Author: John M. Collins
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 0128173289
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 390
Book Description
Crime Lab Report compiles the most relevant and popular articles that appeared in this ongoing periodical between 2007 and 2017. Articles have been categorized by theme to serve as chapters, with an introduction at the beginning of each chapter and a description of the events that inspired each article. The author concludes the compilation with a reflection on Crime Lab Report, the retired periodical, and the future of forensic science as the 21st Century unfolds. Intended for forensic scientists, prosecutors, defense attorneys and even students studying forensic science or law, this compilation provides much needed information on the topics at hand. - Presents a comprehensive look 'behind the curtain' of the forensic sciences from the viewpoint of someone working within the field - Educates practitioners and laboratory administrators, providing talking points to help them respond intelligently to questions and criticisms, whether on the witness stand or when meeting with politicians and/or policymakers - Captures an important period in the history of forensic science and criminal justice in America
Crime Lab Report
Author: John M. Collins
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 0128173289
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 390
Book Description
Crime Lab Report compiles the most relevant and popular articles that appeared in this ongoing periodical between 2007 and 2017. Articles have been categorized by theme to serve as chapters, with an introduction at the beginning of each chapter and a description of the events that inspired each article. The author concludes the compilation with a reflection on Crime Lab Report, the retired periodical, and the future of forensic science as the 21st Century unfolds. Intended for forensic scientists, prosecutors, defense attorneys and even students studying forensic science or law, this compilation provides much needed information on the topics at hand. - Presents a comprehensive look 'behind the curtain' of the forensic sciences from the viewpoint of someone working within the field - Educates practitioners and laboratory administrators, providing talking points to help them respond intelligently to questions and criticisms, whether on the witness stand or when meeting with politicians and/or policymakers - Captures an important period in the history of forensic science and criminal justice in America
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 0128173289
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 390
Book Description
Crime Lab Report compiles the most relevant and popular articles that appeared in this ongoing periodical between 2007 and 2017. Articles have been categorized by theme to serve as chapters, with an introduction at the beginning of each chapter and a description of the events that inspired each article. The author concludes the compilation with a reflection on Crime Lab Report, the retired periodical, and the future of forensic science as the 21st Century unfolds. Intended for forensic scientists, prosecutors, defense attorneys and even students studying forensic science or law, this compilation provides much needed information on the topics at hand. - Presents a comprehensive look 'behind the curtain' of the forensic sciences from the viewpoint of someone working within the field - Educates practitioners and laboratory administrators, providing talking points to help them respond intelligently to questions and criticisms, whether on the witness stand or when meeting with politicians and/or policymakers - Captures an important period in the history of forensic science and criminal justice in America
Autopsy of a Crime Lab
Author: Brandon L. Garrett
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520976630
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 261
Book Description
This book exposes the dangerously imperfect forensic evidence that we rely on for criminal convictions. "That's not my fingerprint, your honor," said the defendant, after FBI experts reported a "100-percent identification." The FBI was wrong. It is shocking how often they are. Autopsy of a Crime Lab is the first book to catalog the sources of error and the faulty science behind a range of well-known forensic evidence, from fingerprints and firearms to forensic algorithms. In this devastating forensic takedown, noted legal expert Brandon L. Garrett poses the questions that should be asked in courtrooms every day: Where are the studies that validate the basic premises of widely accepted techniques such as fingerprinting? How can experts testify with 100-percent certainty about a fingerprint, when there is no such thing as a 100 percent match? Where is the quality control at the crime scenes and in the laboratories? Should we so readily adopt powerful new technologies like facial recognition software and rapid DNA machines? And why have judges been so reluctant to consider the weaknesses of so many long-accepted methods? Taking us into the lives of the wrongfully convicted or nearly convicted, into crime labs rocked by scandal, and onto the front lines of promising reform efforts driven by professionals and researchers alike, Autopsy of a Crime Lab illustrates the persistence and perniciousness of shaky science and its well-meaning practitioners.
