Latest News on Forensic Science and Criminal Law
-
Join 227 other subscribers
Tag Archives: forensic examiner error
Trump’s DOJ promises advancing good things for #Forensic #Science – #PCAST not so much
The governmental missives about improving forensics always gloss over or ignore what the NAS 2009 report and the 2016 PCAST report itemized as areas needing reform. Here we go: “The new guidance implements additional quality assurance measures based on science-informed … Continue reading
Posted in Bite Marks, costs of wrongful convictions, criminal justice reform, CSI, forensic science misconduct, forensic science reform protecting the innocent
Tagged American Academy of Forensic Science, forensic examiner error, Forensic science, junk forensic science, latent fingerprints, Miscarriage of justice, wrongful convictions
Leave a comment
More examples of sub-standard death investigations by law enforcement – evidence ignored and bias from the beginning
This case has parents suing a Coroners Office to reopen their daughter’s death investigation. They argue that the actual crime scene was never processed and the circumstances of the young woman’s death raise significant questions regarding the death being suspicious. … Continue reading
Battle for freedom in another bitemark conviction heats up – DNA evidence from crime scene including murder weapon #AAFS
The John Kunco case in Pennsylvania goes back in my case archives for over 12 years. Early in Mr. Kunco’s post conviction appeals, the opinions of two famous bitemark experts ( at least as far as they are concerned ) … Continue reading
UK judicial system seems to be strangling on budget cuts and court closures
Of course , this is just the tip of the iceberg, as Internet savvy barristers talk about being pressured to accept cases for very little reimbursement. Automation in scheduling appearances, testimony and adjudication by non-lawyers in petty cases describes a … Continue reading
The New Phrenology scam crops up in China and makes inroads in Criminal Justice…..again
Long determined to be forensically incompetent, some researchers are testing a hundred year old Bertillon Paradigm of criminal visage prediction for law enforcement. He did come up with the first consistent use of photography at crime scenes. Plus he is … Continue reading
Blood spatter continues: It’s purveyors and assumption spur critics to express weaknesses
This is a continuation of our previous blog on blood drops and criminal justice. It is expressly “old school” and experts really heavily on “experiments” both in courtrooms and their ‘spatter” rooms. Calling this science is also present in … Continue reading
“Almost junk forensic science” of blood spatter expertise – Its not as simple as it’s taught in class
Here is a good look at why “forensics” should be considered amateur-hour non-science in many jurisdictions. Article goes within a conviction that had the same cop being the crime evidence collector, analyst, and lead investigator. Much goes wrong in the … Continue reading
It takes decades for courts to react when #Forensic Failures occur; another example: Motherisk lab scandal
Bitemarkers had cases overturned in the 90’s. Doubt’s about this pseudo-science claiming “uniqueness” started in the 1970’s ( See Gianelli ). No courts paid attention by their claiming “case acceptance” by similar brethren was overwhelming. We now know acceptance by … Continue reading
Cautions suggested on using Bayesian Stats for all forensic purposes
Steve Lund and Hari Iyer are stat guys from the National Institute of Standards and Technology. They bring forth a broader look at the ever popular use of “likelihood ratios” to support personal and scientific opinions of “match” probabilities. https://phys.org/news/2017-10-nist-urges-caution-courtroom-evidence.html
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged DNA likelihood ratios, forensic examiner error, Forensic science
Leave a comment
1986 Junk Science article Prosecutors love to use – Predicting and “Curing” Recidivism
Much like using the 1978 revelation that bitemarks “convicted” serial killer Ted Bundy, this September 12th, 2017 article tracks the origins of another forensic myth still in effect in sexual offender punishment masquerading as “therapy’ in Wisconsin. When Junk Science … Continue reading
FORENSICS and LAW in FOCUS @ CSIDDS | News and Trends 