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Category Archives: CSI
Natl Institute of Standards and Tech, praising advances in DNA, leaves out bitemark rejection
NIST is the uber-arm of science in the world of the federal government and has a wide view on most things in our physical world. Its holiday post reflects on 2016’s triumphs and removal of some obsolete methods in forensics … Continue reading
Posted in AAFS, criminal justice reform, CSI, forensic science reform
Tagged Bad forensic science, Forensic science, NIST
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Top Ten Forensic Articles in Dec 2016 for @CSIDDS
Looking back on the most popular articles published this month in Forensics in Focus. Thank you all for following!! The $2 drug tests are great for law enforcement drug warriors, but not much goo for anyone else. Utter silence from … Continue reading
Interim Austin Crime Lab boss gets the boot; lab closed
Austin’s police chief apologized Friday for massive problems at the Police Department’s crime lab, saying he had ceased all efforts to reopen the DNA part of the troubled facility and had removed the man recently hired to get it back … Continue reading
Prosecutors started to look at Austin PD DNA analyst 6 years ago
Its better late than never, I guess. Good example on how DA CIUs (conviction integrity units) get a bad rap. This Cleveland DA says some of them are just ‘news releases.’ “During that sexual assault trial, prosecutors wrote two memos … Continue reading
The cost of Austin crime lab failure reaches $6.5 – $14 million estimates
Regardless of the politicians assurances, this taxpayer cost will surely go up to include whatever additional legal costs that occur over the propose next five years. Its 12 years worth of crime lab cases. So far, no one has blamed … Continue reading
Austin Crime Lab woes gets even worse – Pushback against DNA upgrades
Here’s a short bit from why the Austin TX police run crime lab road to recovery just fell off a cliff. The state’s overseers are having resistance to retraining some of the existing employees. As in ………. “a supervisor’s decision … Continue reading
Politics, Military Police and Forensic Science Conflicts
The white hats in the forensic science world like to say that “truth” in their investigations always wins out. Read this story about how a US military medical examiner in Afghanistan got his investigation quashed by a general whose name … Continue reading
Posted in criminal justice, CSI
Tagged criminal justice, forensic undue influence, military forensic science
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Prosecutors dragging their feet on uncovering extent of years long crime lab scandal
In part, the crime lab scientist stole, used and messed with drugs while employed at the crime lab since….. “An interim report by state Assistant Attorney General Thomas Caldwell said, “Ms. Farak began using controlled substances regularly in the last … Continue reading
Posted in costs of wrongful convictions, Crime lab scandal, criminal justice, CSI
Tagged crime lab scandals, CSI
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Judges receive Science Commission training about junk bitemarks
There is more non-science flim-flam being praised in Hollidaysburg, Blair County, Pennsylvania (pictured above). The bitemarkers’ attack once again. I’m sure the judge needs some help figuring things out. Short Backstory Texas hit the news this year in its de-listing … Continue reading
Look-back and breaking news on why crimes labs should have independent oversight
This all blows opposite to what the cop crime labs are saying and its a good thing. Here’s the latest from California about botched lab false-positive semen testing results that goes back decades. A hearsay statement has the Santa Clara … Continue reading
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