Forensic nursing. Applications in the occupational health setting.

PubMed

Pozzi, C L

1996-11-01

1. Nurses are inherent investigators through the use of observation, data gathering, and documentation techniques. 2. Occupational health nurses may be involved in assisting with or evaluating workplace accidents, injuries, and deaths. These investigations may be the only critical information gathered. 3. Accurate and through investigations are critical for clients, physicians, insurance companies, medical investigators, law enforcement, legal proceedings, and the company. Utilizing improper techniques during accident investigations could potentially dismiss a litigation case or lead to hazardous situations. 4. The occupational health nurse can improve practices related to investigations by understanding and learning more about forensic nursing.

The forensic nursing in sexual assaults: the immunochemical diagnosis and prevention of its adverse effects.

PubMed

Vitale, Elsa

2012-04-01

Sexual assault was a ubiquitous and serious problem in our society. The world's care centers and forensic associations, which were at the forefront of scientific research in sexual assaults, discussed the role of the Forensic Nursing in their early diagnosis and their prevention, but little has been written in literature regarding their appropriate management. This article focuses on the immunochemical laboratory investigation in diagnosis and prevention of its adverse effects in sexual assaults and the role of the Forensic Nursing played in this task. After a careful reading of all the material received from many of the care centers and the associations contacted, a Forensic Nursing Examination Program, with specific immunochemical address, is identified.

Defining the role of a forensic hospital registered nurse using the Delphi method.

PubMed

Newman, Claire; Patterson, Karen; Eason, Michelle; Short, Ben

2016-11-01

A Delphi survey was undertaken to refine the position description of a registered nurse working in a forensic hospital, in New South Wales, Australia. Prior to commencing operation in 2008, position descriptions were developed from a review of legislation, as well as policies and procedures used by existing forensic mental health services in Australia. With an established workforce and an evolving model of care, a review of the initial registered nurse position description was required. An online Delphi survey was undertaken. Eight executive (88.9%) and 12 (58.3%) senior nursing staff participated in the first survey round. A total of four survey rounds were completed. At the final round, there was consensus (70%) that the revised position description was either very or somewhat suitable. There were a total of nine statements, from 31 originally produced in round 1, that did not reach consensus. The Delphi survey enabled a process for refining the Forensic Hospital registered nurse position description. Methods that facilitate executive and senior nursing staff consensus in the development and review of position descriptions should be considered in nursing management. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Development of skills-based competencies for forensic nurse examiners providing elder abuse care

PubMed Central

Du Mont, Janice; Kosa, Daisy; Macdonald, Sheila; Elliot, Shannon; Yaffe, Mark

2016-01-01

Objective As a critical step in advancing a comprehensive response to elder abuse built on existing forensic nursing-led hospital-based programmes, we developed a list of skills-based competencies for use in an Elder Abuse Nurse Examiner curriculum. Participants and setting Programme leaders of 30 hospital-based forensic nursing-led sexual assault and domestic violence treatment centres. Primary and secondary outcome measures 149 verbatim recommendations for components of an elder abuse response were identified from a systematic scoping review. In 2 online Delphi consensus survey rounds, these components of care were evaluated by an expert panel for their overall importance to the elder abuse intervention under development and for their appropriateness to the scope of practice of an elder abuse nurse examiner. The components retained after evaluation were translated into skills-based competencies using Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning and, using the Nominal Group Technique, were subsequently reviewed and revised by a subset of members of the expert panel in a consensus meeting. Results Of the 148 recommendations evaluated, 119 were rated as important and achieved consensus or high level of agreement. Of these, 101 were determined to be within the scope of practice of an Elder Abuse Nurse Examiner and were translated into skills-based competencies. Following review and revision by meeting experts, 47 final competencies were organised by content into 5 metacompetencies: documentation, legal and legislative issues; interview with older adult, caregiver and other relevant contacts; assessment; medical and forensic examination; and case summary, discharge plan and follow-up care. Conclusions We determined the skills-based competencies of importance to training forensic nurse examiners to respond to elder abuse in the context of a hospital-based intervention. These findings may have implications for violence and abuse treatment programmes with a forensic nursing component

Development of skills-based competencies for forensic nurse examiners providing elder abuse care.

PubMed

Du Mont, Janice; Kosa, Daisy; Macdonald, Sheila; Elliot, Shannon; Yaffe, Mark

2016-02-10

As a critical step in advancing a comprehensive response to elder abuse built on existing forensic nursing-led hospital-based programmes, we developed a list of skills-based competencies for use in an Elder Abuse Nurse Examiner curriculum. Programme leaders of 30 hospital-based forensic nursing-led sexual assault and domestic violence treatment centres. 149 verbatim recommendations for components of an elder abuse response were identified from a systematic scoping review. In 2 online Delphi consensus survey rounds, these components of care were evaluated by an expert panel for their overall importance to the elder abuse intervention under development and for their appropriateness to the scope of practice of an elder abuse nurse examiner. The components retained after evaluation were translated into skills-based competencies using Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning and, using the Nominal Group Technique, were subsequently reviewed and revised by a subset of members of the expert panel in a consensus meeting. Of the 148 recommendations evaluated, 119 were rated as important and achieved consensus or high level of agreement. Of these, 101 were determined to be within the scope of practice of an Elder Abuse Nurse Examiner and were translated into skills-based competencies. Following review and revision by meeting experts, 47 final competencies were organised by content into 5 metacompetencies: documentation, legal and legislative issues; interview with older adult, caregiver and other relevant contacts; assessment; medical and forensic examination; and case summary, discharge plan and follow-up care. We determined the skills-based competencies of importance to training forensic nurse examiners to respond to elder abuse in the context of a hospital-based intervention. These findings may have implications for violence and abuse treatment programmes with a forensic nursing component that are considering the provision of a dedicated response to the abuse of older women and men

Consumer sexual relationships in a forensic mental health hospital: perceptions of nurses and consumers.

PubMed

Quinn, Chris; Happell, Brenda

2015-04-01

The management of consumer-related risk is paramount in a secure forensic mental health facility. However, the consequent risk aversion presents a major barrier to consumers forming sexual relationships in a manner that is open and accepted. Investigation of the views of nurses working in forensic mental health settings on this topic is limited, and even more so for consumers of services. This qualitative exploratory study was undertaken to elicit the views of consumers and nurses about forming sexual relationships within this long-term and secure setting. Individual in-depth interviews were conducted with 12 nurses and 10 consumers. The benefits of, and barriers to, sexual relationships was identified as a major theme, and these findings are the focus of this paper. Nurse responses included the subthemes 'supportive factors' and 'potential dangers', reflecting their qualified support. Consumer responses included the subthemes 'therapeutic', 'feeling normal', 'restrictions and barriers', and 'lack of support and secrecy'. The importance of sexual relationships was clearly articulated, as was the difficulties in forming and maintaining them within the forensic setting. More open discussion about this commonly-avoided issue and the education of nurses and other health professionals is required. © 2014 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Interdisciplinary team communication among forensic nurses and rape victim advocates.

PubMed

Patterson, Debra

2014-01-01

Victim advocates and forensic nurses provide integrated care to address the complex legal, medical, and mental health needs of rape survivors. Research suggests that conflict exists between nurses and advocates, but it remains unknown how their communication patterns contribute to or resolve these conflicts. Utilizing a qualitative case study approach, the current study interviewed 24 nurses and advocates from a Midwest organization to better understand team communication patterns when addressing conflicts. The findings suggest that most nurses communicate concerns directly while advocates avoid direct communication. Factors that influenced direct and indirect communication and their implications for practice will be discussed.

The Impact of an Educational Intervention on Knowledge and Competency Levels for Students Enrolled in a Forensic Nursing Science Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drake, Stacy A.

2014-01-01

Forensic nursing is an emerging nursing specialty recognized by the American Nursing Association. However, nurses often do not have the basic knowledge or practical competence to provide the appropriate level of forensic care. The purpose of this study was to determine if differences in knowledge or practical competence existed between students…

The relationship between the forensic nurse in the emergency department and law enforcement officials.

