Latest News on Forensic Science and Criminal Law
-
Join 223 other subscribers
Category Archives: ABFO
Forensic Bias? Did an autopsy doc get wind of a suspect’s confession now considered coerced?
The interplay of homicide death investigations conducted by medical personnel employed by the same agency investigating a suspect is fodder for doubts concerning undo influence. Its the subject of this The Intercept article just out from Jordan Smith. It is … Continue reading
Posted in AAFS, ABFO, criminal justice reform
Tagged crime labs, Criminal Justice, CSI, expert witnesses
Leave a comment
Bitemarks linked to child abuse arrest
(Note: Regardless of all the digital artwork, measurements seen in this case are not accurate for biter “matching”) The prevalance of bitemark injuries brought forth in child abuse investigations and prosecutions has never been disputed but they have been as … Continue reading
Posted in AAFS, ABFO, Bitemarks
Tagged American Academy of Forensic Science, Forensic science
Leave a comment
Tx Forensic Sci Commission gets kudos for driving bitemark analysts to ground
Well, its not just the bitemarker zealots being scoured by the Tx Commission as mentioned in the January issue of Texas Monthly. But, its title is “False Impressions” and its headpiece image is the above closeup of some badly busted … Continue reading
Bickering Bitemark Analysts need to read this: Chemists’ guidelines and expectations on science
The American Chemical Society has taken a very proactive position in reinforcing scientific standards through its involvement in forensic reform and progress. A notable aspect of this group is its university and industrial component membership base that conforms to legitimate … Continue reading
The odd “reform” coexistence of law enforcement, criminal justice and private forensic orgs
Taking some joy out of Xmas, the Wash Post columnist Radley Balko draws out the pattern of current forensic events focusing on methods review into a broader question. How difficult is it to change multi-governmental institutional culture? He describes how the … Continue reading
Posted in AAFS, ABFO, Bitemarks
Tagged Criminal Justice, CSI, Forensic science, junk science, National Commission on Forensic Science, Radley Balko
Leave a comment
Major US Forensic Lab Scandals by State : The DOJ takes a stab at solution
Rumblings about mess-ups in US government-run forensic labs has finally reached the US DOJ. The reliability aspects of who does the “accreditation” is another matter. Thanks to NACDL and @celiagivens at the DNA Newsletter. DOJ to Mandate Lab Accreditation The … Continue reading
Forensics: Decomp rate of microbial system in dead bodies considered marker for TOD
Dead bodies are the topic today. Researchers from UC of San Diego are talking about Time of Death determinations using bacteria. Considering the encironmental and physical factors that influence decomposition rathers, this research still has a longgg way to go. … Continue reading
Posted in AAFS, ABFO
Tagged American Academy of Forensic Science, crime labs, Forensic science
Leave a comment
Forensics: White House Science and Technology opinion on Bitemark Identification
Here is the keynote speaker ( Jo Handlesman Ph.D) at a 2015 NIJ conference on forensic science speaking about the unenviable position bitemarkers have attained by showing no reliability in their opinions and being individually inconsistent in their courtroom testimony. … Continue reading
Australia gets rid of unreliable forensic expert’s convictions – So should Mississippi and other states
A long time Australian pathologist who retired in 1995, having recently been given an “unreliable” designation by the Aussie courts, is the subject of extensive re-litigation of many of his past trials. Coincidentally, the Mississippi Supreme Court has ordered another … Continue reading
DC considering tightening rules to combat junk science in its courts
Talk about partisan politics in the judicial system. Washington DC lawyers (plantiffs lawyers of course. They sue people in civil courts mostly on a contingency basis) are whining (lets call it like it is) about the DC judiciary thinking about … Continue reading
FORENSICS and LAW in FOCUS @ CSIDDS | News and Trends 