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The Importance of Truth in Forensic Science
Definition of Forensic Science Terms
Blind and Open Experiments and Observer Bias
The prosecution is the enemy of good science
The Importance of Proper Credentials in Forensic Science
Anecdotal Information vs. Scientific Data in the Courtroom
Physical evidence is often the most important evidence
The Locard Exchange Principle in Forensic Science: The real iTouch
Securing a Crime Scene-common CSI mistakes in the beginning
How is crime scene investigation properly conducted?
Metrology and Reporting Uncertainty
What Attorneys Should Know About Significant Digits and Figures
Senate Judiciary Committee-Draft Outline of Forensic Science Reform Legislation
Crime Scene Examination: Polar Coordinate System
A Quick Summary of The National Academy of Sciences Report
Pattern Recognition is it Science or an Art?
Forensic firearm and toolmark analysis is unscientific
Breath testing theory for ETOH is wrong and unscientific
The Standardized Field Sobriety Tests lead to bad arrests
What constitutes a “match” in forensic science?
The use of “loaded” language in the Courtroom and in forensic science
Bayesian Based Metrology and DNA
Will US Courts Wake Up and Look at Bad Forensic Science?
Government run Crime Labs are never wrong
Hidden sources of error in forensic science
When civil law holds up the organic progression of science
The choices we all face in forensic science
NIST based and reported expressions of uncertainty isn’t everything
CRMs: Reference materials and standards
Pseudoscientists and snake oil salesmen in modern forensic science
www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week
www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Winner
Doggie sniffs are a poor substitute for meaningful analytical chemistry
Lecture on Analytical Chemistry in BAC testing Part 1
www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week
Another Week Another Winner… The www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week winner
Urine testing ain’t worth piss
Lecture on Analytical Chemistry in BAC testing Part 2
www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week
www.TheTruthAboutForensic Science Forensic Science Geek of the Week Winner
Mass Spectrometry is only computer assisted pattern recognition
Lecture on Analytical Chemistry in BAC testing Part 3
Ahh snap! www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week
Winner Winner Forensic Science Geek of the Week Chicken Dinner
Another example of flat out bad forensic science: Bad DNA results
Lecture on Analytical Chemistry in BAC testing Part 4
www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge Week 6
Pimp Daddy! Forensic Science Geek of the Week
DNA Contamination that is amazing!
Lecture on Analytical Chemistry in BAC testing Part 5
www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge Week 7
A Salute for our Week 7 www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week!
Fire Whisperers-the Story of Bad Arson Investigation
Lecture on Analytical Chemistry in BAC testing Part 6
www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge Week 8
Thank Goodness! A week 8 www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Winner!
Everyone needs a little inspiration
Lecture on Analytical Chemistry in BAC testing Part 7
www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge Week 9
Honorificabilitudinitatibus or a Faux Scientist
Lecture on Analytical Chemistry in BAC testing Part 8
www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge Week 10
Still no Week 9, but we have 2 week 10 www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Winners!
Presentation at 2010 American Chemical Society National Exposition
Lecture on Analytical Chemistry in BAC testing Part 9
www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge Week 11
www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week 11 Winner!
What I don’t understand: Why I can’t get discovery
Lecture on Analytical Chemistry in BAC testing Part 10
www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge Week 12
We have a winner for Week 12 www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Geek of the Week
Metrology in Quantitative Measure: Is it Specific or Selective or Neither…
Lecture on Analytical Chemistry in BAC testing Part 11
www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge Week 13
www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge Week 13 Winner
www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge Week 13 winner!
www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Week 13 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Winner!
The Power of an assay-Bayes style
Lecture on Analytical Chemistry in BAC testing Part 12
www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge Week 9 Winner
www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge Week 14
Excercise of Discretion: Sampling versus Sample Selection
Lecture on Analytical Chemistry in BAC testing Part 13
Supreme Court of the United States cases that we are watching that involve forensic science
www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge Week 15
Week #15 winner of the www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week
SCOTUS grants cert in DePierre v US
Expired Blood Tubes-What’s the Big Deal??
Are fingerprints worthwhile?
www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge Week 16
Week #16 winner of the www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week
Is Blood Spatter Evidence in Criminal Cases Valid?
Is the child victim of sexual abuse telling the truth? Sometimes Forensic Science can help decide
www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge Week 17
Winner of www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge Week 17
What’s Salt Got to Do With It? Salting Out Effect
A screening test for possible drug presence is not a confirmation test
www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge Week 18
Winner of the www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge Week 18
Ballistics and Anthropometry: It’s all about the angles
What really is Shaken Baby Syndrome? Is it for real?
Week 19 www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week!!!
SCRAM: Sometimes the truth is a little funny
Medical Examiners and Autopsy: the irretrievable action
Week 20 www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week!!!
