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Journal: Forensic Science International

Published: 2018

Primary Author: William C. Thompson

Secondary Authors: Nicholas Scurich

Type: Publication

Research Area: Implementation and Practice

Negative forensic evidence can be defined as the failure to find a trace after looking for it. Such evidence is often dismissed by referring to the aphorism “absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.” However, this reasoning can be misleading in the context of forensic science. This commentary is designed to help forensic scientists understand the probative value of negative forensic evidence.

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