This is a 50 page UBC Law Review narrative on the inadequacies of courts to recognize junk “forensic” experts. Battling Canadian bitemarkers leave a trail of exaggerated claims and criminal case law that is blind to scientific principles.
Forensics: Journals in forensics need a dose of this….
Integrity analyis for publishers and authors. My biggest concerns:
1) doctored data and images.
2) over-reaching conclusions.
3) Influence of funding sources (i.e. commmercial and USDOJ).
4) Cronyism and bias camouflaged as “support for high ethical standards” to mask critics’ personal malice.
https://www.statnews.com/2018/11/21/research-misconduct-journals-hiring-research-integrity-czars/
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Forensics: The tip of the iceberg of Trump’s shutdown. Declined attendance at Forensic Conferences like the AAFS
(photo credits: Forensic Magazine). The American Academy of Forensic Science annual meeting is next month in Baltimore. The AAFS has a large percentage of crime labbers, students, and related government forensics-types who use the week-long meetings for education, networking, and sharing forensic research presentations. That meeting could become a mere trickle of its former self if Trump pulls the plug on government for a second time on Feb 15. Trump and his minions have a track record of deleting Executive branch efforts to improve police forensic methods and practices. here, here, here and here.
Forensics: More of the usual police rush to do their own DNA testing without Validating the “Black Box.”
Another short piece of “WTF” about law enforcement over-zealous main line adoption of their in-house “novel” methods. Precautions cast aside are:
“Yet as recent coverage of the police rollout of these devices makes clear, the advent of Rapid DNA introduces a host of concerns. We lack much meaningful oversight of forensic science or police technology in this country. These machines are unvalidated. They use proprietary “black box” technology, so that no one, least of all the people using them, knows precisely how they work. They make errors and destroy samples, but we do not know how often.”
Forensics and Law: Lack of scientific concerns shows its ugly head in the US Supreme Court
Take a look at this short op-ed about how the highest US court handles junk police forensics. This time the subject is dog sniffing dogs as probable cause for the police to ransack your house. Lawyers need more Science 101 in their training. Unfortunately, they only learn about “stare decisis.” (AKA: don’t change from the past).
Forensics: Police Discover Oregon Cold Case Killer Was Executed By Texas In 1999.
A striking example of how serial murderers cross the country killing their victims. It also clarifies how nationwide genealogy DNA databases connect police departments separated geographically and the inadequacies of the US federal CODIS system.
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Tagged criminal justice, forensic genetic research, Forensic science
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The fascinating backstory of the periodic table, which is about to turn 150 years old – Los Angeles Times
Scientists around the world will be celebrating the 150th birthday of the periodic table this week. Here’s the backstory of how the table came together.
— Read on www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-periodic-table-150-birthday-20190131-story.html
Finally. Something I remember from high school.
Clear evidence why the innocent stay in jail: The jumble of legalisms from judges
“At the heart of the matter is the role of reviewing courts. We all are taught in high school about how the system of appellate review in this country is supposed to weed out mistakes at trial. But over time, the system has devolved to the point where it tolerates, even encourages, unjust results. With one piece of legislation, Georgia could make it easier for defendants like Gates to establish their right to a new trial. Eliminate the need for a defendant to prove the new evidence “probably” would have generated a different result. Redefine what “due diligence” means where, as in Gates’s case, prosecutors or police are hiding evidence.”
How corruption in forensic science is harming the criminal justice system
Forensic science is only as good as the equipment and the people who calibrate it, some high-profile cases indicate. Thousands of innocent people have been harmed. Here’s how.
— Read on theconversation.com/how-corruption-in-forensic-science-is-harming-the-criminal-justice-system-108975
Forensic misconduct is a real event. The police crime lab consortium takes little notice and denies innocent defendants populate US prisons.
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Exonerated man testifies for forensic science bill
A bill to help people wrongfully convicted by flawed forensic science is under consideration in Virginia, helped by a man who spent more than three decades in prison for a crime he didn’t commit.
— Read on www.cbs19news.com/content/news/Exonerated-man-testifies-for-forensic-science-bill-504840491.html
Bitemarks leads the list of junk science in proposed Virginia bill to expand criminal conviction appeals. Only California and Texas have similar protections. The federal system totally ignores the damage produced from forensic quacks and exaggerators.