Winner of the www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge Week 19
Winner of the www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge Week 20
Winner of the www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge Week 14
The case for raw data: “Integration” in Gas Chromatography: How to make an innocent person guilty in a DUI case by manipulating the software
Is forensic science relevant to the police investigator?
Week 21 www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week!!!
Winner of the www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge Week 21
Interpretation of Gunshot Wounds: Validated Science or Forensic Alchemy
Thanksgiving for all of you
Week 22 www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge!!!
Winner of the Week 22 www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge!!!
Have you been drinking? Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) thinks it can answer that question, but can it?
Unused technology: Fingerprints off Brass Shell Casings due to corrosion
Today’s accepted science is subject to review and is evolutionary
Week 23 www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge!!!
Passive marijuana smoke leads to positive test that is misinterpreted as a probation/parole violation or being DUID
Update on earlier post: Today’s accepted science is subject to review and is evolutionary
What Fletch can teach us about method validation
Winner of the Week 23 www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge!!!
Week 24 www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge!!!
The theme of this blog: Asymptotic analysis
You have cocaine on you guaranteed! Cocaine on Currency
Week 25 www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge!!!
Winner of the Week 25 www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge!!!
What can David Letterman’s Stupid Animal Tricks Teach us About Forensic Science?
What is ISO 17025 in the forensic science context?
Week 26 www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge!!!
Winner of the Week 24 www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge!!!
The need for standards. Why ISO 17025 and policy, procedures and instructions matter
Why is ISO 17025 so important to us in forensic science?
Week 27 www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge!!!
Winner of the Week 27 www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge!!!
Why should the criminal defense community care about ISO 17025?
ISO 17025 provides a simple method to develop themes to cross-examine experts
Week 28 www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge!!!
Is your state crime lab accredited?
ISO 17025 definitions: Policies, Procedures, Instructions, Documents and Records
Week 29 www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge!!!
Winner of the Week 29 www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge!!!
Who is the analyst is answered by ISO 17025
How ISO 17025 can help minimize the particular problem of fraudulent credentials of forensic scientists
Week 30 www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge!!!
Who is the “customer” per ISO 17025 and why is it important
How ASCLD/LAB International Conflicts with ISO 17025 and Honest Uncertainty Measurement Reporting
Week 31 www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge!!!
Winner of the Week 30 www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge!!!
Conclusion to the twelve part ISO 17025 introduction
Can (insert analyte) be tested for by GC-FID or GC-MS?
The Week 32 www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge!!!
Winner of the Week 32 Forensic Science Geek of the Week!!!
The Innocence Project weighs in on forensic science mishaps and fraudulent science
What is a Gas Chromatography column and why should I care?
Winner of the Week 26 Forensic Science Geek of the Week!!!
The Week 33 www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge!!!
A Call to Banish Non-validated Science in the Courtroom: A plea for scientific truth
Winner of the Week 33 Forensic Science Geek of the Week!!!
The need to remain a forensic science skeptic: Apparent knowledge doesn’t equate actual knowledge
The week 34 Forensic Science Geek of the Week!
Forensic Science Reform or Business as Usual?
How far have we come in forensic science?
The Week 35 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
The week 35 Forensic Science Geek of the Week!
Fool’s Gold or Real Gold? HS-GC-FID is it specific or selective or neither?
Week 28 Forensic Science Geek of the Week announced!
Drugs of Abuse (DOA) analysis performed today in the US
The Week 36 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
What is the difference between HS-GC-FID and GC-MS?
The simple case for reporting of Uncertainty Measurement in measures in the Courtroom
Week 36 Forensic Science Geek of the Week announced!
The Week 37 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
Retesting Blood Alcohol Results
NFPA Releases NFPA 921:2011 and Rejects Negative Corpus
The Week 38 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
Week 38 Forensic Science Geek of the Week announced!
False Conclusions and False Convictions: Attempts of Elucidating Pharmacodynamic Effect from an Analytical Chemistry Result-How Solely an Analytical Chemistry Result in a DUID Prosecution Cannot Scientifically Support a Conclusion of Driving Under the Influence of Drugs
A rose by any other name??? More on Metrology and its nomenclature
The Week 39 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
Why do instruments need to be calibrated?
Can someone honestly answer why there is still Breath testing for EtOH in America?
Week 39 Forensic Science Geek of the Week announced!
The Week 40 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
Would you like to write a blog post here?
Why do I see two peaks on my EtOH analysis using HS-GC-FID?
The Week 41 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
Why doesn’t your state crime laboratory use AMDIS?
The Week 42 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
Week 42 Forensic Science Geek of the Week announced!
