Category Archives: AAFS

Forensics incorrect between 23% to 96% of court cases

A UK study group describes their study as demanding a “holistic overhaul” of these practices taken into criminal courts. It contains a good review of US exoneration efforts to effect forensics. Too bad the police controlled forensic managers seem deaf … Continue reading

Posted in AAFS, Bitemarks, Crime, criminal justice, CSI, expert testimony, Forensic Science Bias, Forensic science misconduct, junk forensic science, police crime labs | Leave a comment

Forensics: Physics makes important inroads to outdated blood spatter expertise.

This is a well referenced look at BPA. The perspective is clearly science-based and unfettered by practitioner assumptions and biases. Rather refreshing, to put it mildly, and it also uncovers how BPA experts don’t agree with each other on basic … Continue reading

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Forensic experts identifying war and disaster victims

There is not enough funding to do this properly. Volunteers are commonly not reimbursed. Politicians ignore the dead. https://phys.org/news/2019-08-humanitarian-forensic-scientists-dead-comfort.html

Posted in AAFS, human identification, human rights violations, Mass Disaster recovery | Leave a comment

Looking at a Revolution? Getting Forensics Out of Law Enforcement

Many reform ideas in this series of Q&A to forensic and legal experts by the WaPo’s Radley Balko. All are logical and very practical. Prosecutors must be gagging. Here is a quote: Chris Fabricant, the Innocence Project Easiest reform: Eliminate … Continue reading

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More judge-like delusions about error rates in forensics not being necessary.

This time it is in Australia. It does mentions that bitemarks are now outlawed Down Under? Now how did THAT happen? I havent heard a peep abt it. https://www.smh.com.au/national/csi-not-so-scientific-doubt-cast-on-veracity-of-forensic-evidence-20190816-p52hq9.html

Posted in AAFS, ABFO, Bitemarks, CSI, Forensic Science, Forensic Science Bias, junk forensic science | Leave a comment

Texas loves its executions but………………………………………………

  …………..the sometimes nefarious and commonly exaggerated forensic opinions prosecutors continue use to convict has little effect on the lofty judges who never took a science class after 12th grade. Their denials of legitimate claims of unfair criminal convictions is … Continue reading

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A New Solution to Countering Bad Science in Forensics | Lab Manager

Aussie study follows up on the unacceptable “ad hoc” nature of 30 different crime lab methods. They also demand for forensic science to become more open. Even DNA has befuddled courts into accepting “proprietary secrets” regarding crime lab software. — … Continue reading

Posted in AAFS, ABFO, Bitemarks, criminal justice reform, CSI, DNA mixtures, DNA profiling, forensic testimony, police crime labs, US Crime labs | Leave a comment

Blood spatter analysis (i.e. BPA) theories contradict physics and scientific research. Study reveals serious lack of university-level involvement in this police-adopted method.

Is anyone suprised? The spatterists still are throwing pig blood against walls and clothing. This study debunks their “velocity” of impact/force blood spatter paradigms. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/forensics-bloodstain-pattern-analysis/ Kudos to The Innocence Project’s Sarah Chu for her comments in this NOVA article. Read … Continue reading

Posted in AAFS, ABFO, Bite Marks, Bitemarks, criminal justice reform, CSI, Forensic Science Bias, junk forensic science, US Crime labs | Comments Off on Blood spatter analysis (i.e. BPA) theories contradict physics and scientific research. Study reveals serious lack of university-level involvement in this police-adopted method.

Forensic bias dangers from police interactions

Notables discuss the interface between police and anyone examining crime scene evidence. Especially those folks working police crime labs. Recent cases of experts being influenced by police theories certainly highlights this as creating cognitive bias. It is very hard to … Continue reading

Posted in AAFS, ABFO, Bite Marks, Bitemarks, costs of wrongful convictions, Crime, Crime lab scandal, criminal justice, CSI, Dr. Michael West, Forensic crime lab security issues, Forensic Science Bias | Leave a comment

Junk science vs DNA leads to law suit for compensation

All this began with a “match” of one hair made during the heyday of this now discredited FBI crime fighting method. http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/indiana/20190801/man-sues-claiming-wrongful-conviction

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