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520976630
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 261
Book Description
This book exposes the dangerously imperfect forensic evidence that we rely on for criminal convictions. "That's not my fingerprint, your honor," said the defendant, after FBI experts reported a "100-percent identification." The FBI was wrong. It is shocking how often they are. Autopsy of a Crime Lab is the first book to catalog the sources of error and the faulty science behind a range of well-known forensic evidence, from fingerprints and firearms to forensic algorithms. In this devastating forensic takedown, noted legal expert Brandon L. Garrett poses the questions that should be asked in courtrooms every day: Where are the studies that validate the basic premises of widely accepted techniques such as fingerprinting? How can experts testify with 100-percent certainty about a fingerprint, when there is no such thing as a 100 percent match? Where is the quality control at the crime scenes and in the laboratories? Should we so readily adopt powerful new technologies like facial recognition software and rapid DNA machines? And why have judges been so reluctant to consider the weaknesses of so many long-accepted methods? Taking us into the lives of the wrongfully convicted or nearly convicted, into crime labs rocked by scandal, and onto the front lines of promising reform efforts driven by professionals and researchers alike, Autopsy of a Crime Lab illustrates the persistence and perniciousness of shaky science and its well-meaning practitioners.
Blood, Powder, and Residue
Author: Beth A. Bechky
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 069120585X
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 248
Book Description
A rare behind-the-scenes look at the work of forensic scientists The findings of forensic science—from DNA profiles and chemical identifications of illegal drugs to comparisons of bullets, fingerprints, and shoeprints—are widely used in police investigations and courtroom proceedings. While we recognize the significance of this evidence for criminal justice, the actual work of forensic scientists is rarely examined and largely misunderstood. Blood, Powder, and Residue goes inside a metropolitan crime laboratory to shed light on the complex social forces that underlie the analysis of forensic evidence. Drawing on eighteen months of rigorous fieldwork in a crime lab of a major metro area, Beth Bechky tells the stories of the forensic scientists who struggle to deliver unbiased science while under intense pressure from adversarial lawyers, escalating standards of evidence, and critical public scrutiny. Bechky brings to life the daily challenges these scientists face, from the painstaking screening and testing of evidence to making communal decisions about writing up the lab report, all while worrying about attorneys asking them uninformed questions in court. She shows how the work of forensic scientists is fraught with the tensions of serving justice—constantly having to anticipate the expectations of the world of law and the assumptions of the public—while also staying true to their scientific ideals. Blood, Powder, and Residue offers a vivid and sometimes harrowing picture of the lives of highly trained experts tasked with translating their knowledge for others who depend on it to deliver justice.
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 069120585X
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 248
Book Description
A rare behind-the-scenes look at the work of forensic scientists The findings of forensic science—from DNA profiles and chemical identifications of illegal drugs to comparisons of bullets, fingerprints, and shoeprints—are widely used in police investigations and courtroom proceedings. While we recognize the significance of this evidence for criminal justice, the actual work of forensic scientists is rarely examined and largely misunderstood. Blood, Powder, and Residue goes inside a metropolitan crime laboratory to shed light on the complex social forces that underlie the analysis of forensic evidence. Drawing on eighteen months of rigorous fieldwork in a crime lab of a major metro area, Beth Bechky tells the stories of the forensic scientists who struggle to deliver unbiased science while under intense pressure from adversarial lawyers, escalating standards of evidence, and critical public scrutiny. Bechky brings to life the daily challenges these scientists face, from the painstaking screening and testing of evidence to making communal decisions about writing up the lab report, all while worrying about attorneys asking them uninformed questions in court. She shows how the work of forensic scientists is fraught with the tensions of serving justice—constantly having to anticipate the expectations of the world of law and the assumptions of the public—while also staying true to their scientific ideals. Blood, Powder, and Residue offers a vivid and sometimes harrowing picture of the lives of highly trained experts tasked with translating their knowledge for others who depend on it to deliver justice.
Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309142393
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 348
Book Description
Scores of talented and dedicated people serve the forensic science community, performing vitally important work. However, they are often constrained by lack of adequate resources, sound policies, and national support. It is clear that change and advancements, both systematic and scientific, are needed in a number of forensic science disciplines to ensure the reliability of work, establish enforceable standards, and promote best practices with consistent application. Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward provides a detailed plan for addressing these needs and suggests the creation of a new government entity, the National Institute of Forensic Science, to establish and enforce standards within the forensic science community. The benefits of improving and regulating the forensic science disciplines are clear: assisting law enforcement officials, enhancing homeland security, and reducing the risk of wrongful conviction and exoneration. Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States gives a full account of what is needed to advance the forensic science disciplines, including upgrading of systems and organizational structures, better training, widespread adoption of uniform and enforceable best practices, and mandatory certification and accreditation programs. While this book provides an essential call-to-action for congress and policy makers, it also serves as a vital tool for law enforcement agencies, criminal prosecutors and attorneys, and forensic science educators.
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309142393
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 348
Book Description
Scores of talented and dedicated people serve the forensic science community, performing vitally important work. However, they are often constrained by lack of adequate resources, sound policies, and national support. It is clear that change and advancements, both systematic and scientific, are needed in a number of forensic science disciplines to ensure the reliability of work, establish enforceable standards, and promote best practices with consistent application. Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward provides a detailed plan for addressing these needs and suggests the creation of a new government entity, the National Institute of Forensic Science, to establish and enforce standards within the forensic science community. The benefits of improving and regulating the forensic science disciplines are clear: assisting law enforcement officials, enhancing homeland security, and reducing the risk of wrongful conviction and exoneration. Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States gives a full account of what is needed to advance the forensic science disciplines, including upgrading of systems and organizational structures, better training, widespread adoption of uniform and enforceable best practices, and mandatory certification and accreditation programs. While this book provides an essential call-to-action for congress and policy makers, it also serves as a vital tool for law enforcement agencies, criminal prosecutors and attorneys, and forensic science educators.
Crime Laboratory Management
Author: Jami J. St. Clair
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 9780126640519
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 312
Book Description
Crime Laboratory Management is the first book to address the unique operational, administrative, and political issues involved in managing a forensic laboratory. It guides managers and supervisors through essential tasks ranging from hiring and training of staff to quality control, facilities management, and public relations. Author Jami St. Clair has more than 20 years experience in forensic science and served as President of the American Society of Crime Lab Directors in 1998-1999. She and her colleagues have designed this book to be useful for supervisors at every level. With its combination of classic management theories and practical information, this unique resource will help managers ensure that their laboratories operate efficiently and survive the intense scrutiny of today's criminal justice system. It will also help students and professional with an interest in forensic science and crime laboratory operation to better understand the functions of labs and the critical role they play in handling and analyzing evidence. * Shows how to handle a wide variety of administrative and operational issues in forensic laboratories * Provides new and experienced managers with practical information from qualified experts * Outlines standards and procedures to help ensure quality results from laboratory analyses
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 9780126640519
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 312
Book Description
Crime Laboratory Management is the first book to address the unique operational, administrative, and political issues involved in managing a forensic laboratory. It guides managers and supervisors through essential tasks ranging from hiring and training of staff to quality control, facilities management, and public relations. Author Jami St. Clair has more than 20 years experience in forensic science and served as President of the American Society of Crime Lab Directors in 1998-1999. She and her colleagues have designed this book to be useful for supervisors at every level. With its combination of classic management theories and practical information, this unique resource will help managers ensure that their laboratories operate efficiently and survive the intense scrutiny of today's criminal justice system. It will also help students and professional with an interest in forensic science and crime laboratory operation to better understand the functions of labs and the critical role they play in handling and analyzing evidence. * Shows how to handle a wide variety of administrative and operational issues in forensic laboratories * Provides new and experienced managers with practical information from qualified experts * Outlines standards and procedures to help ensure quality results from laboratory analyses
Tainting Evidence
Author: John F. Kelly
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780743236416
Category : Crime laboratories
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780743236416
Category : Crime laboratories
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Crime Lab 101
Author: Robert Gardner
Publisher: Courier Corporation
ISBN: 0486311260
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 130
Book Description
Kids fascinated by crime and police work will appreciate this inside look at detection and forensic science. The 25 experiments can be performed at home and offer fascinating explanations of police lab techniques.