Pharmacology For Lawyers Part 1: Introduction
Pharmacology For Lawyers Part 2: Pharmacokinetics
Week 43 Forensic Science Geek of the Week
An announcement: The Week 43 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is here
Pharamacology For Lawyers Part 3: Pharmacodynamics
The Week 40 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is announced
Pharmacology For Lawyers Part 4: Bioavailability
The Week 44 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Question
The Week 44 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is announced
The Forensic Science of the identification of Osama bin Laden
Pharmacology For Lawyers Part 5: Free versus Bound Drug
Pharmacology For Lawyers Part 6: Elucidating Pharmacodynamic Effect from an Analytical Chemistry Result
The Week 45 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Question
The Week 45 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced!
How do we get today’s youth interested in Science and Math?
Forensic Science Ombudsman
The Week 46 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Question
The Week 46 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced!
The discretion exercised every day and with every test in forensic science
World Metrology Day
The Week 47 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Question
The Week 47 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced!
Is it legitimate for a crime laboratory to use ‘historical data’ to prove its test results are valid?
Emerging Science: Dried Blood Spot Analysis in Toxicology
The Week 48 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Question
The Week 48 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced!
Roadside screening tests such as the NIK Public Safety Reagent Based Tests Can Provide False Positives
I am my brother’s keeper: Familial DNA testing
The Week 49 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Question
Another crime laboratory in danger: US Army
Practice good hygiene and get fired or convicted
The Week 50 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Question
Forensic Science Blogs that I watch
The danger of “I know it when I see it” identification
The Week 51 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Question
The Week 51 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced!
Emerging technology: novel immunogenic method that could recover usable fingerprints from old evidence and difficult surfaces
Why evidentiary breath test machines are not regularly scientifically calibrated
The Particular Witness Rule as established in Bullcoming v. New Mexico
The Week 52 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Question
Mass Spectroscopy for Lawyers Part 1: Introduction
Mass Spectroscopy for Lawyers Part 2: What types of mass analyzers are there?
The Week 37 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced!
The Week 50 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced!
Week 53 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge Question
The Week 53 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced!
Mass Spectroscopy for Lawyers Part 3: What types of detectors are there?
Mass Spectroscopy for Lawyers Part 4: What types of analysis can be done?
The Week 54 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
Mass Spectroscopy for Lawyers Part 5: How to read the output from the GC-MS
The Week 54 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced!
Mass Spectroscopy for Lawyers Part 6: How do they come to a qualitative measure using software?
The Week 55 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
Mass Spectroscopy for Lawyers Part 7: How do they quantitate the results?
Mass Spectroscopy for Lawyers Part 8: A scientific war, between spectroscopists and chromatographers is co-eution a problem in hyphenated MS work?
The Week 55 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced!
The Week 56 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
Mass Spectroscopy for Lawyers Part 9: Other topics of interest in GC-MS
Risky Business: Direct Liquid Injection Gas Chromatography
The Week 56 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced!
The Week 57 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
The Week 57 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced!
The Week 52 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced!
Method Validation for Lawyers Part 1: Is it valid, invalid, or non-validated?
Method Validation for Lawyers Part 2: What is method validation?
The Week 58 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
Method Validation for Lawyers Part 3: Can we use someone else’s validated method?
Method Validation for Lawyers Part 4: What triggers verification, re-validation or out right new validation of a method?
The Week 58 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced!
The Week 59 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
The Week 59 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced!
The Week 49 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced!
Method Validation for Lawyers Part 5: What are the essential terms in method validation?
Method Validation for Lawyers Part 6: What is quality assurance and quality control?
The Week 60 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
A Gas Chromatoagraph or Liquid Chromatograph is not like a calculator
Co-elution in a nutshell
Week 60 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced
The Week 61 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
Police Science: Re-purposing of Capilliary Columns for Drugs of Abuse testing
Why single column Gas Chromatography-Flame Ionization Detector analysis is not forensically or scientifically acceptable
The Week 62 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
Standards, Controls, Calibrators, and Verifiers, Oh my…
Why don’t crime laboratories lose their accreditation more often?
The Week 63 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
The Houston Crime Laboratory: A continuing model of what is wrong?
Limitations of Forensic Odontology
Week 63 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced
The Week 64 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
Emerging technology at the airport: Mass Spectrometry in the Hands of TSA
The Problem of Modern Forensic Science: Novices can become experts at the push of a button
Week 64 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced
Week 65 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
Week 65 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced
Are we accepting “Moonlight” or the scientific truth in the courtroom
Help wanted: External Quality Assurance Officer for Forensic Laboratories
Week 66 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
Born on Date– Not Just for Beer But Gas Cylinders Too
Ben Goldacre helps us to evaluate science and shows publication bias
Week 67 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
The Learned Treatise: An Appeal to Authority… is that misleading?
The scientific framework of forensic science is it wrong?