PubMed

Pasqualone, Georgia A

2015-01-01

This article describes the need for a collaborative relationship between the advanced practice forensic nurse in the emergency department and critical care settings with law enforcement officials. The relationship is necessary when working with victims and/or perpetrators in the context of the 27 categories of forensic patients.

Sex on show. Issues of privacy and dignity in a Forensic mental health hospital: Nurse and patient views.

PubMed

Quinn, Chris; Happell, Brenda

2015-08-01

To explore perceptions of privacy and dignity for sexual relationships in a Forensic mental health hospital. The role of nurses in forensic mental health hospitals is frequently complicated by opposing expectations of therapeutic relationships and maintaining security. What can result is an over-emphasis on risk reduction by controlling patient behaviour, which can extend to patient intimacy and sexual relationships. An exploratory, qualitative approach. Individual interviews were conducted with 12 nurses and 10 patients in a forensic mental health hospital. Thematic data analysis was undertaken to identify the main themes. The need for a private and dignified place for patient intimacy was one major theme to emerge from this research from both nurse and patient participants and is the focus of this article. A disparity is reported between the level of support reported by nurse participants with the experience of the patient participants. Sexual intimacy and sexual relationships are important components of normal human behaviour. Institutional rules and rule adherence create barriers for patients, forcing their intimacy and sexual relationships into secrecy. There is a need for further research to consider the benefits and risks of patient intimacy and sexual relationships for long-term patients in forensic mental health settings. Patients in forensic hospitals are sexually active and seek support from nurses. Nurses are in an ideal role to recognise the important part they can play in supporting the intimacy and sexual relationship needs of patients. Strategies to assist in developing confidence in responding to normal human behaviour is a matter of priority. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Detached concern of forensic mental health nurses in therapeutic relationships with patients the application of the early recognition method related to detached concern.

PubMed

Fluttert, Frans; van Meijel, Berno; Nijman, Henk; Bjørkly, Stål; Grypdonck, Mieke

2010-08-01

Improvement of the interaction between forensic mental health nurses and patients may lead to a reduction of inpatient violence. The concept under study is detached concern, which refers to nurses' skills to neutralize the emotional appeal of patients by a balanced attitude between objectivity and emotional involvement. The Patient Contact Questionnaire (PCQ) aims at measuring the degree of concern of nurses for their patients. The PCQ was applied in a pretest-posttest design, evaluating the effects of the Early Recognition Method (ERM). This method aims at the prevention of inpatient violence in forensic psychiatry. Subjects were 116 forensic mental heath nurses working on 16 wards of a large Dutch forensic hospital. First, the baseline scores were compared to scores reported in an earlier study conducted in general psychiatry. Second, pretest-posttest comparisons were carried out for all nurses, and for subgroups of nurses with regard to gender, educational level, years of working experience, and patient population. Third, pretest-posttest comparisons were made on the PCQ item level. The baseline scores of male nurses indicated significantly higher levels of concern than those of female nurses. In addition, more experienced nurses scored significantly higher with regard to concern than less experienced nurses. When comparing the scores before and after applying ERM, no significant differences were found. However, the sores of female nurses showed a tendency toward more concern after implementation of ERM. Detached concern may be a meaningful concept in forensic mental health nursing in measuring nurses' concern for their patients. Levels of detached concern did not change significantly after application of ERM. However, the application of the PCQ could contribute to a better understanding of the interaction between nurses and their patients. 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Forensic community mental health nurses' perceptions of statutory community aftercare: implications for practice.

PubMed

Riordan, Sharon; Wix, Stuart; Humphreys, Martin

2005-01-01

The key role played by forensic community mental health nurses in statutory community aftercare for mentally disordered offenders in England and Wales has been successful. The nurses often have the most contact with this patient population, yet paradoxically, have not been asked to express their views about the process. The pivotal role undertaken by this professional group appears to be fundamental to the success of statutory aftercare for this patient group.

Video gaming and sexual violence: rethinking forensic nursing in a digital age.

PubMed

Mercer, Dave; Parkinson, Denis

2014-01-01

This article reports findings from a qualitative study into how forensic nurses, and male personality disordered sexual offenders, talked about "pornography" in one U.K. high-security hospital. Research rationale was rooted in current professional and political debates, adopting a discourse analytic design to situate the project in a clinical context. Semistructured interviews, as co-constructed accounts, explored talk about sexual media, offending, treatment, and risk. Data were analyzed using a version of discourse analysis popular in healthcare research, identifying discursive repertoires, or collective language use, characteristic of the institutional culture. Findings revealed that masculine discourse marginalized female nurses and contradicted therapeutic goals, where men's talk about pornography, sex, and sexual crime represented discriminatory and gendered language. Nursing definitions of pornography were constructed in the context of the client group and an organizational need to manage risk. In a highly controlled environment, with a long-stay population, priority in respondent talk was given to mainstream commercial sexual media and everyday items/images perceived to have embedded sexual meaning. However, little mention was made of contemporary modes of producing/distributing pornography, where sex and sexual violence are enacted in virtual realities of cyberspace. Failure to engage with information technology, and globally mediated sex, is discussed as a growing concern for forensic health workers.

Evidence-Based Practice in Forensic Mental Health Nursing: A Critical Review.

PubMed

Byrt, Richard; Spencer-Stiles, Theresa A; Ismail, Ismail

2018-06-15

Literature searches of databases, particularly CINAHL, using key phrases were undertaken. Some authors argue that there is a lack of evidence in forensic mental health (FMH) nursing, with few randomized controlled trials and other methods providing definitive, generalizable evidence. However, literature searches revealed randomized controlled trials of relevance to FMH nursing, many qualitative studies by FMH nurses, and arguments for clinical experience and knowledge of service users, and the latter's views, as sources of evidence. Research findings can be applied to practice, both directly and indirectly. Examples are given of ways that evidence can be used to inform FMH nursing interventions related to therapeutic ward environments, including communication, therapeutic relationships, preventing retraumatization, and enabling physical health. The complex nature of "evidence" is considered in relation to risk assessment and management. FMH nursing can be based on a wide range of sources of evidence. The types of evidence used in practice depend on individual service users' needs and views. In evaluating evidence, it is necessary to be aware of its complex, diverse nature. A distinction can be made between definitive, widely generalizable research findings and evidence with limited generalizability, requiring FMH nurses' judgments about whether it is applicable to their own area of practice. Recommendations for related education and research are made.

Frequency of forensic toxicological analysis in external cause deaths among nursing home residents: an analysis of trends.

PubMed

Aitken, Georgia; Murphy, Briony; Pilgrim, Jennifer; Bugeja, Lyndal; Ranson, David; Ibrahim, Joseph Elias

2017-03-01

There is a paucity of research examining the utility of forensic toxicology in the investigation of premature external cause deaths of residents in nursing homes. The aim of this study is to describe the frequency and characteristics of toxicological analysis conducted in external cause (injury-related) deaths amongst nursing home residents in Victoria, Australia. This study was a retrospective cohort study examining external cause deaths among nursing home residents during the period July 1, 2000 to December 31, 2012 in Victoria, Australia, using the National Coronial Information System (NCIS). The variables examined comprised: sex, age group, year-of-death, cause and manner of death. One-third of deaths among nursing home residents in Victoria resulted from external causes (n = 1296, 33.3%) of which just over one-quarter (361, 27.9%) underwent toxicological analysis as part of the medical death investigation. The use of toxicological analysis varied by cause of death with a relatively low proportion conducted in deaths from unintentional falls (n = 286, 24.9%) and choking (n = 36, 40.4%). The use of toxicological analysis decreased as the decedents age increased. Forensic toxicology has the potential to contribute to improving our understanding of premature deaths in nursing home residents however it remains under used and is possibly undervalued.

Professional convergence in forensic practice.