Publisher: Courier Corporation
ISBN: 0486311260
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 130
Book Description
Kids fascinated by crime and police work will appreciate this inside look at detection and forensic science. The 25 experiments can be performed at home and offer fascinating explanations of police lab techniques.
The Crime Lab Case
Author: Carolyn Keene
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 0743439600
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 124
Book Description
Solving crimes with science is fascinating—until a pretend mystery becomes all too real! Nancy gets Bess, George, and Ned to help out with a special program for high school students, a “chemystery” camp. They’ll visit a forensics lab, a drug company, and a university to see how science is used to solve crimes. Then they’ll use what they’ve learned to work on a made-up case. But the mystery begins even before the program starts when the professor who runs it suddenly falls into a coma. Now Nancy’s in charge—of the made-up case and the real one. Strange encounters of the dangerous kind and a list of promising suspects test all her talents of deduction. From the tiniest clue on a carpet to real menace in a quarry, Nancy’s crime lab is bubbling with trouble!
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 0743439600
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 124
Book Description
Solving crimes with science is fascinating—until a pretend mystery becomes all too real! Nancy gets Bess, George, and Ned to help out with a special program for high school students, a “chemystery” camp. They’ll visit a forensics lab, a drug company, and a university to see how science is used to solve crimes. Then they’ll use what they’ve learned to work on a made-up case. But the mystery begins even before the program starts when the professor who runs it suddenly falls into a coma. Now Nancy’s in charge—of the made-up case and the real one. Strange encounters of the dangerous kind and a list of promising suspects test all her talents of deduction. From the tiniest clue on a carpet to real menace in a quarry, Nancy’s crime lab is bubbling with trouble!
The Evaluation of Forensic DNA Evidence
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309134404
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 270
Book Description
In 1992 the National Research Council issued DNA Technology in Forensic Science, a book that documented the state of the art in this emerging field. Recently, this volume was brought to worldwide attention in the murder trial of celebrity O. J. Simpson. The Evaluation of Forensic DNA Evidence reports on developments in population genetics and statistics since the original volume was published. The committee comments on statements in the original book that proved controversial or that have been misapplied in the courts. This volume offers recommendations for handling DNA samples, performing calculations, and other aspects of using DNA as a forensic toolâ€"modifying some recommendations presented in the 1992 volume. The update addresses two major areas: Determination of DNA profiles. The committee considers how laboratory errors (particularly false matches) can arise, how errors might be reduced, and how to take into account the fact that the error rate can never be reduced to zero. Interpretation of a finding that the DNA profile of a suspect or victim matches the evidence DNA. The committee addresses controversies in population genetics, exploring the problems that arise from the mixture of groups and subgroups in the American population and how this substructure can be accounted for in calculating frequencies. This volume examines statistical issues in interpreting frequencies as probabilities, including adjustments when a suspect is found through a database search. The committee includes a detailed discussion of what its recommendations would mean in the courtroom, with numerous case citations. By resolving several remaining issues in the evaluation of this increasingly important area of forensic evidence, this technical update will be important to forensic scientists and population geneticistsâ€"and helpful to attorneys, judges, and others who need to understand DNA and the law. Anyone working in laboratories and in the courts or anyone studying this issue should own this book.