Week 68 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
Why don’t jurors follow science?
Week 66 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced
More on metrology in the courtroom
Week 69 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
Week 68 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced
Dry-labbing leads to…. early retirement
Week 69 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced
New CODIS guidelines from the FBI draws criticism
Week 70 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
Discover Magazine features the dangerous side of arson investigation
Week 70 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced
Why scientists are ripping us off….
Week 71 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
Attorney McShane to speak at 2012 NACDL & CACJ’s 5th Annual Forensic Science Seminar Cosmopolitan Hotel, Las Vegas, NV
Week 71 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced
Attorney McShane to speak at 2012 AAFS Seminar-Atlanta, GA
Week 72 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
The American Chemical Society-Chemistry and the Law Division wants Forensic Science to be presented
The Coalition against Coelution
Week 61 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced
Week 73 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
We are the problem-Criminal Defense Attorneys
This blog is thankful for you
Week 72 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced
Week 74 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
Week 74 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is announced
Week 73 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is announced
A collosial waste of taxpayer money all in the name of forensics
Week 67 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is announced
How the GC-FID arrives at a quantitative result: Auto-integration versus Manual Integration
Week 75 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
The Week 75 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is announced
GC consumables and preventive maintenance
Williams v. Illinois: The Confrontation Clause Rights in light of modern forensic science
Week 76 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
The Week 76 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is announced
DNA Interpretation: The Prosecutor’s Fallacy
Commingled DNA interpretation: Deconvolution of Mixed DNA samples
Week 77 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
The Week 77 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced
What criminal defense attorneys do, matters
Hemolysis in a blood sample when using headspace analysis by GC-FID
Week 78 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
Are fingerprint identifications merely an opinion?
More on the forensics of synthetic drugs: synthetic cannabinoids and synthetic cathinones
What a great year. Thank you.
The Week 79 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
First, let’s educate all of the lawyers
The myth of specific identification of Marijuana in criminal court
The Week 80 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
The myth of specific identification of Marijuana in criminal court Part 1: What is the goal and the purpose testing of unknowns generally?
The myth of specific identification of Marijuana in criminal court Part 2: How is most marijuana testing conducted in the United States?
Week 80 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge is announced
The Week 81 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
The myth of specific identification of Marijuana in criminal court Part 3: What is microscopic morphological examination? Is it a “good” test?
The myth of specific identification of Marijuana in criminal court Part 4: What is the modified Duquenois-Levine test? Is it a “good” test?
The Week 82 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
The Week 82 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge is Announced
The Week 78 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced
The myth of specific identification of Marijuana in criminal court Part 5: What is Thin Layer Chromatography? Is it a “good” test?
The myth of specific identification of Marijuana in criminal court Part 6: Is the combination of all three tests create a “good” testing scheme?
The Week 83 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
The myth of specific identification of Marijuana in criminal court Part 7: Is there a better way to test for marijuana?
Guest Blog Post From Dr. Frederic Whitehurst PhD JD: Mr. Fletcher vs. Mr. Daubert A Journey into the Surreal
The Week 84 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
The Week 84 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced
Quality Control in GC-FID: Teaching the machine right from wrong
Guest Blog Post From Dr. Frederic Whitehurst PhD JD: “Matches” An Over inference of Data? A Giglio Obligation? The case of Paint Examination
The Week 85 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
The Week 85 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced
Why not stipulate to a forensic science result?
Guest Blog Post From Dr. Frederic Whitehurst PhD JD: Forensic Science “Matches”-The Case of Black Powder
The Week 86 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
The definition of courage and personal integrity
Guest Blog Post From Dr. Frederic Whitehurst PhD JD: On sampling when testing multiple packets
The Confrontation Clause: Who has to show up in court and why
The Week 87 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
The Week 87 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced
The Week 86 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced
The myth of the neutral scientist doing forensic science
Guest Blog Post From Dr. Frederic Whitehurst PhD JD: Circuitous thought-the myth of reliable and valid marijuana identification in the courtroom
The Week 88 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
The Week 88 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced
Zero is not a valid data point for calibration purposes
Guest Blog Post From Dr. Frederic Whitehurst PhD JD: Of moos and clucks-the myth of FTIR identification
Score one for Science: The DRE program is found to be unreliable and not admissible
The Week 89 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
Why per se Driving Under the Influence of Drug Based Prosecution is Not Scientific and How Probation Violations for Marijuana Use May Be Wrong
Guest Blog Post From Dr. Frederic Whitehurst PhD JD: Cry Foul. Cry Foul. The Statistician Approaches
The Week 90 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
The Week 90 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced
An Update on Synthetic Cathinones and Synthetic Cannabinoids
Innocence! Forensic Science, Chemistry and the Law features the Innocence Project and Wrongful Convictions at the 244th ACS National Meeting on August 20, 2012 in Philadelphia, PA
The Week 91 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
Even more on synthetic cannibnoids and synthetic cathinones
Guest Blog Post From Dr. Frederic Whitehurst PhD JD: Issues in Explosive Residue Analysis
The Week 91 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced
The Week 79 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced
The Week 92 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
The Week 92 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced
The importance of t0 in forensic chromatography
Issues in Explosive Residue Analysis: Back to the Basics: Was it the result of an explosive device in the first place? How do we know that?
