Forensic Science

A new fingerprinting technique developed by British forensic scientists can develop prints from metal objects even if they have been washed away with soap and water.

A new degree designed to equip doctors and scientists with the expertise needed to investigate deaths resulting from acts of genocide, terrorism, natural disasters such as Tsunami, transport accidents and drug abuse has been developed by the University of Edinburgh.

The FBI is expanding its Regional Computer Forensic Laboratories network by setting up new labs in six new cites to help law enforcment agencies with cases that involve digital evidence.

Law enforcement has a new tool to help bring criminals to justice, thanks to research by scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory.

The science of measuring drug levels in the blood after death is far from robust and based on flawed evidence, leading to likely miscarriages of justice and conspiracy theories, say forensic scientists.

Scientists have discovered a new technique that can detect forged handwriting better than ever before. Using holograms to create three deminisional images of handwriting, they can better see tiny variations in pressure in the strokes.

Staffing challenges in forensic laboratories exist nationwide. This is creating backlogs in forensic laboratories, particularly in DNA analysis.

President Bush's supports the initiative to improve the use of DNA in the criminal justice system, especially in the federal, state, and local forensic laboratories.

The purpose of steganography is covert communication, to hide the existence of a message from a third party. Here is a high-level technical introduction to steganography for those unfamiliar with the field.

The Attorney General submitted this report to Congress on April 2, 2004 that found approximately 542,700 criminal cases with biological evidence are awaiting DNA testing. These include 52,000 homicide and 169,000 rape cases.

Mark Dallagher had his murder conviction reversed after the prosecution failed to prove that a latent ear print, originally what contributed the most to his conviction, was not his, due to new discoveries in DNA testing.

Samples taken from trace evidence (i.e., hair and skin) found in a computer keyboard was used to determine whether more than one person had used the computer.

The International Academy of Forensic Sciences presented a study on the reliability of the use of dog scent evidence in a "lineup."

There have been recent cases in which the absence of gunshot residue on the scalp was classified as evidence of a distant-range gunshot when other evidence supported a close-range gunshot.

A study of the potential sources of pipetting error in the forensic laboratory and offer suggestions for mitigating these sources of error by straightforward quality control and operator-training guidelines.

The methodology outlined, ensures all electronic evidence is legally and properly gathered and preserved, acting as uncontaminated and compelling proof that a crime or fraud has been committed to company management, industrial tribunals, or civil or criminal courts.

A case study of an explosion causing appreciable damage to a building in Durgapur, West Bengal, India, is presented. Systematic assessment of the damage and the physical evidence confirm it was a fuel-air aerosol explosion arising from liquid petroleum gas leakage and not an improvised explosive device.

Common situations encountered during the processing and handling of digital evidence can be used to help agencies develop their own policies and procedures.

The advantages of the software are the ability to integrate information on different platforms, share information between agencies, track the status of cases, and upload data directly into a database.

Guideline for the proper method of photographing footwear evidence by qualified personnel.

Guideline for the proper method of photographing tire impression evidence by qualified personnel.

Find definitions, recommendations, and guidelines for the use of video capture and processing to ensure the successful introduction of video imagery as evidence in a court of law.

Information and guidelines on animal hair evidence in the forensic setting and to provide a foundation for its proper identification and comparison.

Review budget issues facing state-level public forensic laboratories.

Guidelines to provide laboratories engaged in forensic analysis of chemical evidence associated with terrorism, a framework to implement a quality assurance program.

Recent discoveries and improved techniques have catapulted this tool into the forefront of a number of major criminal investigations.

The tissue-depth landmarks currently available to forensic artists highlight the need for standardizing the set of landmarks and the landmark definitions used in three-dimensional forensic facial reconstruction.

Testing the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Hard-Disk Write Lock V0.8 against Software Write Block Tool Specification & Test Plan, Version 3.0.

A practical resource for law enforcement personnel who review old, cold, or unsolved cases that may be solved through the use of DNA technology and databases.

The definition of petechial homorrhage as used by forensic pathologists.