PubMed

Mercer, D; Mason, T; Richman, J

2001-06-01

This paper outlines the development and convergence of forensic science and secure psychiatric services in the UK, locating the professionalization of forensic nursing within a complex web of political, economic, and ideological structures. It is suggested that a stagnation of the therapeutic enterprise in high and medium security provision has witnessed an intrusion of medical power into the societal body. Expanding technologies of control and surveillance are discussed in relation to the move from modernity to postmodernity and the ongoing dynamic of medicalized offending. Four aspects of globalization are identified as impacting upon the organization and application of forensic practice: (i) organized capitalism and the exhaustion of the welfare state; (ii) security versus danger and trust versus risk; (iii) science as a meta-language; and (iv) foreclosure as a mechanism of censorship. Finally, as a challenge for the profession, some predictions are offered about the future directions or demise of forensic nursing.

Forensic nursing interventions with patients with personality disorder: a holistic approach.

PubMed

Byrt, Richard

2013-01-01

Research findings suggest that nursing assessment and care and psychotherapy of forensic patients with personality disorder should be based on a holistic approach that addresses a wide range of their needs. Such an approach should be in collaboration with patients, informal carers, and other professionals and informed by appropriate education, training, clinical supervision, and support. Holistic care includes areas (such as physical health, cultural, spiritual, and psychosexual needs) that are addressed to a limited extent in the literature on patients with personality disorder. Despite limitations in research evidence, findings suggest that some patients with personality disorder benefit from psychotherapies, sometimes facilitated by nurse-therapists, and therapeutic community principles. These interventions should take account of patients' cultural and spiritual needs and perspectives. Helping patients to manage anger has potentially positive consequences for their physical health, personal and work relationships, and other areas. Research is needed to consider how to deliver holistic care with limited resources and in organizations, such as prisons, with conflicting goals.

Facing victims: forensics, visual technologies, and sexual assault examination.

PubMed

Mulla, Sameena

2011-05-01

This article analyzes a particular legal-medical artifact: the photos of wounds and injuries collected by forensic nurses who work with sexual assault victim-patients. I show how forensic expertise draws on multiple medical practices and adapts these practices with the goal of preserving the integrity of the evidence collection processes. In particular, forensic nurse examiners practice a rigid regime of draping and avoiding the victim-patient's gaze at some points in the forensic routine while engaging the victim's gaze at other points in the examination. Unlike the examination, the photograph itself deliberately pictures the patient's gaze to break the plane of the image, giving the photographic artifact an affective charge as a truth-preserving object within a juridical process. Focusing on forensic photography sheds light on the techno-scientific possibilities that enable forensic encounters as they align therapeutic techniques with legal directives in new and problematic ways.

Causes and management of aggression and violence in a forensic mental health service: perspectives of nurses and patients.

PubMed

Dickens, Geoffrey; Piccirillo, Maria; Alderman, Nick

2013-12-01

Nurses' attitudes about the causes and management of aggression affects their choice of intervention. We aimed to compare the attitudes held by patients and staff in a forensic mental health service with the Management of Aggression and Violence Attitudes Scale, and examine the factor validity of the tool in this setting by conducting a prospective comparative questionnaire survey. Staff (n = 72) and patient (n = 98) attitudes differed to a limited extent. Confirmatory factor analysis refuted the previously reported structure of the tool. Exploratory factor analysis suggested three underlying factors related to modifiability of aggression, hands on management, and hands off management. Patients were more optimistic than nurses about the modifiability of aggressive behaviour. Male patients and those with diagnoses other than personality disorder were significantly more likely to agree about modifiability than controls. Forensic inpatients recognize the need for the use of a range of techniques to prevent and manage aggression and violence, but selected groups are most likely to believe that aggression is modifiable. Prevention and management of aggression training should emphasize the modifiability of aggressive behaviour. The development of measures of modifiability and management style would assist in the evaluation of training and would offer new avenues for research. © 2012 The Authors; International Journal of Mental Health Nursing © 2012 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Occurrence of post traumatic stress symptoms and their relationship to professional quality of life (ProQoL) in nursing staff at a forensic psychiatric security unit: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Lauvrud, Christian; Nonstad, Kåre; Palmstierna, Tom

2009-04-16

Violence is frequent towards nurses in forensic mental health hospitals. Implications of this high risk environment have not been systematically explored. This paper explores occurrence of symptoms on post traumatic stress and their relationship to professional quality of life. Self report questionnaires assessing symptoms of post traumatic stress and professional quality of life were distributed among psychiatric nurses in a high security forensic psychiatric unit with high frequency of violent behaviour. Relationships between post traumatic stress symptoms, forensic nursing experience, type of ward and compassion satisfaction, burnout and compassion fatigue were explored. The prevalence of post traumatic stress symptoms was low. Low scores were found on compassion satisfaction. Length of psychiatric nursing experience and low scores on compassion satisfaction were correlated to increased post traumatic stress symptoms. Although high violence frequency, low rate of post traumatic stress symptoms and low compassion satisfaction scores was found. High staff/patient ratio and emotional distance between staff and patients are discussed as protective factors.

Occurrence of post traumatic stress symptoms and their relationship to professional quality of life (ProQoL) in nursing staff at a forensic psychiatric security unit: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Lauvrud, Christian; Nonstad, Kåre; Palmstierna, Tom

2009-01-01

Background Violence is frequent towards nurses in forensic mental health hospitals. Implications of this high risk environment have not been systematically explored. This paper explores occurrence of symptoms on post traumatic stress and their relationship to professional quality of life. Methods Self report questionnaires assessing symptoms of post traumatic stress and professional quality of life were distributed among psychiatric nurses in a high security forensic psychiatric unit with high frequency of violent behaviour. Relationships between post traumatic stress symptoms, forensic nursing experience, type of ward and compassion satisfaction, burnout and compassion fatigue were explored. Results The prevalence of post traumatic stress symptoms was low. Low scores were found on compassion satisfaction. Length of psychiatric nursing experience and low scores on compassion satisfaction were correlated to increased post traumatic stress symptoms. Conclusion Although high violence frequency, low rate of post traumatic stress symptoms and low compassion satisfaction scores was found. High staff/patient ratio and emotional distance between staff and patients are discussed as protective factors. PMID:19371413

Infusing Social Justice in Undergraduate Nursing Education: Fostering Praxis Through Simulation.

PubMed

Caldwell, Robyn; Cochran, Courtney

Forensic clinical experiences are often inconsistent in undergraduate nursing education. Nursing students are not included in the process of forensic evidence collection, often because of the sensitive nature of the situation. Unfortunately, nursing students are forced to rely on theoretical knowledge provided by the nurse educator to understand the complexities of forensic nursing care. Nursing students must be able to identify and provide appropriate nursing care for individuals in all forensic situations. Comprehensive clinical laboratory experiences should be provided through active teaching-learning strategies, which replicate nursing care of the forensic patient. Simulated patient experiences provide a unique opportunity to explore the sensitive nature of sexual trauma in a safe learning environment. This strategy facilitates the application of theoretical forensic principles by utilizing live actors or high-fidelity manikins in laboratory settings. The application of theory to each simulated patient infuses conceptual knowledge at the point of care. Change in social consciousness begins at the bedside. The moral imperative of nursing continues to be the preparation of socially responsible, professional nurses who strive to end social injustices.

Accreditation standards for undergraduate forensic science programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Marilyn Tebbs

Undergraduate forensic science programs are experiencing unprecedented growth in numbers of programs offered and, as a result, student enrollments are increasing. Currently, however, these programs are not subject to professional specialized accreditation. This study sought to identify desirable student outcome measures for undergraduate forensic science programs that should be incorporated into such an accreditation process. To determine desirable student outcomes, three types of data were collected and analyzed. All the existing undergraduate forensic science programs in the United States were examined with regard to the input measures of degree requirements and curriculum content, and for the output measures of mission statements and student competencies. Accreditation procedures and guidelines for three other science-based disciplines, computer science, dietetics, and nursing, were examined to provide guidance on accreditation processes for forensic science education programs. Expert opinion on outcomes for program graduates was solicited from the major stakeholders of undergraduate forensic science programs-forensic science educators, crime laboratory directors, and recent graduates. Opinions were gathered by using a structured Internet-based survey; the total response rate was 48%. Examination of the existing undergraduate forensic science programs revealed that these programs do not use outcome measures. Of the accreditation processes for other science-based programs, nursing education provided the best model for forensic science education, due primarily to the balance between the generality and the specificity of the outcome measures. From the analysis of the questionnaire data, preliminary student outcomes, both general and discipline-specific, suitable for use in the accreditation of undergraduate forensic science programs were determined. The preliminary results were reviewed by a panel of experts and, based on their recommendations, the outcomes

Use and interpretation of routine outcome measures in forensic mental health.