The Week 93 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
The Week 93 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced
DUID cases and the context of analytical chemistry results
Issues in Explosive Residue Analysis: Daubert provides guidance and a means to expose limitations and evaluate explosive investigations, methods, and interpretation
The Week 94 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
More on Enzymatic Assay for Determination of BAC in a forensic context
Issues in Explosive Residue Analysis: The Explosion Crime Scene: Sampling and Homogeneity Issues
The Week 95 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
Oooooh I’m telling your mama! What do you do when an analyst or a crime laboratory is fraudulent or grossly negligent in what they do?
Issues in Explosive Residue Analysis: Disposition Homogeneity in explosive scene investigation
The Week 95 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge is Announced
The Week 96 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
It’s not all doom and gloom, is it?
Issues in Explosive Residue Analysis: Contamination and cross-contamination in explosive scene investigation
The Week 96 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge is Announced
The Week 83 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced
The Week 62 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced
The Week 97 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
ACS Hands-on Forensic Chromatography VI class
Issues in Explosive Residue Analysis: Contamination by “Render-Safe” acts of explosives
The Week 98 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
Why Don’t we Six Sigma Forensic Science? It’s all about method validation, traceability, and quality assurance
Issues in Explosives Residue Analysis: Transportation and storage of evidence in explosive scene investigation
The Week 98 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced
The Week 99 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
Why can’t the bad apples wear name tags? Sorting out good from bad in forensics
Issues in Explosives Residue Analysis: Chemical analysis in explosive scene investigation
How many wrongful convcitions are out there?
The Week 100 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
The Week 100 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced
The Week 101 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
Arson Investigation exonerations
Issues in Explosives Residue Analysis: Identifying Techniques in explosive scene investigation
The Week 102 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
The known pharmacology of EtOH: Impossible BAC or BrAC Numbers
Issues in Explosives Residue Analysis: Interpretation of data in explosive scene investigation
The Week 103 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
In the category of things that upset me and should upset you, I give you the SBI Lab
Another failure of Quality Assurance in a Crime Laboratory that is framed as a bad analyst acting alone
Issues in Explosives Residue Analysis: Experience: What makes for a proper expert in explosive scene investigation?
The Week 104 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
The Week 103 Forensic Science Geek is Announced
2 years of the Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
Issues in Explosives Residue Analysis: Conclusion
The Week 102 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced
The Week 99 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced
The Week 104 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced
The Week 105 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
Toxicology versus solid drug dose examination for controlled substances
The Week 106 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
Is it column bleed, septum bleed, or a fragment from a controlled substance?
Justice be done: Frederic Whitehurst leads the way
Breaking news: The Forensic Science and Standards Act of 2012 is introduced
The Week 106 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced
The Week 107 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
Christine Funk charges away questioning the underlying validity of the crime laboratory
The Week 107 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Winner is Announced
The Week 108 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
Where is the commutability?
The Week 108 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Winner is Announced
The Week 109 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
Another thought about t0-olympic style
The Week 109 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Winner is Announced
The Week 110 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
The testing of unknowns-what is confirmatory testing?
We’re doing science here, right? TriTech Blood Tubes
The Colorado Criminal Defense Bar Presents “Understanding and Litigating of Gas Chromatography Cases”
The Week 110 Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
False positives and bad interpretation of analytical chemistry results happen: Case Study of Jake Gibb
Forensic Science, Chemistry and the Law Presents: Innocence! at the ACS National Meeting
C&EN features Innocence! a presentation of the Forensic Science, Chemistry and the Law division of the ACS at the National meeting (8/20/2012)
The ACS and The Innocence Project unite
More junk science debunked: Probation urinalysis testing and analysis by undertrained probation officers halted
Some random thoughts on forensic science
“I don’t know” is a perfectly acceptable answer
Another week another forensic laboratory scandal. It’s the Wild Wild West
Yet another crime lab scandal – the real question is how many failures until they get caught and when is enough enough?
Is forensic science truly scientific?