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309134404
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 270
Book Description
In 1992 the National Research Council issued DNA Technology in Forensic Science, a book that documented the state of the art in this emerging field. Recently, this volume was brought to worldwide attention in the murder trial of celebrity O. J. Simpson. The Evaluation of Forensic DNA Evidence reports on developments in population genetics and statistics since the original volume was published. The committee comments on statements in the original book that proved controversial or that have been misapplied in the courts. This volume offers recommendations for handling DNA samples, performing calculations, and other aspects of using DNA as a forensic toolâ€"modifying some recommendations presented in the 1992 volume. The update addresses two major areas: Determination of DNA profiles. The committee considers how laboratory errors (particularly false matches) can arise, how errors might be reduced, and how to take into account the fact that the error rate can never be reduced to zero. Interpretation of a finding that the DNA profile of a suspect or victim matches the evidence DNA. The committee addresses controversies in population genetics, exploring the problems that arise from the mixture of groups and subgroups in the American population and how this substructure can be accounted for in calculating frequencies. This volume examines statistical issues in interpreting frequencies as probabilities, including adjustments when a suspect is found through a database search. The committee includes a detailed discussion of what its recommendations would mean in the courtroom, with numerous case citations. By resolving several remaining issues in the evaluation of this increasingly important area of forensic evidence, this technical update will be important to forensic scientists and population geneticistsâ€"and helpful to attorneys, judges, and others who need to understand DNA and the law. Anyone working in laboratories and in the courts or anyone studying this issue should own this book.
Inside the Cell
Author: Erin E Murphy
Publisher: Bold Type Books
ISBN: 1568584709
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 399
Book Description
Josiah Sutton was convicted of rape. He was five inches shorter and 65 pounds lighter than the suspect described by the victim, but at trial a lab analyst testified that his DNA was found at the crime scene. His case looked like many others -- arrest, swab, match, conviction. But there was just one problem -- Sutton was innocent. We think of DNA forensics as an infallible science that catches the bad guys and exonerates the innocent. But when the science goes rogue, it can lead to a gross miscarriage of justice. Erin Murphy exposes the dark side of forensic DNA testing: crime labs that receive little oversight and produce inconsistent results; prosecutors who push to test smaller and poorer-quality samples, inviting error and bias; law-enforcement officers who compile massive, unregulated, and racially skewed DNA databases; and industry lobbyists who push policies of "stop and spit." DNA testing is rightly seen as a transformative technological breakthrough, but we should be wary of placing such a powerful weapon in the hands of the same broken criminal justice system that has produced mass incarceration, privileged government interests over personal privacy, and all too often enforced the law in a biased or unjust manner. Inside the Cell exposes the truth about forensic DNA, and shows us what it will take to harness the power of genetic identification in service of accuracy and fairness.
Publisher: Bold Type Books
ISBN: 1568584709
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 399
Book Description
Josiah Sutton was convicted of rape. He was five inches shorter and 65 pounds lighter than the suspect described by the victim, but at trial a lab analyst testified that his DNA was found at the crime scene. His case looked like many others -- arrest, swab, match, conviction. But there was just one problem -- Sutton was innocent. We think of DNA forensics as an infallible science that catches the bad guys and exonerates the innocent. But when the science goes rogue, it can lead to a gross miscarriage of justice. Erin Murphy exposes the dark side of forensic DNA testing: crime labs that receive little oversight and produce inconsistent results; prosecutors who push to test smaller and poorer-quality samples, inviting error and bias; law-enforcement officers who compile massive, unregulated, and racially skewed DNA databases; and industry lobbyists who push policies of "stop and spit." DNA testing is rightly seen as a transformative technological breakthrough, but we should be wary of placing such a powerful weapon in the hands of the same broken criminal justice system that has produced mass incarceration, privileged government interests over personal privacy, and all too often enforced the law in a biased or unjust manner. Inside the Cell exposes the truth about forensic DNA, and shows us what it will take to harness the power of genetic identification in service of accuracy and fairness.