jay a. siegel, phd emeritus professor of forensic science - michigan state university adjunct...
TRANSCRIPT
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Is there SCIENCE in Forensic Science?
Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy2014 Annual Conference
17 June 2014
Jay A. Siegel, PhDEmeritus Professor of Forensic Science -
Michigan State UniversityAdjunct Professor of Forensic Science – Indiana University Purdue University
Indianapolis
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Validity of Methods of Analysis
DNA – methods of analysis proven to be valid: taken from medical science
Chemical identification – proven to be valid: used for years in analytical chemistry Drugs and toxicology Explosives and accelerants Paints, coatings, plastics, other materials
Pattern evidence - arose from police science. Scientific validity has not been established Beware validation by case work Not completely validated ≠ invalid!
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Examples of Pattern Evidence
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Firearms
Lands and grooves: class characteristics
Stria: individual characteristics
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Fingerprints
Pattern type: class evidence
Minutia: individual chracteristics
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Handwriting
Overall handwriting: class characteristics
Details of handwriting: Individual
characteristics
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Bias in Forensic Science
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Some types of bias
Situational – crime labs located in police departments
Cognitive – Examiner knows too much about the case
Confirmational – one examiner confirms results of another. 2nd examiner knew the results of the 1st
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Confirmational Bias at Work: The Brandon Mayfield Case
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The Case
Terrorist bombing in Madrid, Spain
Police recover partial fingerprint at scene, send photograph to FBI to develop suspects through IAFIS system.
Brandon Mayfield’s print comes back as 4th best hit
He had recently converted to Islam, wife was Egyptian
Suspicion fell on him and he is arrested
Brandon Mayfield
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FBI examiner declares that Mayfield’s print
matches photograph of recovered print 2nd FBI examiner gets file including 1st
examiner report and confirms conclusions 3rd FBI examiner gets file including 1st and 2nd
examiner reports and confirms conclusions Mayfield retains independent fingerprint
expert, who obtains all FBI files. He confirms conclusions
The fingerprint examinations
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Madrid police capture terrorist and confirm
fingerprint match FBI sends fingerprint team to Madrid. They
agree with Madrid PD and Mayfield is released. He sues federal government and is awarded
$4M
The fallout
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P partial fingerprint lifted
from Madrid bombing
scene
The Fingerprints
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Accreditation and Certification
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Issues Accreditation Certification
Not mandatory Patchwork of
standards: many organizations offer, but the standards are all different
Not mandatory Patchwork of
organizations that offer certification
Not tied to a licensure so no revocation of ability to practice forensic science
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Forensic Science Laboratory Reports
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Problems
No standards Can be used as “evidence of the facts
therein” Many are little more than certificates of
analysis Not real scientific reports
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Where do we go from here?
Role of the NAS report More research into how to validate
comparison techniques Clearly and unambiguously identify terms Develop standard, validated methods for
analysis Recognize and minimize bias Write scientific lab reports
National Commission on Forensic Science
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Thank you for your attention
Questions?