International Connections of Finnish Forensic Science in the 1920s

• In Event: EHC-WG Panel 1: Theory and Knowledge in Historical Criminology

Abstract

In my presentation, I present how, in the 1920s Finland, knowledge of forensic science was sought from abroad, who were the key Finnish and international figures in this process, and how these international connections contributed to the development of the Finnish police.

During the 1920s, the Finnish police institution underwent reforms to develop the Finnish police into a modern, Western-style police force. As part of this modernization, there was a will to integrate forensic science practices into police work. At the time, forensic expertise in Finland was virtually nonexistent, which led to study trips abroad to learn how forensic methods were applied in criminal investigations in other countries.

Particularly, the police operations in Weimar Germany garnered significant professional interest, as the German police were seen in Finland as representing the most efficient and modern Western-style policing. However, cooperation with Denmark also played a significant role in developing the Finnish police. Danish fingerprint expert S. Tage-Jensen trained Finnish police officers in locating fingerprints at crime scenes. Tage-Jensen also played a key role behind the scenes in establishing the Bureau for Criminal Investigation, a specialized forensic science institution, in 1926.

Through proactive efforts, the Finnish police was integrated into the framework of Western policing. This development culminated in 1928 when Finland joined IKPK (Internationale Kriminalpolizeiliche Komission), the predecessor of Interpol. As a result, international cooperation of the Finnish police intensified at the institutional level, and study trips abroad became more common.

My presentation is a partial result of my ongoing doctoral monograph research titled Crime Investigation Center – The Pioneer of Finnish Forensic Science 1926–1954, in which I examine the influence of the Crime Investigation Center on the development of forensic science in Finland.

Author

• Marko Piipponen, University of Eastern Finland