Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king’s horses and all the king’s men Couldn’t put Humpty together again In essence, this is the view held by The Technical Working Group on Biological Evidence Preservation in its publication entitled “The Biological Evidence Preservation Handbook: Best Practices for Evidence […]
Guest Blog Post From Dr. Frederic Whitehurst PhD JD: Forensic Science “Matches”-The Case of Black Powder
Forensic Science “Matches”-The Case of Black Powder By: Frederic Whitehurst, J.D., Ph.D. [1] While reviewing case opinions in criminal matters involving forensic examinations one is often presented with various adjectives of comparison such as “matches,” “consistent with,” and “identical to.” Counsel seeing these adjectives in forensic reports may be elated if legal theories are supported […]
Emerging technology: novel immunogenic method that could recover usable fingerprints from old evidence and difficult surfaces
In what could prove to be a landmark development in forensic science to both law enforcement and for the Innocence Project, we want to present to you the recent work of Dr Xanthe Spindler of University Technology Sydney. She has published that she has developed a new method of developing what heretofore would be undiscovered […]
You have cocaine on you guaranteed! Cocaine on Currency
You’ve got cocaine on you! YOU MUST BE A DRUG DEALER BECAUSE YOUR MONEY SHOWS COCAINE! This fun introduction is a means of relating to you the issues of the Locard Exchange Principle (https://www.thetruthaboutforensicscience.com/the-locard-exchange-principle-in-forensic-science-the-real-itouch/) as applied to cocaine and currency. It is the consensus of these works that upwards of 90-97% of paper currency in […]
Interpretation of Gunshot Wounds: Validated Science or Forensic Alchemy
The following is a brief summary of the modern explanation of gunshot wounds according to the proponents of interpreting gunshot wounds (GSW). After you read this, you draw your own conclusions as to whether or not this is empirical or more towards the subjective or non-validated. Gunshot Wounds: A summary form a pathology textbook In […]
Is Blood Spatter Evidence in Criminal Cases Valid?
Blood spatter is an important topic in the courtroom.. The open question is where is the validation for this discipline of forensic science? Can Blood Spatter really tell us a story like a TV drama? If you have ever been involved in any sort of homicide case, you will almost always run across the “blood […]
Excercise of Discretion: Sampling versus Sample Selection
One of the most shocking aspects of forensic science to me as I am not a scientist is the amount of discretion and choice that is exercised by the forensic analyst. One of these areas is the difference between sampling and sample selection. A good analogy to use is to suppose that you are tasked […]
Fire Whisperers-the Story of Bad Arson Investigation
You have heard of the myth of the Horse Whisper, right? Heck Hollywood even made a movie about it. Robert Redford was a horse trainer who could whisper and talk with the horses. They would listen and communicate with him. Pretty fantastic stuff! There has also been the “Dog Whisperer” which is a TV series […]
DNA Contamination that is amazing!
This is the Phantom of Heilbronn. The Phantom of Heilbronn was thought of as the most prolific murderer who was allegedly responsible for a whole rash of crimes from murder to burglary. Quite a busy person. So, busy that the Phantom was all across Europe doing what the Phantom does, I suppose, which is getting […]
What constitutes a “match” in forensic science?
The concept of a match at first look blush seems rather elemental. However, if we really were to think of it, the concept is indeed fungible. In forensic science, there is no universally held definition across all disciplines or even within a disciple as to what constitutes sufficient similarity to evoke that coveted and magic […]
Crime Scene Examination: Polar Coordinate System
Physical and forensic evidence, if properly preserved, collected, maintained, analyzed and reported often is the unimpeachable source of the truth. Knowing this we also explored the theory of the Locard Exchange Principle and how “every contact leaves a trace” which leads us naturally to the need to properly secure the crime scene to avoid altering […]
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