The McShane Firm uses DNA to Free the Falsely Accused
Readability versus trueness
The illusion of choice: The Limits of Science—and Scientists
Raymond Santana talks about the nightmare of innocence at the 2012 ACS Fall meeting (Forensic Science, Chemistry and the Law)
When it rains, it pours: St Paul crime laboratory
American Chemical Society Science & the Congress Project
Fingerprints and the idea of uniqueness
Steven Barnes talks about the nightmare of innocence at the 2012 ACS Fall meeting (Forensic Science, Chemistry and the Law)
This only makes sense in the bizzarro world of Texas DPS: No proof, but we prosecute!
The poster child for everything that is wrong in forensic science: Annie Dookhan
Steven Barnes talks about the nightmare of innocence at the 2012 ACS Fall meeting (Forensic Science, Chemistry and the Law)
Congratulations to the Innocence Project! 300 freed
The Fukushima of Forensics: Annie Dookhan
What to do with 60,000 cases involving Annie Dookhan?
More on Annie Dookhan: Three cheers to the Boston Globe
Why Confrontation of the Particular Witness must be mandatory: Annie Dookhan
The catalyst for change: The Annie Dookhan episode
Annie Dookhan and more revelations
The Laboratory Bench Mates used brown construction paper to cover up wrongdoing and source materials on the Annie Dookhan matter
Ray Krone talks about the nightmare of innocence at the 2012 ACS Fall meeting (Forensic Science, Chemistry and the Law)
The Rogue Chemist Excuse: Just as real as the boogie man in the closet
Eyewitness identification: Why do people get it wrong
More on fingerprints: What is the permanence of fingerprints?
Inappropriate & Unethical Relationship Revealed between Drug Prosecutor & Chemist Annie Dookhan
Another week, another crime laboratory scandal: We continue to struggle with basic validity in forensic science
GERD and Evidentiary Breath Testing
The Pharmacology of Ethanol: When the Number Doesn’t Match the Science
Garbage conclusory reports
Whose data is it? The Crime Laboratory or the People
National Science Foundation Science and Engineering Indicators 2012 paints a grim picture of jurors
Doughnuts and Blood Testing – How the government’s own data often proves that they contaminate blood samples and look the other way
Thanksgiving…. But still injustice happens
A “drug detection dog” is certainly not specific
Only in the bizarro “science” world of forensic science: I only consider the data the DA tells me to
Integration and the need for electronic data files
How maintaining scientific justice is like establishing and maintaining a path in the darkest jungle
The Shame that is Dallas County Crime Lab-the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences, or SWIFS
Loophole for Justice: Does a Combination of Prosecutorial Ignorance and Outsourcing of Forensic Services Matter?
Just because you could doesn’t mean you should: lawyer Ethics in the Forensic Science case
A New Year’s Resolution for us all: Better forensic science
Thank you for being a reader
The Demonstrated Linear Dynamic Range Challenge in PA DUI Breath Tests
Press related to the Linear Dynamic Range Challenge and the Initial Calibration Challenge
Open Letter to the Department of Health about the Linear Dynamic Range Challenge
Complete Ruling in Commonwealth v Schildt
Pennsylvania State Police Agree to Halt Evidential Breath Testing in PA
What’s wrong with Forensic Science? Criminal Defense Attorneys That’s What’s Wrong
A New ACS Course that Teaches Lawyers About Forensic Drug Analysis
“But they did a calibration on the machine” Do they really? Calibration versus calibration check
What can the Lennay Kekua and Manti Te’o craziness teach us in forensic science?
In chromatography, you see what they want you to see: Get the Electronic Data Files
Chain of Custody: The essential forensic link
Mary McMurray on BrAC testing
You know what really grinds my gears? Tax money that unfairly excludes defense attorneys from forensic science education
The sad story of 12 cents. Why following directions has to matter: The Lebanon County, PA DUI Good Samaritan Hospital Scandal
Heaven forbid, the State Crime Lab has to actually prove it!
Actual Innocence Knows No Time Bar: Texas and Senator John Whitmire and State Rep. Sylvester Turner Lead the Way
An Interview between Mike Nichols (MI) and Justin McShane on Evidentiary Breath Testing
A Great Article in American Laboratory
The Truth About Forensic Science Blog at the American Academy of Forensic Sciences Meeting
The importance of calibration in forensic science
How to properly calibrate a machine
There are no shortcuts to justice: Justice and Forensics are not a throughput exercise
National Forensic Science Commission and NIST Guidance Groups
Ethical and non-ethical challenges to expert witnesses
Federal Analog Prosecution and State Analog Prosecution and Defense: The controlling law
“Failed Evidence” – A must read for all interested in making our justice system better
Thoughts on Business Records Exception and Forensic Science
A Pharmacologist and a DRE
Guest Blog by Prof. David A. Harris: Forensic Labs Should Be Separate from Law Enforcement
Federal Analog Prosecution and State Analog Prosecution and Defense: What is an analog? The scientific problem
Federal Analog Prosecution and State Analog Prosecution and Defense: Efforts to define analog
Federal Analog Prosecution and State Analog Prosecution and Defense: Ohio v. Silmi et al.