PubMed

Shinkfield, Gregg; Ogloff, James

2015-02-01

The present study aimed to both pilot a method of monitoring mental health nurses' use of routine outcome measures (ROM) and to examine the precision of ratings made with these tools within a forensic mental health environment. The audit protocol used in the present study was found to be effective in evaluating both the accuracy with which nurses were able to interpret ROM items and their degree of adherence with local procedures for completing such instruments. Moreover, the results suggest that despite these ROM having been developed for use in general mental health settings, they could be interpreted and rated with an adequate degree of reliability by nurses in a forensic mental health context. However, difficulties were observed in the applicability of several components of these tools within a forensic environment. Recommendations for future research and implications for practice are discussed. © 2014 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Understanding forensic psychiatry in healthcare practices and collaboration between legal nurse consultants and physicians.

PubMed

Sharpe, Daphne K; Hall, Jasmine K; Ochije, Sochima; Bailey, Rahn K

2018-03-01

In 2000, the Institute of Medicine stunned many professionals with their published report that noted the vast number of deaths that occur each year in hospitals across the United States which reach as many as 98,000. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the healthcare arena faces litigious issues regularly, with some specialties budgets being significantly impacted by the cost of maintaining liability insurance. Legal Nurse Consultants and forensic physicians working in tandem but who work independently from treating clinicians can carry out forensic independent medical examinations (IME). This can help to assess the validity of malpractice claims, including issues of causation and degree of injuries claimed due to the incident(s) and recommend treatment strategies where appropriate. Reviews can cover a wide range of issues such as a person's past or current testamentary capacity, a prisoner or an accused person's mental health and/or mental impairment where necessary sending them for more assessment or treatment outside prison. This article argues that independent medical reviews are a useful tool that can assist the civil and criminal courts processes.

Reply to article "Receiving a forensic medical exam without participating in the criminal justice process: what will it mean?".

PubMed

Lonsway, Kimberly A; Archambault, Joanne

2011-06-01

The Implications of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) pertaining to medical forensic exams are thoroughly explored in this analysis. The authors were motivated to write this article as a follow-up to a paper by Price (2010) previously published in the Journal of Forensic Nursing. Given the critical importance of this topic to forensic nursing, further examination of this issue is warranted, as a means of clarifying key issues, as well as addressing implications for the criminal justice and community response systems alike. © 2011 International Association of Forensic Nurses.

Connecting Hispanic Women in Baltimore to the Mercy Medical Center Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners/Forensic Nurse Examiners Program: A Preliminary Assessment of Service Utilization and Community Awareness.

PubMed

Adams, Margaret; Fitzgerald, Sheila; Holbrook, Debra

2016-01-01

Sexual violence and gender-based violence represent a major public health problem causing significant negative mental, physical, and social outcomes for victims. The rapidly growing population of Hispanic women in Baltimore are both more vulnerable to sexual assault and less able to access postassault services. In an effort to assess service utilization and community awareness of the Mercy Medical Center Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners/Forensic Nurse Examiners Program, we conducted a retrospective chart review of 2,322 women who were seen by the program between 2010 and 2013 and found that only 2.5% of the women were identified as Hispanic, about half of what Baltimore City demographic data would predict. This exploratory pilot project, augmented by key informant interviews, reveals that Hispanic women are underutilizing sexual assault services. Multiple barriers exist for Hispanic women in obtaining victim services, including lack of awareness within the community that the services exist, cultural factors, language barriers, lack of awareness of legal rights, and a fear of deportation.

Intervening to Improve Compassion Fatigue Resiliency in Forensic Nurses.

PubMed

Flarity, Kathleen; Nash, Kim; Jones, Whitney; Steinbruner, Dave

2016-01-01

Evidence suggests that forensic nurses (FNs) may be predisposed to compassion fatigue (CF) as a result of the challenges of the profession including high caseloads, role ambiguity, prosecution goals, vicarious traumatization, attending to survivors' emotional needs, and empowering victims. The purpose of this exploratory study was to determine the prevalence of CF in a convenience sample of 55 FNs and examine the treatment effectiveness of a multifaceted education program in an intervention subset. The intervention was intended to increase compassion satisfaction (CS) and decrease CF symptoms in FNs in one organization who participated in the training. The hypothesis was that the FNs will have moderate to high CF and moderate to high CS and the CF intervention will add in CF prevention and resiliency as measured with an improvement in the Professional Quality of Life test scores (B. H. ). In the prevalence sample, 69% of the FNs had moderate to low CS, 73% had moderate to high burnout, and 73% had moderate to high levels of secondary traumatic stress (STS). In the intervention group, the education program resulted in a statistically significant increase in CS and decreases in STS symptoms.

The forensic aspects of sexual violence.

PubMed

Newton, Mary

2013-02-01

Complainants of sexual assault may disclose to different agencies, the police and health professionals being the most likely. It is possible for certain evidence types to be collected before a clinical forensic assessment takes place that do not require the need for a Forensic Medical Practitioner. If the time frames after the incident and the nature of assault warrant the need for a forensic medical examination of either a complainant or a suspect, this should only be conducted by doctors and nurses who have received relevant, up-to-date specialist theoretical and practical training. Clear evidence shows that few other criminal offences require as extensive an examination and collection of forensic evidence as that of a sexual assault. The forensic evidence in a case may identify an assailant, eliminate a nominated suspect(s), and assist in the prosecution of a case. The elements of forensic medical examination, reviewed in this chapter, are those that are the most varied across jurisdictions around the world currently. Key focus points of this chapter are considerations for early evidence collection, utilising dedicated medical examination facilities for sample collection, contamination issues associated with evidence collection and certain practical aspects of forensic sampling methods which have evolved given results identified by Forensic Scientists processing evidential samples in sexual assault cases, Some of the problems encountered by the forensic science provider will also be discussed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A concept analysis of forensic risk.

PubMed

Kettles, A M

2004-08-01

Forensic risk is a term used in relation to many forms of clinical practice, such as assessment, intervention and management. Rarely is the term defined in the literature and as a concept it is multifaceted. Concept analysis is a method for exploring and evaluating the meaning of words. It gives precise definitions, both theoretical and operational, for use in theory, clinical practice and research. A concept analysis provides a logical basis for defining terms through providing defining attributes, case examples (model, contrary, borderline, related), antecedents and consequences and the implications for nursing. Concept analysis helps us to refine and define a concept that derives from practice, research or theory. This paper will use the strategy of concept analysis to find a working definition for the concept of forensic risk. In conclusion, the historical background and literature are reviewed using concept analysis to bring the term into focus and to define it more clearly. Forensic risk is found to derive both from forensic practice and from risk theory. A proposed definition of forensic risk is given.

