Category Archives: Forensic Science

Mini-police crime labs sprouting up all over thanks to the American Soc of Crime Labs

Somebody needs to tell this Winston-Salem police chief how “speedy crime lab tests” (to avoid huge delays from the state lab) might not work out so well in some circumstances. The “speedy trial” reward for being “speedy” in that his … Continue reading

Posted in AAFS, CSI, Forensic Science | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

FORENSICS: What is a “partial DNA match?” Or, what ARE we talking about here?

This blog follows the event of the Albuquerque police using a “partial DNA match” sufficient to hold a man in jail for 17 months.   The news release from New Mexico is vague about what the police are changing in their … Continue reading

Posted in Bad Forensic Science, criminal justice, CSI, DNA profiling, Forensic Science | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

“No preset rules in DNA Forensics”: examples of errors and doubts in DNA casework that juries must tackle.

This does not read like CSI Miami. Wait, that one got cancelled. Thank you Jesus. “A 2013 survey by the National Institute of Standards and Technology asked analysts from 108 labs to look at a three-person mixture and determine if … Continue reading

Posted in Crime, criminal justice, CSI, death penalty, DNA mixtures, DNA profiling, Forensic Science, police crime labs, wrongful convictions | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

‘Science’ trying to teach science standards in research and publishing. Where’s the J of Forensic Sciences?

This is basic stuff, but after a recent  publishing dust-up at Science, a group of gate-keeping science editors and their affiliates constructed a spread sheet with descriptors on how to more ‘scientifically’ vette research and articles published within their respective communities,. … Continue reading

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

Forensics : DNA inconsistencies slowly are rising into public view

It’s not only pattern analysis that can be fallible – how about DNA? Its mostly about DNA mixtures, stat protocols and inconsistency of multiple analysts. via @ForensicOdont Read more. A commercial lab’s technical paper has more on this. “Mixture interpretation. … Continue reading

Posted in criminal justice, criminal justice reform, CSI, DNA mixtures, DNA profiling, Forensic Science, Forensic Science Bias | 1 Comment

Excellent Canadian article on problematic forensics

This is a great piece which echoes others involved in forensic science reform. One statement rings true regarding juries/judges having to interpret exaggerating and conflicting experts. m.thestar.com/#/article/news/crime/2015/06/12/why-its-so-hard-to-keep-bad-forensics-out-of-the-courtroom.html?referrer=http%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FGmxX8xrGfu

Posted in Bad Forensic Science, Bite Marks, Bitemarks, costs of wrongful convictions, Crime, criminal justice, criminal justice reform, CSI, DNA profiling, exoneration, Exoneration costs, expert testimony, Forensic Science, Forensic Science Bias, forensic science misconduct, forensic science reform, forensic testimony, junk forensic science, National FOrensic Science Commission, police crime labs, Ray Krone bitemark case, US Crime labs, wrongful convictions | Leave a comment

US forensic group’s new research explodes its own credibility. They then stumble into the denial and blame game. Again.

The Watch Radley Balko April 8, 2015 A bite mark matching advocacy group just conducted a study that discredits bite mark evidence In February, I posted a four-part series on the forensic speciality of bite mark analysis. The series looked … Continue reading

Posted in AAFS, ABFO, Bite Marks, CSI, expert testimony, Forensic Science, Forensic Science Bias | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Propaganda piece by embattled forensic dentistry group published by CA Dental Association.

An opening statement. To be honest, this ABFO generated material is nothing new. What is typical, along with the personal attacks,  is the absence of meaningful point-by-point discussion of scientific (i.e. the 2009 NAS Report) and exoneration case evaluation. It also … Continue reading

Posted in AAFS, ABFO, Bad Forensic Science, Bite Marks, Bitemarks, Civil rights, costs of wrongful convictions, criminal justice, criminal justice reform, CSI, death penalty, DNA profiling, exoneration, fingerprints, Forensic Science, Forensic Science Bias, forensic science misconduct, forensic science reform, junk forensic science | 1 Comment

SF Police Chief Loses a $2M grant for rape kits. His Crime lab is “maxed out.” Plus Murder around the world.

S.F. Police Chief Greg Suhr during a news conference speaks about an audit of the crime lab’s DNA unit, which has come under fire for faking results, as well as other police misconduct, at the Hall of Justice, Friday, April … Continue reading

Posted in AAFS, ABFO, Bite Marks, Bitemarks, Civil rights, Community Dentistry, costs of wrongful convictions, Crime, criminal justice, criminal justice reform, CSI, death penalty, DNA mixtures, DNA profiling, exoneration, expert testimony, forensic misconuct, Forensic Science, Forensic Science Bias, forensic science misconduct, Forensic science misconduct, forensic science reform, forensic testimony, Identification DVI, Innocence March, National FOrensic Science Commission, Perjury by Prosecutors, police crime labs | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Efforts to rid court system of outdated and flawed forensic “expertise”

Old Convictions, New Science Texas tackles debunked forensics. This legislative process in Texas reflects how the monolithic (i.e huge) US criminal justice system “repairs” itself. I use the word “repair” very loosely in that people have to be injured, killed … Continue reading

Posted in AAFS, ABFO, Bad Forensic Science, Bite Marks, Bitemarks, Civil rights, costs of wrongful convictions, Crime, criminal justice, criminal justice reform, CSI, death penalty, DNA mixtures, DNA profiling, exoneration, Exoneration costs, expert testimony, Forensic Dentistry, Forensic Science, Forensic Science Bias, forensic science misconduct, forensic science reform, forensic testimony, Innocence March, junk forensic science, police crime labs | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment