Our goal is to share how CSAFE research directly impacts the forensic science community. To connect you with the latest advancements, our team publicizes research results in peer-reviewed scientific journals and at worldwide forensic science conferences.
Below you will find links to full publications resulting from center research, as well as copies of recent presentation slides. Looking for more CSAFE products? Find research tools and datasets in our resources section.
Materials By Research Area
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Reliability of ordinal outcomes in forensic black-box studies
Type: Publication Research Area(s): Forensic Statistics
Published: 2024 | By: Hina M. Arora
Forensic science disciplines such as latent print examination, bullet and cartridge case comparisons, and shoeprint analysis, involve subjective decisions by forensic experts throughout the examination process. Most of the decisions involve ordinal categories. Examples include a three-category outcome for latent…
A finely tuned deep transfer learning algorithm to compare outsole images
Type: Publication Research Area(s): Footwear
Published: 2023 | By: Moonsoo Jang
In forensic practice, evaluating shoeprint evidence is challenging because the differences between images of two different outsoles can be subtle. In this paper, we propose a deep transfer learning-based matching algorithm called the Shoe-MS algorithm that quantifies the similarity between…
An automated alignment algorithm for identification of the source of footwear impressions with common class characteristics
Type: Publication Research Area(s): Footwear
Published: 2024 | By: Hana Lee
We introduce an algorithmic approach designed to compare similar shoeprint images, with automated alignment. Our method employs the Iterative Closest Points (ICP) algorithm to attain optimal alignment, further enhancing precision through phase-only correlation. Utilizing diverse metrics to quantify similarity, we…
A deep learning approach for the comparison of handwritten documents using latent feature vectors
Type: Publication Research Area(s): Forensic Statistics,Handwriting
Published: 2024 | By: Juhyeon Kim
Forensic questioned document examiners still largely rely on visual assessments and expert judgment to determine the provenance of a handwritten document. Here, we propose a novel approach to objectively compare two handwritten documents using a deep learning algorithm. First, we…
Likelihood ratios for changepoints in categorical event data with applications in digital forensics
Type: Publication Research Area(s): Digital,Forensic Statistics
Published: 2024 | By: Rachel Longjohn
We investigate likelihood ratio models motivated by digital forensics problems involving time-stamped user-generated event data from a device or account. Of specific interest are scenarios where the data may have been generated by a single individual (the device/account owner) or…
Interpretable algorithmic forensics
Type: Publication Research Area(s): Forensic Statistics,Implementation and Practice
Published: 2023 | By: Brandon Garrett
One of the most troubling trends in criminal investigations is the growing use of “black box” technology, in which law enforcement rely on artificial intelligence (AI) models or algorithms that are either too complex for people to understand or they…
Forensic Toolmark Comparisons
Type: Presentation Slides Research Area(s): Firearms and Toolmarks
Published: 2023 | By: Maria Cuellar
Forensic practitioners determine whether two marks were generated by the same tool by observing the 2D images of the marks using a comparison microscope and deciding whether the “surface contours of two toolmarks are in sufficient agreement” based on the…
Effect of Subclass Characteristics on Congruent Matching Cells (CMC) Algorithm
Type: Presentation Slides Research Area(s): Firearms and Toolmarks
Published: 2023 | By: Veronica Franklin
This presentation is a continuation of subclass characteristics present on consecutively manufactured breech face inserts. The objective is to assess manufacturing methods similar to those used by firearm manufacturers. It has been shown that subclass characteristics will be present on…
Source Camera Identification with Multi-Camera Smartphones
Type: Presentation Slides Research Area(s): Digital,Forensic Statistics
Published: 2023 | By: Stephanie Reinders
An overview of source camera identification on multi-camera smartphones, and introduction to the new CSAFE multi-camera smartphone image database, and a summary of recent results on the iPhone 14 Pro’s.
