Greetings and welcome to the inaugural issue of Malaysian Journal of Forensic Sciences.
The inaugural edition of Malaysian Journal of Forensic Sciences has been initiated by Department of Chemistry Malaysia, Royal Malaysian Police Force and Universiti Sains Malaysia for the Forensic Science Society of Malaysia. It is an online refereed journal maintained by Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian which is devoted to the publication of original investigations, observations, and reviews in the various branches of forensic sciences. These include criminalistics, narcotics, toxicology, DNA analysis, serology, anthropology, forensic psychology and other forensic-related fields.
The journal aims to provide a platform for disseminating observations, findings, and views from various branches of forensic sciences. It establishes and maintains a review of the literature of research and practice in forensic science and crime scene related areas. It also serves as a means for critical reflection and analysis of different approaches used in the court of law. Recent trends of academic paper writing and publication reflect the fusion of ideas from diversified disciplines and research approaches. This is indeed refreshing and helps creative endeavours as the development of novel ideas depends largely on such multidisciplinary contribution with new way of looking at the same things and interpreting findings.
In this inaugural edition there is article focusing on the unusual encounters from narcotics case files; a review on solid phase microextraction and its applications in gunshot residue analysis; a study on formaldehyde contamination in wiping media used in trace pseudoephedrine analysis, and a study on analysis of gunshot residue deposited on cotton cloth target at close range shooting distances.
Other articles focus on the use of forensic light source for biological evidence detection, the development of skull-photo superimposition as an identification technique, a study on the age related retention of individual characteristics in hand writings and signatures for application during forensic investigation, the development of reagent test kit for the enhancement of shoeprints at crime scene, and identifying profile of female prisoners in Malaysian prison using Carlson psychological survey.
We are happy to accept and publish traditional academic articles in written form at the beginning stage of this journal; we also specifically invite and encourage submissions on the Web. We are looking for submitters who want to participate fully in our journal as reviewers who can help review, critique, and comment on other article submitted by your peers.
Most importantly, we hope to continuously improve the core publishing process of the journal to meet international journal publication standard in the near future. With active participation and contribution from all submitters and reviewers, this is achievable within a short space of time.
Editor in-Chief
Yew Chong Hooi
E-mail: mjofseditor@gmail.com
31 October 2010