Amanda Knox Case: Judge Probably Understands Probability by Dr. Carrie Valentine, PhD
60 minutes and Arizona’s Pioneer Hotel Fire
Dry-lab get a promotion, become the chief, get discovered, and retire
Improper calibration in true scientific endeavors versus forensic science in the courtroom
The Forensics Behind Bombing Investigations: Boston Marathon Explosive Forensics
Roadside breath testing for drugs?
Marijuana Field Test False Positive Leads to SWAT-style Raid of Innocent Home Owner’s Basement Lawful Tomato Growing
Chain of Custody of Biological Evidence: Garbage In = Garbage Out
Retention of Biological Samples: In a DUI case, how long is long enough?
Chemical Measurement Process and The Calibration Function: How to best calibrate an instrument used in forensic science
The Forensic Lab Worker Retirement Plan Again: Screw up Tests, Skip Steps…. Retirement Life
Happy World Metrology Day!
Cognitive Bias Redux
Breaking News: Crisis at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
A “Redo” Book! Are you serious?!?!?! More on the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Laboratory
Training in Forensic Science: The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Quality Assurance failures at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Laboratory
How impossible courtroom testimony comes to be: the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Laboratory case study
Stating the Obvious: There is Prosecution Bias in Most Crime Labs-the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Laboratory case study
Joshua Goldberg on BrAC testing
Joshua Goldberg on BrAC testing part 2
Joshua Goldberg on Breath Testing Part 3
Joshua Goldberg on Breath Testing Part 4
DEA: If you can’t win by the science, win by changing the rules…
The ACS Hands-on Forensic Chromatography Class
Standardized Field Sobriety Test and Age: 40 is the new 65
Stereoselectivity matters in methamphetamine: The Science of Breaking Bad cook makes both D and L forms of meth
The Continued Need For An Independent Judiciary
Crime Laboratory Fees: A Form of Bias
Ethical Competence versus Technical Competence: Why trying your best doesn’t cut it
The top 2 problems seen with Gas Chromatography BAC results
GC-MS false positives
I know methamphetamine by looking at it: false arrest for drugs
Kudos to Texas State Fire Marshal Chris Connealy
Constructive Memory Process Eyewitness memory is not all it is made up to be
How does a GC-MS machine know that there’s a drug in the blood or urine?
What does it mean to be NIST traceable?
SFSTs are unproven assumptions– “on her most gymnastic day”
Hands-on DNA Training for Lawyers
Conviction Integrity Unit- A good idea
DNA post-conviction-DA objections
False Child Abuse Charge: Misinterpretation of Child Injuries
GERD and breath alcohol testing: NHTSA misunderstands the epiglottitis and other curious statments
The scariest words in criminal court: “Based upon my training, knowledge and experience”
Voice Stress Analysis Challenges
A Forensic Measurement Device is Not an X Box
“But It’s NIST traceable” and I’ve Got A Bridge to Sell You in Brooklyn
What is the relevant scientific community for the Drug Recognition Expert?
Thank you what a great year!
Is the phrase “based upon the totality of the circumstances” science or science fiction?
“I Googled it” said the crime lab
Let the great whitewash begin: The National Forensic Science Commission
But they’re fixing forensic science, right?
The American Chemical Society Driving Under the Influence of Drugs Course
Petition for Certiorari in the case of George William Yohe II v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Further evidence that breath testing in Pennsylvania is not scientific
The forensic science defense to Justin Bieber’s DUI
Joseph Graves Allegations
Congratulations to ACS Forensic Chromatography XI graduates
Want more vacation days? Go work in a crime laboratory in Ohio
We’ll be at the AAFS meeting
The Charles Smith Blog reports on the handwriting examination section of the Oregon State Police Crime Laboratory closing
Why you should be impressed with the NIST OSAC structure: The taming of the Wild Wild West
Closer to an 0.05 DUI standard–National Safety Council-Alcohol, Drugs and Impairment Division Report 2014
5 Potential changes in the DEC/DRE program are discussed
Should Toxicologists Be Part of the “Prosecution Team”?
The Annie Dookhan Report: Investigation of the Drug Laboratory at the William A. Hinton State Laboratory Institute 2002 – 2012
Why it is not legitimate to retrograde extrapolate a DUID result based upon one measurement
Don’t miss out on the NIST OSAC Boat
“They are merely technicians”-the myth of Gas Chromatography analysis
Superfluous Sensitivity
Restek standards contamination
Public Comment Period for NFPA 921, Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations Begins
The Burning Bed- Has an Innocent Man Been Locked up for 35 Years for an Arson that Never Happened?
Crime Scenes are Never Contaminated, Right?
