North Carolina Office of Indigent Defense Services
// by rniland
This is the first in a three-part series on lab accreditation, analyst certification, and ISO-compliant lab procedures by Ryan Niland. Understanding the distinctions between lab accreditation and analyst certification can be important when critically examining forensic analyses. Although both processes relate to quality assurance for forensic analysis, the term accreditation generally applies to laboratories as …
Part 1: What’s the difference between accreditation and certification?Read More
// by todayadvocatingtomorrow
Several studies reported in the January 2013 Issue of Forensic Science International: Genetics are of interest for future developments in forensic evidence. Research is being done on predicting eye color, hair color, and skin color from DNA. Currently, 37 gene sequences (SNPs or single nucleotide polymorphisms) have been identified as playing a role in these …
// by terrisims
A DNA analysis timeline is now available on the IDS Forensic Resources website. The timeline traces the development of forensic DNA analysis and its use by the NC State Crime Lab. It seeks to identify what technologies were available during a particular time period. It is a helpful tool for attorneys working on older cases …
History of DNA Analysis Timeline – Available OnlineRead More
// by terrisims
In a two-part report, Stateline examines the problems facing crime labs across the country. Part one of the series addresses recent problems plaguing crime labs and the need for judicial education regarding the reliability of forensic evidence. Part two introduces a new forensic lab in Washington, D.C. which operates independently of state law enforcement agencies …
Stateline and NPR report on the state of forensic science labsRead More
// by terrisims
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, sitting en banc, heard oral arguments on whether DNA fingerprinting violates the Fourth Amendment’s protection against unreasonable search and seizure on September 19. Plaintiffs-Appellants in Haskell v. Harris argue that collection of DNA at arrest violates their privacy interests because DNA contains not only CODIS markers that help in …
The ENCODE project, the Fourth Amendment, and Haskill v. HarrisRead More
// by terrisims
Attorneys can now access the “Guide to Working with Experts” on the IDS Forensics website. The guide was created as an additional tool to assist attorneys in effectively vetting experts and offers tips on productive communication with experts. You can access the guide here. Additionally, attorneys can use the American Board of Medical Specialties website …
Guide to Working With Experts – Now Available OnlineRead More
// by terrisims
The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear two Florida cases at the end of October regarding dog sniffs and the Fourth Amendment. The Florida Supreme Court ruled in Florida v. Jardines that taking a drug detection dog to the front porch of a home to sniff for marijuana violated the Fourth Amendment. They held …
// by Sarah Olson
Many readers are probably aware of the scandal unfolding in the Massachusetts State Police lab, where chemist Annie Dookhan has been charged with obstructing justice by falsifying data in criminal cases and lying under oath about her qualifications. Dookhan was responsible for testing substances that were suspected to be drugs. An October 9, 2012 article …
Crime lab backlogs and the Massachusetts lab scandalRead More
// by terrisims
NOVA (PBS) aired a program called “Forensics on Trial” on October 17, 2012, examining the crisis facing crime labs in the U.S which lack central oversight, employ few scientific standards, and have poor regulation of examiners. The program investigates how the use of fingerprint, bite mark, ballistics, toolmark, and hair analysis evidence has led to …
// by terrisims
Defense attorneys interested in learning more about DNA statistics might find the following articles interesting because the “birthday problem” is analogous to looking for partial matches in a DNA database. The birthday problem is a classic puzzle that asks if you had a room full of people, how many people would you need in the …
// by terrisims
Criminal cases that utilized handwriting analysis performed by the Oregon State Police Forensic Services Division are being re-examined after it was uncovered earlier this year that Oregon State Police handwriting analysts may have tainted evidence in those cases. The Questioned Document Unit, which handles handwriting analysis, was shut down in April of this year after …
Oregon State Police Questioned Document Unit Under ReviewRead More
// by terrisims
A 3-judge panel found Willie Grimes innocent after thirty-minutes of deliberation on Friday. Grimes had been sentenced to life in prison in 1987 after being convicted of two counts of first degree rape and one count of second degree kidnapping. He was paroled in May of this year after serving twenty-four years in prison. Grimes’s …
Free at Last! Willie Grimes Exonerated by 3-Judge PanelRead More
// by terrisims
The National Institute of Justice has published several reports on novel techniques that are being investigated in order to improve forensic analysis. Take a look at the reports below to learn about some of the latest techniques that are being developed and to get a forecast of what techniques you may see coming soon to …
NIJ Has Made Available New Forensic Technical ReportsRead More
// by terrisims
On Monday, September 17, 2012, the NC State Crime Lab began operating under a new set of procedures modeled after International Organization for Standardization (ISO) procedures. The new procedures are posted here. Any analysis conducted by the lab on or after September 17 will be performed according to the new procedures. Attorneys should be careful …
// by terrisims
A new reference standard for comparing cartridge casings has been developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The standard is known as SRM 2461, Standard Casing. It was developed to assist firearms examiners by ensuring that the equipment used to match cartridge cases to those in the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network …