Undergraduate teaching of forensic medicine in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Madadin, Mohammed; Al-Saif, Dalia M; Khamis, Amar Hassan; Taha, Attia Z; Kharoshah, Magdy A; Alsayyah, Ahmed; Alfehaid, Suha; Yaghmour, Khalid; Hakami, Ahmad Yahia; Bamousa, Manal S; Menezes, Ritesh G; Almadani, Osama M

2016-07-01

Medico-legal tasks are not exclusive to forensic medical experts -any physician may face medico-legal issues in his career. Hence, the practice of medicine requires education in legal issues. In Saudi Arabia, there are 30 universities with medical colleges, but we do not know how they teach undergraduate forensic medicine and medico-legal issues. The aim of this study was to discover undergraduate training courses in forensic medicine in Saudi universities. We conducted a cross-sectional study involving all colleges of medicine in Saudi Arabia. A structured, self-administered questionnaire containing 13 items relating to the undergraduate forensic medicine course was distributed. Out of a total of 30 universities, 27 universities responded. Of these 27 universities, 16 (59.26%) teach forensic medicine to undergraduate medical students, and 11 (40.74%) do not teach forensic medicine in their undergraduate curriculum. Of the 27 universities that responded, none has a department of forensic medicine. Eleven universities that do not teach forensic medicine have no forensic medicine unit/division or faculty at all. Forensic medicine belongs to the pathology department in 11 universities, while it belongs to different departments in five universities. There is variation in teaching methods, years where the course is taught and length of the course. Practical and morgue visits take place in 7/16 (43.8%) universities, while 9/16 (56.3%) universities only teach the theoretical aspects of forensic medicine. All 16 universities teach forensic medicine only to medical students and do not teach it to students in other colleges such as dentistry and nursing. © The Author(s) 2016.

Approach of forensic medicine to gossypiboma.

PubMed

Karakaya, M Arif; Koç, Okay; Ekiz, Feza; Ağaçhan, A Feran

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the risk factors and preventive measures for gossypibomas and their medico-legal implications in forensic medicine in the Turkish legal system. This study involved a retrospective analysis of the records of 39 patients with gossypiboma. Records were available from the Istanbul Forensic Medicine Institution and were surveyed for faulty treatment between 2008 and 2012. Parameters such as distribution of the cases according to specializations, elective and emergency procedures, surgical procedures, radio-opaque sponge and fluoroscopy availability, routine sponge and instrument counting, number of nurses for counting, and control of the operative field by a second surgeon were investigated. All cases were evaluated by the Istanbul Forensic Medicine Institute 3rd Expertise Committee. This committee comprised of specialists from the departments of forensic medicine, orthopedics and traumatology, general surgery, neurology, internal medicine, pediatrics, chest disease, and infectious diseases. All cases were considered as poor medical practice (malpractice) and surgeons were found to be responsible. In 16 of these 39 cases (41%) emergency procedures were performed. No unexpected event was reported in any procedure. In 16 cases (41%), sponge count was performed and was reported to be complete. Operation notes were available in 16 (41%) cases. Control of the operative field was performed by 1 surgeon, and sponge and instrument count was performed by 1 scrub nurse. Radio-opaque sponge and fluoroscopy were available in 9 (23%) centers in these cases. Gossypiboma can be prevented not only with surgeons' care but also with adequate support of medical device and material. However, it is considered as a poor medical practice. Presence of only 1 general surgeon in the expertise committee and ignorance of the working conditions by the surgeons should be questioned.

Defining the boundaries: how sexual assault nurse examiners (SANEs) balance patient care and law enforcement collaboration.

PubMed

Campbell, Rebecca; Greeson, Megan; Patterson, Debra

2011-03-01

Forensic nursing is multidisciplinary in nature, which can create tensions for practitioners between their responsibilities to patient care and collaborations with law enforcement and prosecutors. Because there are compelling reasons grounded in both nursing theory and legal precedent to maintain separation, there is a pressing need to understand how sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) programs successfully negotiate these potentially conflicting roles. The purpose of this study was to examine how SANEs define their work with their patients, how they collaborate with law enforcement, and how they negotiate roles differentiation. As part of a mixed methods evaluation of a community-based SANE program, qualitative interviews were conducted with forensic nurses regarding their interactions with patients and members of the legal community. Results indicated that a strong patient care practice had positive indirect effects on victims' participation in the criminal justice system. Implications for forensic nursing practice are discussed. © 2011 International Association of Forensic Nurses.

Multimedia Forensics Is Not Computer Forensics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Böhme, Rainer; Freiling, Felix C.; Gloe, Thomas; Kirchner, Matthias

The recent popularity of research on topics of multimedia forensics justifies reflections on the definition of the field. This paper devises an ontology that structures forensic disciplines by their primary domain of evidence. In this sense, both multimedia forensics and computer forensics belong to the class of digital forensics, but they differ notably in the underlying observer model that defines the forensic investigator’s view on (parts of) reality, which itself is not fully cognizable. Important consequences on the reliability of probative facts emerge with regard to available counter-forensic techniques: while perfect concealment of traces is possible for computer forensics, this level of certainty cannot be expected for manipulations of sensor data. We cite concrete examples and refer to established techniques to support our arguments.

Factors Associated with Forensic Nurses Offering HIV nPEP status-post Sexual Assault

PubMed Central

Draughon, Jessica E.; Hauda, William E.; Price, Bonnie; Rotolo, Sue; Austin, Kim Wieczorek; Sheridan, Daniel J.

2014-01-01

Non-occupational post-exposure prophylaxis (nPEP) for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is offered inconsistently to patients who have been sexually assaulted. This may be due to Forensic Nurse Examiner (FNE) programs utilizing diverse nPEP protocols and HIV risk assessment algorithms. This study examines factors associated with FNEs offering nPEP to patients following sexual assault at two FNE programs in urban settings. Offering nPEP is mostly driven by site-specific protocol. At Site 1 in addition to open anal or open genital wounds, the presence of injury to the head or face was associated with FNEs offering nPEP (AOR 64.15, 95%CI [2.12 – 1942.37]). At Site 2, patients assaulted by someone of other race/ethnicity (non-White, non-African American) were 86% less likely to be offered nPEP (AOR 0.14, 95%CI [.03-.72]) than patients assaulted by Whites. In addition to following site specific protocols, future research should further explore the mechanisms influencing clinician decision making. PMID:24733232

Professional Citation Practices in Child Maltreatment Forensic Letters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schryer, Catherine F.; Bell, Stephanie; Mian, Marcellina; Spafford, Marlee M.; Lingard, Lorelei

2011-01-01

Using rhetorical genre theory and research on reported speech, this study investigates the citation practices in 81 forensic letters written by paediatricians and nurse practitioners that provide their opinion for the courts as to whether a child has experienced maltreatment. These letters exist in a complex social situation where a lack of…

Stigmatization of Overweight and Obese Women During Forensic Examinations.

PubMed

Davis, Karis M; Sekula, L Kathleen

2018-04-24

Stigma and discrimination toward overweight and obese people pose consequences to their psychological and physical health. In the United States, overweight and obesity and affects over 34% of the population. This frequently ignored public health issue often sees overweight and obese individuals blamed for their weight, thereby justifying the bias. During a post-sexual-assault examination, sexual assault nurse examiners and other forensic examiners must be cognizant of the specific issues and challenges related to the care of these victims. Forensic nurses may need to refine their techniques such as positioning overweight and obese patients on an appropriate-sized table, obtaining equipment for better visualization, and requiring assistance during the examination (e.g., lifting the victim's pendulous skin folds for assessment and evidence collection). Moreover, they may need to recognize and reflect on their own weight related biases. Addressing these important issues may lead to decreasing stigmatization during examinations, thereby providing quality care to victims of sexual assault, regardless of their weight.

Microbial forensics: the next forensic challenge.

PubMed

Budowle, Bruce; Murch, Randall; Chakraborty, Ranajit

2005-11-01

Pathogens and toxins can be converted to bioweapons and used to commit bioterrorism and biocrime. Because of the potential and relative ease of an attack using a bioweapon, forensic science needs to be prepared to assist in the investigation to bring perpetrators to justice and to deter future attacks. A new subfield of forensics--microbial forensics--has been created, which is focused on characterization of evidence from a bioterrorism act, biocrime, hoax, or an inadvertent release. Forensic microbiological investigations are essentially the same as any other forensic investigation regarding processing. They involve crime scene(s) investigation, chain of custody practices, evidence collection, handling and preservation, evidence shipping, analysis of evidence, interpretation of results, and court presentation. In addition to collecting and analyzing traditional forensic evidence, the forensic investigation will attempt to determine the etiology and identity of the causal agent, often in a similar fashion as in an epidemiologic investigation. However, for attribution, higher-resolution characterization is needed. The tools for attribution include genetic- and nongenetic-based assays and informatics to attempt to determine the unique source of a sample or at least eliminate some sources. In addition, chemical and physical assays may help determine the process used to prepare, store, or disseminate the bioweapon. An effective microbial forensics program will require development and/or validation of all aspects of the forensic investigative process, from sample collection to interpretation of results. Quality assurance (QA) and QC practices, comparable to those used by the forensic DNA science community, are being implemented. Lastly, partnerships with other laboratories will be requisite, because many of the necessary capabilities for analysis will not reside in the traditional forensic laboratory.

