Category Archives: criminal justice reform

#AAFS 2017 : Watch out for the ‘ATTACK of the bite mark matchers’ in NOLA

Have a look at this in depth  Washington Post series about certain ‘scientific’ AAFS members who will be showing off their wares in the Odontology Section this week. This is a small bunch of believers. Two Odontology members, Cynthia Brzozowki … Continue reading

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From the Forensic Regulator – Code of Ethics and Standards – #AAFS2017

“My aim is that all forensic science provided to the CJS is of the required level of quality; the quality standards are set out in detail in these Codes.” Dr. Gillian Tully, the UK Forensic Regulator. Notable in this extensive … Continue reading

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Making Sense of DNA Genetics – #AAFS2017 – Epigenetics is mentioned

This is a primer-level (being in a brochure format) look on the subject and has some gaps as far as interpretation of DNA partial profiles and mixtures but admits that, even with algorithmic software, there still is human interpretation in … Continue reading

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More scientists gang up against the bitemarkers – Oxford University Press -#AAFS2017

It’s just a dental journal (see pg. 68), but this op-ed piece may be the FIRST time organized dentistry has spoken out about the flim-flam of bitemark ‘science.’ The anonymous author is quietly referencing a recent publication from the Journal … Continue reading

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Brave New World of Prosecutor Misconduct – Bitemarks and Melissa Mourges – #AAFS2017

In a show of force, collegial prosecutors combine efforts to influence judges to accept half-truths and fraud from the forensic ‘world’ of bitemark matching. Nothing says it better than this new article from the Washington Post. (Ms. Mourges is a … Continue reading

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Looking at a Model Rules for Forensic Conduct – #AAFS2017

Ironically, the legal profession in the US and British Commonwealth have Rules of Conduct for lawyers. I am at a loss as to Rules for the Forensic Expert that follow these scientific method protections in research and testimony to the … Continue reading

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PCAST ‘withering under intellectual scrutiny’ = #Alternativefacts #Forensic #Science

I’ve been waiting for this rag to come out with this type of mendacious Alt-Speak about the scientific efforts focused on forensics by the US Congress, National Academy of Sciences, and Obama’s Executive branch. This scrutiny (by established empirical scientists … Continue reading

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Another reviewer looks at “Forensic Science Reform: Protecting the Innocent”

This one is from Brandon Garrett, Professor of Law at University of Virginia. He is the author of “Convicting the Innocent: Where Prosecutions Go Wrong. (2011). Reviews “There is a revolution in forensic science in this country and this book … Continue reading

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NIJ sponsored forensic research at AAFS 2017 in NOLA

Quite alot of this free (registration needed at RTI) February 14th meeting appears quite interesting. How’s this: “The Taphonomy of Human Hair” or “Forensic DNA Phenotyping of Quantitative Pigment in Human Physical Appearance Prediction”? It appears that the latest research … Continue reading

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Narrative on forensics NAS/PCAST vs the world of law enforcement

This look hits most of the highs and lows of contentious statements from law enforcement after the President’s Council took on their established police forensic turf. It does mention wrongful convictions stemming from overrated forensic ‘science’ which seemed left out … Continue reading

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