CSAFE Learning has released a new series of on-demand learning opportunities, including webinars, foundational learning videos and a short course. These offerings are specially designed to assist forensic practitioners and legal professionals in understanding the use of statistics in forensic analysis.
In addition, CSAFE Learning will host a live webinar at the end of June that will focus on how workplace stress can affect forensic experts’ job satisfaction and performance. “Unpacking Workplace Stress and Forensic Expert Decision-Making: From Theory to Practice” will be presented by Mohammed Almazrouei, a postdoctoral fellow at Yale University.
During his presentation, Almazrouei will show how forensic service providers and policymakers can implement context-specific interventions to manage stress at work and optimize expert performance by understanding the stressors, their sources and possible impacts.
Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with Almazrouei and ask questions during the live presentation. But for those unable to attend, a recording of the webinar will be available on CSAFE Learning for later viewing.
Nearly all courses provided by CSAFE Learning are accessible to the public at no cost. To enroll, visit https://learn.forensicstats.org.
WEBINARS
Unpacking Workplace Stress and Forensic Expert Decision-Making: From Theory to Practice
June 27, 11 a.m.-noon CDT
Mohammed Almazrouei, postdoctoral fellow at Yale University
Workplace stress can affect forensic experts’ job satisfaction and performance, which holds financial and other implications for forensic service providers. Therefore, it is important to understand and manage workplace stress, but that is not straightforward. This talk aims to help forensic service providers and policymakers implement context-specific interventions to manage stress at work and optimize expert performance by understanding the stressors, their sources and possible impacts.
Presumption of Innocence, Probable Cause, and Prior Probability—Bayes Meets Due Process
Available on demand
Jeff Salyards, CSAFE research scientist
This webinar covers the use of Bayes’ Theorem in forensic science, its application in legal settings, and strategies for examining expert witnesses. The presentation will review the basics of Bayes’ Formula and examine the notation, basic concepts, and principles of conditional probability. It will also discuss several challenges for using this formula in judicial and forensic science service provider settings.
SHORT COURSE
Autopsy of a Crime Lab
Available on demand
Brandon Garrett, CSAFE co-director
This short course is a companion to Garrett’s 2021 book, “Autopsy of a Crime Lab.” Throughout this course, Garrett conducts a critical review of how forensics are used in criminal cases, detailing the many ways that evidence relied upon by courts and juries can be compromised on its way from the crime scene to the lab to the courtroom. By the end of the course, learners will be able to:
- Describe the problem of expert qualification and proficiency
- Identify different types of error rates
- Explain how errors can occur
- Understand scientific overstatement and how to counter it
FOUNDATIONAL LEARNING
Implementing Blind Proficiency Testing in Forensic Science Laboratories
Available on demand
Robin Mejia, CSAFE co-director
Learn more about how blind proficiency testing can be implemented in forensic science laboratories and how it can positively impact your work. Mejia will discuss the following topics:
- The historic importance of blind testing in science
- The benefits of blind proficiency testing in forensic science
- The necessary steps toward implementing blind testing in your laboratory
Stats in the Courtroom
Available on demand
Alicia Carriquiry, CSAFE director
This Foundational Learning opportunity is designed specifically for legal professionals and walks through various statistical concepts as applied in the courtroom. This course will cover the following topics:
- Definitions of probability and various probability concepts
- Various statistical inference concepts
- The limitations to forensic examination as expert opinion
- Definitions and forensic applications of the two-stage approach, likelihood ratio, and Bayes’ Theorem
CSAFE Learning resources are sponsored by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) through cooperative agreement 70NANB20H019.