Transitioning from Forensic Genetics to Forensic Genomics

PubMed Central

Kayser, Manfred

2017-01-01

Due to its support of law enforcement, forensics is a conservative field; nevertheless, driven by scientific and technological progress, forensic genetics is slowly transitioning into forensic genomics. With this Special Issue of Genes we acknowledge and appreciate this rather recent development by not only introducing the field of forensics to the wider community of geneticists, but we do so by emphasizing on different topics of forensic relevance where genomic, transcriptomic, and epigenomic principles, methods, and datasets of humans and beyond are beginning to be used to answer forensic questions. PMID:29271907

Prevention of DNA contamination during forensic medical examinations in a clinical forensic medical service: A best practice implementation project.

PubMed

Lutz, Tasha

2015-01-01

Contamination of forensic specimens can have significant and detrimental effects on cases presented in court. In 2010 a wrongful conviction in Australia resulted in an inquiry with 25 recommendations to minimize the risk of DNA contamination of forensic specimens. DNA decontamination practices in a clinical forensic medical service currently attempt to comply with these recommendations. Evaluation of these practices has not been undertaken. The aim of this project was to audit the current DNA decontamination practices of forensic medical and nursing examiners in the forensic medical examination process and implement changes based on the audit findings. A re-audit following implementation would be undertaken to identify change and inform further research. The Joanna Briggs Institute's Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System and Getting Research into Practice were used as the audit tool in this project. A baseline audit was conducted; analysis of this audit process was then undertaken. Following education and awareness training targeted at clinicians, a re-audit was completed. There were a total of 24 audit criteria; the baseline audit reflected 20 of these criteria had 100% compliance. The remaining 4 audit criteria demonstrated compliance between 65% and 90%. Education and awareness training resulted in improved compliance in 2 of the 4 audit criteria, with the remaining 2 having unchanged compliance. The findings demonstrated that education and raising awareness can improve clinical practice; however there are also external factors outside the control of the clinicians that influence compliance with best practice.

Expanding forensic science through forensic intelligence.

PubMed

Ribaux, Olivier; Talbot Wright, Benjamin

2014-12-01

Research and Development ('R&D') in forensic science currently focuses on innovative technologies improving the efficiency of existing forensic processes, from the detection of marks and traces at the scene, to their presentation in Court. R&D approached from this perspective provides no response to doubts raised by recent criminological studies, which question the effective contribution of forensic science to crime reduction, and to policing in general. Traces (i.e. forensic case data), as remnants of criminal activity are collected and used in various forms of crime monitoring and investigation. The aforementioned doubts therefore need to be addressed by expressing how information is conveyed by traces in these processes. Modelling from this standpoint expands the scope of forensic science and provides new R&D opportunities. Twelve propositions for R&D are stated in order to pave the way. Copyright © 2014 Forensic Science Society. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thinking forensics: Cognitive science for forensic practitioners.

PubMed

Edmond, Gary; Towler, Alice; Growns, Bethany; Ribeiro, Gianni; Found, Bryan; White, David; Ballantyne, Kaye; Searston, Rachel A; Thompson, Matthew B; Tangen, Jason M; Kemp, Richard I; Martire, Kristy

2017-03-01

Human factors and their implications for forensic science have attracted increasing levels of interest across criminal justice communities in recent years. Initial interest centred on cognitive biases, but has since expanded such that knowledge from psychology and cognitive science is slowly infiltrating forensic practices more broadly. This article highlights a series of important findings and insights of relevance to forensic practitioners. These include research on human perception, memory, context information, expertise, decision-making, communication, experience, verification, confidence, and feedback. The aim of this article is to sensitise forensic practitioners (and lawyers and judges) to a range of potentially significant issues, and encourage them to engage with research in these domains so that they may adapt procedures to improve performance, mitigate risks and reduce errors. Doing so will reduce the divide between forensic practitioners and research scientists as well as improve the value and utility of forensic science evidence. Copyright © 2016 The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Understanding feminism: considerations for nurses working to end violence against women.

PubMed

Fontenot, Holly B; Fantasia, Heidi Collins

2011-03-01

Violence against women is a pervasive and serious human rights and public health problem worldwide. As interdisciplinary research teams try to address the effects of this health problem of which the effects transcend all women, nurses are at the forefront. Using a feminist philosophy and methodology to explore violence against women is one way to uncover new knowledge to address this health epidemic. In this paper, we will review the basic concepts of feminism and provide examples of viewing violence research and forensic nursing practice through this theoretical lens. These perspectives provide a foundation for understanding feminism and facilitating nurses' awareness as they consider careers in research and practice. Through this lens, nurses who are helping to ease the burden of violence in our global society may affect change in women's lives. © 2011 International Association of Forensic Nurses.

Increasing the Accessibility of Sexual Assault Forensic Examinations: Evaluation of Texas Law SB 1191.

PubMed

Davis, Robert C; Auchter, Bernard; Howley, Susan; Camp, Torie; Knecht, Ilse; Wells, William

Texas SB 1191 was enacted in 2013 with the intent of increasing access to medical forensic examinations for sexual assault victims by requiring every hospital with an emergency department to be prepared to provide a medical forensic examination if requested by a sexual assault victim. To realize that goal, the law also required basic forensic training for medical professionals before conducting a medical forensic examination as well as a requirement that hospitals develop a "plan to train personnel on sexual assault forensic evidence collection." Interviews were conducted in 18 healthcare facilities (five with sexual assault nurse examiner [SANE] programs and 13 without SANE programs) in Dallas, Lubbock, and Austin to determine their awareness and compliance with SB 1191. The data suggest that the law had a little effect on actual practice, and sexual assault survivors still sought a SANE program for a medical forensic examination. Although SB 1191 is an important state level effort to make forensic examinations more readily available, it did not fully account for the challenges faced by smaller hospitals that do not see enough sexual assault victims to justify training staff to SANE standards and did not adequately address the training required by medical professionals to feel prepared to conduct a medical forensic examination.

Forensic pedology, forensic geology, forensic geoscience, geoforensics and soil forensics.

PubMed

Ruffell, Alastair

2010-10-10

We now have a confusing set of five commonly used terms for the application of Earth evidence in forensic science. This confusion is resulting in Earth scientists who use these methods mentioning different terms, sometimes for the same type of study. Likewise, forensic scientists, police/law enforcement officers and those employed by courts of law are becoming confused as to what each term means. A nomenclatural framework (based on the first use of each term) is proposed to encourage consistency in the use of terminology. Generally, the number of Earth science applications has grown through time, from soil and sediment analysis to remote sensing and GIS. The issue of where forensic biology and microbiology sits with these uses of Earth evidence is considered. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Training and research in forensic medicine: present situation and future challenges for medical schools in Chile].