Attention Lawyers, Judges, and Forensic Scientists: NIST OSAC sign ups are here!
Forensic Science and Standards Act of 2014 advances
The New Neo-Prohibitionist Hysteria: Palcohol
An Update: The Burning Bed- Has an Innocent Man Been Locked up for 35 Years for an Arson that Never Happened?
En Banc Superior Court Overturns Conviction of 5-10 years
AlcoPro doesn’t want breath test devices in the hands of a skeptical attorneys
Another week, another laboratory scandal: Santa Clara County Crime Lab (and it’s accredited by ASCLD/LAB)
Is a Judge Frustrating Justice? A second update to the Burning Bed case: Has an Innocent Man Been Locked up for 35 Years for an Arson that Never Happened?
The Ethics of CLE Agenda: A Jury Argument or a Science Argument
#FreeHugney update
#FreeHugney Update and Response to the DA’s Points
White House Office of Science and Technology Subcommittee on Forensic Sciences
The American Chemical Society-Chemistry and the Law Division Announces The ACS Forensic Lawyer-Scientist Designation as recognized by the Chemistry and the Law Division of the ACS
Why so Low? Rule 702 “Hurdle” and who is an expert
Brady notice in DUID cases at DPS Austin in Texas
Another day, Another Breath Test Scandal
The scientific and legal truth behind Stand-off detection of alcohol in car cabins
Problems in Bexar County Texas Too-Integrated Forensic Laboratories LLC
Another week, another forensic science scandal in Texas: HPD
NIST carries through on its promise-Appointments for FSSB released
More problems in crime labs: Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (“OCME”) Controlled Substances Unit (“OCME-CSU” or “CSU”)
The problems with the modern practice of forensic firearm and toolmark analysis
NIST names OSAC Resource Committees
More information on the Cameron Todd Willingham Case
Justice, the Queen of Virtues? or Validation and Quality Assurance, the Queen of Virtues: Columbia South Carolina Police Department Crime Lab
The Forensic Science of IMSI/TMSI catchers: Stingray, Gossamer, FishHawk, Porpoise, and others
The myth of “therapuetic range,” “cookie cutter pharmacology,” and why DUID Impairment cases remind me of Forrest Gump
Be careful of who your coach is: Lawyers teaching science to other lawyers
210 Graduates in 40 states: Congratulations to the Graduates of ACS Gas Chromatography 12
CODIS, NDIS, SDIS, Familial Searching (Partial Match and moderate stringency) and Arrestee and Offender Database Searches versus expungment
What else smells like marijuana? Is “smells like marijuana” a valid perception by police?
The United Kingdom Moves to DUID per se enforcement
What does reprocessing mean on a chromatogram?
Even the government acknowledges the difficulty of proving impairment in a DUID case
It depends on what your definition of “positive” is? TLC in marijuana testing
Is your Crime Lab Out of Tune? What is a Tune Report and Why is it important in GC-MS work?
If true, this “Professor” Shawn Parcells = Poster Child For Forensic Reform
TSA Agents Amanda Zug, Shawn Knaub and Kendall Bradley provide a teachable moment in cross-contamination and the need to adhere to contamination protocol
Low Copy Number DNA and Forensic Statistical Tool fail Frye test
Traceability… it’s for the dogs!
Man Freed After Serving 35 years 11 months and 8 days in Prison for An Arson-Murder that Wasn’t
Federal Judge resigns from National Commission on Forensic Science
The Jed Rakoff and Matt Redle, co-chairs, Subcommittee on Reporting and Testimony Memo
DOJ does a 180 and puts discovery back into discussion for the NIST/DOJ National Commission on Forensic Science
USADA presents at the ACS National Meeting about Doping in Sports
A Comment on the Draft Documents from the National Commission on Forensic Science
How Fingerprint Identification Works in the Digital Age: A Comprehensive Guide
Contamination and Cross-Contamination: Understanding the Risks of DNA Evidence
Balancing Privacy and Public Safety: The Role of 23andMe’s DNA Database in Criminal Investigations
Amplifying the Evidence: The Power and Limitations of Whole Genome Amplification in DNA Science
False Positives and Negatives: The Risks of Low Copy Number DNA Analysis
How DNA Evidence has Revolutionized Forensic Science
The Risks of VPNs: How Law Enforcement Can Trace Your IP Address
The Cat-and-Mouse Game of Digital Privacy: How Law Enforcement Can Access Your WhatsApp Communications
Spyware/Malware and the Fourth Amendment: How The Government Wants to Spy on Your Online Activities
The Legal and Ethical Implications of Retrieving Location Information from Cell Phones: Cellebrite and Oxygen Forensic Detective, Stringrays to Co-traveler
The Critical Role of Forensic Science in Bombing Cases
The Use of NSA Intelligence in Criminal Prosecutions: Legality and Limitations

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