What’s in a Name? Consistency in Latent Print Examiners’ Naming Conventions and Perceptions of Minutiae Frequency
Type: Presentation Slides Research Area(s): Implementation and Practice,Latent Print
Published: 2023 | By: Heidi Eldridge
Fingerprint minutia types influence LPEs’ decision-making processes during analysis and evaluation, with features perceived to be rarer generally given more weight. However, no large-scale studies comparing examiner perceptions of minutiae frequency to empirical counts exist. Additionally, examiner naming conventions for…
An alternative statistical framework for measuring proficiency
Type: Presentation Slides Research Area(s): Forensic Statistics,Latent Print
Published: 2023 | By: Amanda Luby
Item Response Theory, a class of statistical methods used prominently in educational testing, can be used to measure LPE proficiency in annual tests or research studies, while simultaneously accounting for varying difficulty among comparisons. Using black box studies in latent…
Examiner variability in pattern evidence: proficiency, inconclusive tendency, and reporting styles
Type: Presentation Slides Research Area(s): Forensic Statistics,Latent Print
Published: 2023 | By: Amanda Luby
The current approach to characterizing uncertainty in pattern evidence disciplines has focused on error rate studies, which provide aggregated error rates over many examiners and pieces of evidence. However, decisions are often not unanimous and error frequency is likely to…
Statistical Interpretation and Reporting of Fingerprint Evidence: FRStat Introduction and Overview
Type: Presentation Slides,Short Courses Research Area(s): Forensic Statistics,Latent Print,Training and Education
Published: 2023 | By: Jeff Salyards
The FRStat is a tool designed to help quantify the strength of fingerprint evidence. Following lengthy development and validation with assistance from CSAFE and NIST, in 2017 the FRStat was implemented at the USACIL. FRStat is now freely available and…
A Gentle Introduction to the Likelihood Ratio: Basic Ideas, Implementation, and Limitations
Type: Presentation Slides Research Area(s): Forensic Statistics
Published: 2023 | By: Alicia Carriquiry
The workshop focuses on the likelihood ratio (LR) approach in forensic science. The LR, a one-number summary, quantifies how well the observations/results are explained by the prosecution’s versus the defense’s propositions. While the basic idea behind the LR is simple…
Shoeprint Alignment and Comparison using Maximum Cliques
Type: Presentation Slides Research Area(s): Footwear,Forensic Statistics
Published: 2023 | By: Gautham Venkatasubramanian
This presentation is from the 107th International Association for Identification (IAI) Annual Educational Conference, National Harbor, Maryland, August 20-26, 2023. Posted with permission of CSAFE.
An algorithm for source identification of footwear impressions—its application on pristine shoeprints and crime-scene like shoeprints
Type: Presentation Slides Research Area(s): Footwear,Forensic Statistics
Published: 2023 | By: Hana Lee
This presentation is from the 107th International Association for Identification (IAI) Annual Educational Conference, National Harbor, Maryland, August 20-26, 2023. Posted with permission of CSAFE.
Diagnostic Tools for Automatic Cartridge Case Comparisons
Type: Presentation Slides Research Area(s): Firearms and Toolmarks,Forensic Statistics
Published: 2023 | By: Joseph Zemmels
The following was presented at the Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners (AFTE) 2023, Austin, Texas, May 21-26, 2023. Copyright 2023, The Authors. Posted with permission of CSAFE.
Algorithmic assessment of striation similarity between wire cuts
Type: Presentation Slides Research Area(s): Forensic Statistics
Published: 2023 | By: Yuhang Lin
The following was presented at the Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners (AFTE) 2023, Austin, Texas, May 21-26, 2023. Copyright 2023, The Authors. Posted with permission of CSAFE.
An Anti-Fuzzing Approach for Android Apps
Type: Conference Proceeding,Publication Research Area(s): Digital
Published: 2023 | By: Chris Chao-Chun Cheng
One of significant mobile app forensic analysis problems is the app evidence extraction from the device. Given the fact that mobile apps could generate more than 19K files in a device [6], simply manually inspecting every file is time consuming…
Forensic Analysis of Android Cryptocurrency Wallet Applications
Type: Conference Proceeding,Publication Research Area(s): Digital
Published: 2023 | By: Chen Shi
Crypto wallet apps that integrate with various block-chains allow the users to make digital currencies transaction with QR codes. According to reports from financesonline [3], there is over 68 million crypto wallet app users in 2021. As new crypto wallets…
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