PubMed

González, Leonardo; Inzunza, José Antonio; Bustos, Luis; Vallejos, Carlos; Gutiérrez, René

2005-07-01

Lawyers need some medical knowledge and physicians must know about forensics. To explore training and research programs in forensic medicine in Chilean universities. Deans of all Medicine Faculties in Chile were contacted by e-mail and invited to answer a questionnaire containing 21 questions. A survey of Chilean publications on forensic medicine was performed in Medline, Lilacs and SciELO databases. Fourteen deans answered the questionnaire. In all the responding faculties, forensic medicine is an obligatory course, generally during the fifth year and mostly combining theory with practice. In seven faculties, forensic medicine concepts are included in other courses. Forensics is taught in only two of 10 dental schools, two of 17 nursing schools, one of nine midwives schools and one of nine medical technology schools. It is not taught in phonoaudiology, kinesiology and nutrition schools. There are 74 physicians that teach the specialty but only 10 are certified by the National Board of Medical Specialty Certification (CONACEM). Treatment of most topics on forensics is insufficient. Thanatology is the strongest topic and forensic dentistry is the weakest. There are 52 publications in the area, mostly on "medical law". Forensic medicine is taught in medical schools mostly as thanatology. The knowledge of forensics among medical students is limited and must be improved.

Forensic entomology: a template for forensic acarology?

PubMed

Turner, Bryan

2009-10-01

Insects are used in a variety of ways in forensic science and the developing area of forensic acarology may have a similar range of potential. This short account summarises the main ways in which entomology currently contributes to forensic science and discusses to what extent acarology might also contribute in these areas.

Forensic Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brettell, T. A.; Saferstein, R.

1989-01-01

Presents a review of articles appealing to forensic practitioners. Topics include: drugs and poisons, forensic biochemistry, and trace evidence. Lists noteworthy books published on forensic science topics since 1986. (MVL)

Nuclear Forensics

DOE PAGES

Glaser, Alexander; Mayer, Klaus

2016-06-01

Whenever nuclear material is found out of regulatory control, questions on the origin of the material, on its intended use, and on hazards associated with the material need to be answered. Analytical and interpretational methodologies have been developed in order to exploit measurable material properties for gaining information on the history of the nuclear material. This area of research is referred to as nuclear forensic science or, in short, nuclear forensics.This chapter reviews the origins, types, and state-of-the-art of nuclear forensics; discusses the potential roles of nuclear forensics in supporting nuclear security; and examines what nuclear forensics can realistically achieve.more » It also charts a path forward, pointing at potential applications of nuclear forensic methodologies in other areas.« less

Forensic Chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bell, Suzanne

2009-07-01

Forensic chemistry is unique among chemical sciences in that its research, practice, and presentation must meet the needs of both the scientific and the legal communities. As such, forensic chemistry research is applied and derivative by nature and design, and it emphasizes metrology (the science of measurement) and validation. Forensic chemistry has moved away from its analytical roots and is incorporating a broader spectrum of chemical sciences. Existing forensic practices are being revisited as the purview of forensic chemistry extends outward from drug analysis and toxicology into such diverse areas as combustion chemistry, materials science, and pattern evidence.

Forensic patients in the emergency department: Who are they and how should we care for them?

PubMed

Filmalter, Celia J; Heyns, T; Ferreira, R

2017-10-16

Patients who suffer violent, crime related injuries are likely to seek medical assistance in emergency departments. Forensic patients may not disclose the cause of their injuries leading to the impairment of evidence. We explored healthcare providers' perceptions of forensic patients and how they should be cared for. The perceptions of physicians and nurses regarding the profiles and care of forensic patients were explored in three urban emergency departments. The data were collected through a talking wall and analysed collaboratively, with the participants, using content analysis. Healthcare providers in emergency departments differentiated between living and deceased forensic patients. Healthcare providers identified living forensic patients as victims of sexual assault, assault, gunshots and stab wounds, and abused children. Deceased patients included patients that were dead on arrival or died in the emergency departments. Healthcare providers acknowledged that evidence should be collected, preserved and documented. Every trauma patient in the emergency department should be treated asa forensic patient until otherwise proven. If healthcare providers are unable to identify forensic patients and collect the evidence present, the patients' human right to justice will be violated. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improving forensic mental health care to Indigenous Australians: theorizing the intercultural space.

PubMed

Durey, A; Wynaden, D; O'Kane, M

2014-05-01

This paper uses the 'intercultural space' as an educational strategy to prepare nurses to work respectfully with Indigenous patients in a forensic mental health context; offers an educational approach that introduces nurses to Indigenous knowledge, beliefs and values, examines power relations in colonized countries between the dominant white cultural group and the Indigenous population and encourages nurses to critically reflect on their health care practice; and explores the intercultural space as a shared space between cultures fostering open and robust inquiry where neither culture dominates and new positions, representations and understandings can emerge. Given the disproportionately high number of Indigenous people imprisoned in colonized countries, this paper responds to research from Western Australia on the need to prepare forensic mental health nurses to deliver care to Indigenous patients with mental health disorders. The paper highlights the nexus between theory, research and education that can inform the design and implementation of programmes to help nurses navigate the complex, layered and contested 'intercultural space' and deliver culturally safe care to Indigenous patients. Nurses are encouraged to critically reflect on how beliefs and values underpinning their cultural positioning impact on health care to Indigenous patients. The paper draws on intercultural theory to offer a pedagogical framework that acknowledges the negative impacts of colonization on Indigenous health and well-being, repositions and revalues Indigenous cultures and knowledges and fosters open and robust inquiry. This approach is seen as a step towards working more effectively in the intercultural space where ultimately binary oppositions that privilege one culture over another and inhibit robust inquiry are avoided, paving the way for new, more inclusive positions, representations and understandings to emerge. While the intercultural space can be a place of struggle, tension

From forensic epigenetics to forensic epigenomics: broadening DNA investigative intelligence.

PubMed

Vidaki, Athina; Kayser, Manfred

2017-12-21

Human genetic variation is a major resource in forensics, but does not allow all forensically relevant questions to be answered. Some questions may instead be addressable via epigenomics, as the epigenome acts as an interphase between the fixed genome and the dynamic environment. We envision future forensic applications of DNA methylation analysis that will broaden DNA-based forensic intelligence. Together with genetic prediction of appearance and biogeographic ancestry, epigenomic lifestyle prediction is expected to increase the ability of police to find unknown perpetrators of crime who are not identifiable using current forensic DNA profiling.

Forensic odontology.

PubMed

Shamim, Thorakkal

2012-04-01

Forensic odontology is a specialized field of dentistry which analyses dental evidence in the interest of justice. Forensic odontology embraces all dental specialities and it is almost impossible to segregate this branch from other dental specialities. This review aims to discuss the utility of various dental specialities with forensic odontology.

The Non-Forensics After-Life of a Forensics Director.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nicolai, Michael T.

A study investigated the personal and career choices that motivate an educator's departure from active involvement in forensics activities, and what trends, if any, exist concerning what former directors do in place of forensics. The study also investigated how forensics participation as a coach/director impacted on the individual, and what…

Defense Forensics: Additional Planning and Oversight Needed to Establish an Enduring Expeditionary Forensic Capability

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-01

forensic pathology, forensic anthropology, and forensic toxicology . 13DOD’s forensic directive defines DOD components as the Office of the...DEFENSE FORENSICS Additional Planning and Oversight Needed to Establish an Enduring Expeditionary Forensic ...COVERED 00-00-2013 to 00-00-2013 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Defense Forensics : Additional Planning and Oversight Needed to Establish an Enduring

Reel forensic experts: Forensic psychiatrists as portrayed on screen.

PubMed

Friedman, Susan Hatters; Cerny, Cathleen A; Soliman, Sherif; West, Sara G

2011-01-01

The lay public is much more likely to have encountered a forensic psychiatrist on television or in the movies than to have encountered a real one. Thus, by way of popular culture, the jury's perceptions and expectations of forensic expert witnesses may have been formed long before they take the stand. We describe a typology of five categories of forensic experts portrayed in fiction: Dr. Evil, The Professor, The Hired Gun, The Activist, and the Jack of All Trades. As art imitates life, these categories (aside from Dr. Evil) mirror real-life criticisms that have been made about forensic experts.

Forensic Loci Allele Database (FLAD): Automatically generated, permanent identifiers for sequenced forensic alleles.

