Reforming the Nation’s Forensic Labs
On the heels of the recently reported Massachusetts drug lab scandal, Brandon L. Garrett and Peter Stout published an article on Slate.com calling for a critical look at redirecting funding
Insights: Mt. Everest— We Are Going to Lose Many
INSIGHTS Mt. Everest— We Are Going to Lose Many: A Survey of Fingerprint Examiners’ Attitudes Towards Probabilistic Reporting OVERVIEW Traditionally, forensic examiners tend to use categorical language in their reports,
Webinar Q&A: Treatment of Inconclusive Results in Error Rates of Firearms Studies
On Feb. 10, the Center for Statistics and Applications in Forensic Evidence (CSAFE) hosted the webinar, Treatment of Inconclusive Results in Error Rates of Firearms Studies. It was presented by
Algorithmic Evidence in Criminal Trials
Guest Blog Kori Khan Assistant Professor Department of Statistics, Iowa State University We are currently in an era where machine learning and algorithms offer novel approaches to solving problems
OSAC’s New Process Map Focuses on Firearms Examinations
The Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science, in partnership with the Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners (AFTE), has just released a process map that describes
NIST and NIJ seeking participants for Evidence Management Survey
Do you or your organization handle physical evidence? If so, you can help develop best practices by completing the Evidence Management Survey. Input from this survey will be used to
Insights: Latent Print Comparison and Examiner Conclusions
INSIGHT Latent Print Comparison and Examiner Conclusions A Field Analysis of Case Processing in One Crime Laboratory OVERVIEW While research on error rates and identifying areas of bias and influence
A NEW NAME AND A NEW HORIZON: THE WILSON CENTER FOR SCIENCE AND JUSTICE
In recognition of a $5 million dollar grant from the Wilson Foundation, CSAFE partner institution Duke University renamed its Center for Science and Justice the Wilson Center for Science and
Insights: Probabilistic Reporting in Criminal Cases in the United States
INSIGHT Probabilistic Reporting in Criminal Cases in the United States: A Baseline Study OVERVIEW Forensic examiners are frequently asked to give reports and testimonies in court and there have been
Insights: Juror Appraisals of Forensic Science Evidence
INSIGHT Juror Appraisals of Forensic Science Evidence: Effects of Proficiency and Cross-examination OVERVIEW Researchers conducted two studies to determine how much an examiner’s blind proficiency score affects the jurors’ confidence
Insights: Implementing Blind Proficiency Testing in Forensic Laboratories
INSIGHT Implementing Blind Proficiency Testing in Forensic Laboratories: Motivation, Obstacles, and Recommendations OVERVIEW Accredited forensic laboratories are required to conduct proficiency testing –– but most rely solely on declared proficiency
Closed Source Forensic Software: Confronting the Evidence?
There is a persistent underlying flaw in the criminal justice system, stemming from unvalidated forensic science cloaked in intellectual property. Not only does this pose a risk when forensic evidence