Research study on bullet and cartridge case comparison finding the odds of disagreement between examiners about the evidential strength of a comparison were approximately five times larger in the blind than in the non-blind procedure, with disagreement about 42.3% and 12.5% of the proposed conclusions, respectively. Also, the odds that their proposed conclusion was reported …
Featured Articles
A Model for Confronting Fire Investigation Errors
John Lentini article containing important principles for investigating arson evidence.
Evidence Collection and Analysis for Touch DNA in Groping and Sexual Assault Cases
Julie Valentine et al. in Journal of Forensic Nursing (2021)
Evidence Collection and Analysis for Touch DNA in Groping and Sexual Assault CasesRead More
Medical Cannabis and Driving
Thomas R Arkell, Danielle McCartney, and Iain S McGregor article
A hierarchy of expert performance (HEP) applied to digital forensics: Reliability and biasability in digital forensics decision making
Defending IEEE Software Standards in Federal Criminal Court
June 2021 article by Marc Canellas. IEEE’s 1012 Standard for independent software and hardware verification and validation (IV&V) is under attack in U.S. federal criminal court. As software spreads through the criminal legal system, scientists, engineers, and IEEE have an essential role in ensuring courts understand and respect IEEE 1012 and IV&V. If scientists, engineers, …
Defending IEEE Software Standards in Federal Criminal CourtRead More
A preparatory guide for court prepared for DNA examiners by STRmix
This document responds to the DNA Mixture Interpretation: A NIST Scientific Foundation Review (draft) document from June 2021. STRmix prepared this document as guidance for STRmix users who may encounter the NIST review in the court setting.
A preparatory guide for court prepared for DNA examiners by STRmixRead More
The Probabilistic Genotyping Software STRmix: Utility and Evidence for its Validity
By: John S. Buckleton, D.Sc.; Jo-Anne Bright, Ph.D.; Simone Gittelson, Ph.D.; Tamyra R. Moretti, Ph.D.; Anthony J. Onorato, M.C.I.M., M.S.F.S.; Frederick R. Bieber, Ph.D.; Bruce Budowle, Ph.D.; and Duncan A. Taylor, Ph.D.
The Probabilistic Genotyping Software STRmix: Utility and Evidence for its ValidityRead More
The effect of contextual information on decision-making in forensic toxicology
This study investigates the effects of contextual information on forensic toxicology testing and analysis. By Hilary J. Hamlett & Itiel E. Dror
The effect of contextual information on decision-making in forensic toxicologyRead More
The US Department of Justice stumbles on visual perception
2021 PNAS article by Thomas D. Albright
The US Department of Justice stumbles on visual perceptionRead More
The Forensic Microbiome: The Invisible Traces We Leave Behind
Accuracy and Reproducibility of Conclusions by Forensic Bloodstain Pattern Analysts
R. Austin Hicklin, Kevin R. Winer, Paul E. Kish, Connie L. Parks, William Chapman, Kensley Dunagan, Nicole Richetelli, Eric G. Epstein, Madeline A. Ausdemore, Thomas A. Busey,. Forensic Science International, 2021. Highlights: Conclusions by bloodstain pattern analysts were often erroneous and often contradicted other analysts On samples with known causes, 11.2% of responses were erroneous …
Accuracy and Reproducibility of Conclusions by Forensic Bloodstain Pattern AnalystsRead More
AI Case Study: Probabilistic Genotyping DNA Tools in Canadian Criminal Courts
A report of the Law Commission of Ontario which considers the role and impact of AI-driven probabilistic genotyping technology to generate evidence used in the criminal justice system. The report makes a number of recommendations based on concerns that PG DNA evidence may lead to wrongful convictions if not properly regulated.
AI Case Study: Probabilistic Genotyping DNA Tools in Canadian Criminal CourtsRead More
NIBIN Toolkit for Prosecutors
Explains how the NIBIN database works to search for possible connections between bullets or casings fired a separate crime scenes. Explains that every NIBIN lead must be verified by a firearms examiner. The NIBIN technician report of a lead is not sufficient reliable and should not be the basis of testimony. Advises prosecutors not to …
Field Sobriety Tests and THC Levels Unreliable Indicators of Marijuana Intoxication
Researchers investigated how marijuana affects skills required for safe driving and found that biofluid levels of THC did not correlate with field sobriety test performance or marijuana intoxication, regardless of how the cannabis was ingested.
Field Sobriety Tests and THC Levels Unreliable Indicators of Marijuana IntoxicationRead More