DNA analysis, developed in the 1980s, numerous tools have evolved to help determine the circumstances surrounding a crime. Was a death due to an accident, suicide or murder? Who was responsible for the destruction of property? Who was at the scene when a crime occurred? Considerable time and effort are required to find out.

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SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR