Forensics: Personal attacks and pushback against forensic bias researchers

Today’s Quattrone Center podcast with Itiel Dror, Brandon Garrett and Maneka Sinha reveals recent complaints leveled at Dror by @theNAME1996 forensic pathologists demanding retraction and his dismissal from UCL. His recent article on ME bias has hit a big nerve. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1556-4029.14697

Their discussion centered on the arena of forensic expertise in criminal courts. The topics include:

1. Poor financial support allowing defense experts to explain weaknesses in prosecutors’ arguments.

2. 95% of cases being plea bargained without forensic review.

3. Poor regulation of some forensic disciplines.

4. Error rate statements (if available) that are overstated, flawed and misleading.

5. Self-professed experts lacking data and proficiency review.

6. The “own bias blindspot” seen in forensics. (Read the above article on cognitive bias).

7. Anti-science backlash in police controlled forensics.

The podcast will be posted on The Quattrone Center’s archive at https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLR5Q3wC5nyVkVC9R4yP4lV3N5wvJLmO7z

Dror’s background:

csidds.com/2015/12/05/forensics-itel-dror-is-a-pioneer-in-cognitvie-bias-effects-on-csi-and-courtroom-testimony/

Posted in AAFS, ABFO, Bad Forensic Science, costs of wrongful convictions, criminal justice reform, CSI, forensic pathology, Forensic Science, Forensic Science Bias, forensic science misconduct, police crime labs | Tagged | Leave a comment

Forensics: Case study on the variability of bitemark injuries.

csidds.com/2015/07/21/bitemarks-in-uk-child-abuse-cases-reveals-how-skin-injury-patterns-vary-dramatically-on-a-single-victim/

Posted in AAFS, ABFO, Bad Forensic Science, Bite Marks, Bitemarks, Forensic Dentistry, Forensic Science Bias, junk forensic science | Leave a comment

Forensics: Insights: Error Rates, Likelihood Ratios, and Jury Evaluation of Forensic Evidence – CSAFE

A study on the effect when known error rates are presented to juries. Assuming a forensic method even knows its error rate.

This is the overview page with links to the actual research.

Insights: Error Rates, Likelihood Ratios, and Jury Evaluation of Forensic Evidence – Center for Statistics and Applications in Forensic Evidence
— Read on forensicstats.org/blog/2020/04/29/algorithmic-evidence-in-criminal-trials-2/

Posted in AAFS, criminal justice reform, CSI, expert testimony, Forensic Science, Forensic Science Bias, wrongful convictions | Leave a comment

Forensics: Autopsy of a Crime Lab | Dispelling the myth of a perfect forensic match – YouTube

New book! Brandon Garrett, the L. Neil Williams Professor of Law at Duke University School of Law and Director of the Wilson Center for Science and Justice, discusses the fallacies and flaws in forensic “science.”
— Read on www.youtube.com/watch

Posted in AAFS, Crime lab scandal, forensic evidence exaggeration, Forensic Science, Forensic Science Bias, forensic science misconduct, forensic science reform, wrongful convictions | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Forensics: Why Defense Forensics Experts Matter | Psychology Today

I have opposed many a prosecution bitemarker expert claiming equivalency to “its just like a fingerprint.” DAs were never happy. 12 exoneration cases Ive assisted proves who was right.

‘CSI is often presented in a one-sided way at criminal trials. A recent study explores what happens when the defense is given an expert to allow for a real battle of the experts.’
— Read on www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/law-and-psychology/202104/why-defense-forensics-experts-matter

Posted in AAFS, ABFO, Bad Forensic Science, Bite Marks, Bitemarks, forensic evidence exaggeration, Forensic Science Bias, forensic science reform, junk forensic science, wrongful convictions | Leave a comment

Forensics: Fingerprint comparison in real time.

Interesting look at how pattern analysts collaborate and critique their differences. Their collegial culture is impressive. Photoshop tools are a great improvement in visualizing and recording features. My bitemark cronies were exposed to these methods 20 years ago. The difference is that bruises do not accurately capture the minute details seen in latent fingerprints. Hence, all the wrongful convictions associated with these “bitemark experts.”

youtube.com/watch

Posted in AAFS, ABFO, Bad Forensic Science, Bite Marks, Bitemarks, CSI, fingerprints, forensic science reform protecting the innocent, wrongful convictions | Leave a comment

Forensics: Grits for Breakfast: Tarrant medical examiner who led Forensic Science Commission found to have misled jury in murder case

Good look at the different layers of resistance within attempts to improve forensic outcomes.

Grits for Breakfast: Tarrant medical examiner who led Forensic Science Commission found to have misled jury in murder case
— Read on gritsforbreakfast.blogspot.com/2021/04/tarrant-medical-examiner-who-led.html

Posted in AAFS, Bad Forensic Science, criminal justice, criminal justice reform, forensic evidence exaggeration, Forensic Science Bias, US Crime labs, wrongful convictions | Leave a comment

Forensics: Covid effects 1/3 of survivors 6 months post infection. Lancet

www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf

Posted in AAFS, Mass Disaster recovery | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Forensics: A year of trauma: More than 3,600 US health workers died in Covid’s first 12 months – CNN

Lost on the Frontline, a yearlong investigation by The Guardian and KHN to count health care worker deaths, ends Thursday. This is what was learned in a year of tracing the lives of those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
— Read on www.cnn.com/2021/04/07/health/health-workers-die-covid-kaiser/index.html

Posted in AAFS, Mass Disaster recovery | Tagged | Leave a comment

Forensics: A lookback on the DC crime lab’s political turmoil. Firings and nepotism reigned supreme.

The history of an acclaimed “independent” crime lab getting the shaft in Washington DC. Now the lab is in hot water for “deliberately concealed” botched lab tests.

csidds.com/2016/05/25/wash-dc-crime-lab-continues-to-coverup-its-problems-of-law-enforcement-bungles/

Now the lab is suspended from operation.

https://dcist.com/story/21/04/07/dc-crime-lab-loses-accreditation-over-allegations-of-conealing-information/

Posted in AAFS, Crime lab scandal, criminal justice reform, CSI, DNA mixtures, Forensic Science, forensic science misconduct, police crime labs, US Crime labs | Leave a comment