PubMed

Van Neste, Christophe; Van Criekinge, Wim; Deforce, Dieter; Van Nieuwerburgh, Filip

2016-01-01

It is difficult to predict if and when massively parallel sequencing of forensic STR loci will replace capillary electrophoresis as the new standard technology in forensic genetics. The main benefits of sequencing are increased multiplexing scales and SNP detection. There is not yet a consensus on how sequenced profiles should be reported. We present the Forensic Loci Allele Database (FLAD) service, made freely available on http://forensic.ugent.be/FLAD/. It offers permanent identifiers for sequenced forensic alleles (STR or SNP) and their microvariants for use in forensic allele nomenclature. Analogous to Genbank, its aim is to provide permanent identifiers for forensically relevant allele sequences. Researchers that are developing forensic sequencing kits or are performing population studies, can register on http://forensic.ugent.be/FLAD/ and add loci and allele sequences with a short and simple application interface (API). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Community forensic psychiatry: restoring some sanity to forensic psychiatric rehabilitation.

PubMed

Skipworth, J; Humberstone, V

2002-01-01

To review clinical and legal paradigms of community forensic mental health care, with specific focus on New Zealand, and to develop a clinically based set of guiding principles for service development in this area. The general principles of rehabilitating mentally disordered offenders, and assertive community care programmes were reviewed and applied to the law and policy in a New Zealand forensic mental health setting. There is a need to develop comprehensive community treatment programmes for mentally disordered offenders. The limited available research supports assertive community treatment models, with specialist forensic input. Ten clinically based principles of care provision important to forensic mental health assertive community treatment were developed. Deinstitutionalization in forensic psychiatry lags behind the rest of psychiatry, but can only occur with well-supported systems in place to assess and manage risk in the community setting. The development of community-based forensic rehabilitation services in conjunction with general mental health is indicated.

Risk assessment and subsequent nursing interventions in a forensic mental health inpatient setting: Associations and impact on aggressive behaviour.

PubMed

Maguire, Tessa; Daffern, Michael; Bowe, Steven J; McKenna, Brian

2018-03-01

To examine associations between risk of aggression and nursing interventions designed to prevent aggression. There is scarce empirical research exploring the nature and effectiveness of interventions designed to prevent inpatient aggression. Some strategies may be effective when patients are escalating, whereas others may be effective when aggression is imminent. Research examining level of risk for aggression and selection and effectiveness of interventions and impact on aggression is necessary. Archival case file. Data from clinical files of 30 male and 30 female patients across three forensic acute units for the first 60 days of hospitalisation were collected. Risk for imminent aggression as measured by the Dynamic Appraisal of Situational Aggression, documented nursing interventions following each assessment, and acts of aggression within the 24-hours following assessment were collected. Generalised estimating equations were used to investigate whether intervention strategies were associated with reduction in aggression. When a Dynamic Appraisal of Situational Aggression assessment was completed, nurses intervened more frequently compared to days when no Dynamic Appraisal of Situational Aggression assessment was completed. Higher Dynamic Appraisal of Situational Aggression assessments were associated with a greater number of interventions. The percentage of interventions selected for males differed from females; males received more pro re nata medication and observation, and females received more limit setting, one-to-one nursing and reassurance. Pro re nata medication was the most commonly documented intervention (35.9%) in this study. Pro re nata medication, limit setting and reassurance were associated with an increased likelihood of aggression in some risk bands. Structured risk assessment prompts intervention, and higher risk ratings result in more interventions. Patient gender influences the type of interventions. Some interventions are associated with

The role of forensic death investigators interacting with the survivors of death by homicide and suicide.

PubMed

Baumann, Robin; Stark, Sharon

2015-01-01

When sudden unexpected death occurs, an investigation ensues in an attempt to discover the cause and manner of death. Autopsies are performed when reasons for death are not obvious. They are used to provide information, confirm the cause of death, and/or reveal conditions not recognized before death (Hendricks, 2011). One important reason for performing an autopsy is to help families to understand what happened to their loved one so that they can begin the process of grieving. The way that the initial notification and investigation is handled can have a bearing on how a family's grief progresses. Forensic nurses are in a unique position to bring a holistic approach to death investigation with a focus of care that includes not only the decedent but the surviving loved ones as well (Koehler, 2008). Forensic nurse death investigators can assist families through initial stages of grief in the investigation of death.

Forensic culture as epistemic culture: the sociology of forensic science.

PubMed

Cole, Simon A

2013-03-01

This paper explores whether we can interpret the notion of 'forensic culture' as something akin to what Knorr-Cetina called an 'epistemic culture'. Can we speak of a 'forensic culture', and, if so, how is it similar to, or different from, other epistemic cultures that exist in what is conventionally called 'science'? This question has important policy implications given the National Academy Science's (NAS) recent identification of 'culture' as one of the problems at the root of what it identified as 'serious deficiencies' in U.S. forensic science and 'scientific culture' as an antidote to those problems. Finding the NAS's characterisation of 'scientific culture' overly general and naïve, this paper offers a preliminary exploration of what might be called a 'forensic culture'. Specifically, the paper explores the way in which few of the empirical findings accumulated by sociologists of science about research science seem to apply to forensic science. Instead, forensic science seems to have developed a distinct culture for which a sociological analysis will require new explanatory tools. Faithful sociological analysis of 'forensic culture' will be a necessary prerequisite for the kind of culture change prescribed by external reformist bodies like the NAS. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Soil Microbial Forensics.

PubMed

Santiago-Rodriguez, Tasha M; Cano, Raúl J

2016-08-01

Soil microbial forensics can be defined as the study of how microorganisms can be applied to forensic investigations. The field of soil microbial forensics is of increasing interest and applies techniques commonly used in diverse disciplines in order to identify microbes and determine their abundances, complexities, and interactions with soil and surrounding objects. Emerging new techniques are also providing insights into the complexity of microbes in soil. Soil may harbor unique microbes that may reflect specific physical and chemical characteristics indicating site specificity. While applications of some of these techniques in the field of soil microbial forensics are still in early stages, we are still gaining insight into how microorganisms may be more robustly used in forensic investigations.

On the added value of forensic science and grand innovation challenges for the forensic community.

PubMed

van Asten, Arian C

2014-03-01

In this paper the insights and results are presented of a long term and ongoing improvement effort within the Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI) to establish a valuable innovation programme. From the overall perspective of the role and use of forensic science in the criminal justice system, the concepts of Forensic Information Value Added (FIVA) and Forensic Information Value Efficiency (FIVE) are introduced. From these concepts the key factors determining the added value of forensic investigations are discussed; Evidential Value, Relevance, Quality, Speed and Cost. By unravelling the added value of forensic science and combining this with the future needs and scientific and technological developments, six forensic grand challenges are introduced: i) Molecular Photo-fitting; ii) chemical imaging, profiling and age estimation of finger marks; iii) Advancing Forensic Medicine; iv) Objective Forensic Evaluation; v) the Digital Forensic Service Centre and vi) Real time In-Situ Chemical Identification. Finally, models for forensic innovation are presented that could lead to major international breakthroughs on all these six themes within a five year time span. This could cause a step change in the added value of forensic science and would make forensic investigative methods even more valuable than they already are today. © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd on behalf of Forensic Science Society. All rights reserved.

Times have changed! Forensic radiology--a new challenge for radiology and forensic pathology.

PubMed

Flach, Patricia M; Thali, Michael J; Germerott, Tanja

2014-04-01

The ongoing development of imaging and the recent integration of cross-sectional imaging methods into the medicolegal workflow have resulted in an increasing number of forensic institutes acquiring dedicated CT and MRI scanners. The purpose of this article is to evaluate the different aspects of postmortem imaging and to detail the necessary cooperation between radiologists and forensic pathologists for mutual learning and accurate science to form a new subspecialty: forensic radiology. CONCLUSION; Forensic radiology must integrate the expertise of forensic pathologists and radiologists. The challenge is to unite these two disciplines first by direct and intense communications and second by a basic understanding of forensic pathology by radiologists as well as a foundational knowledge of postmortem imaging by forensic pathologists, in combination with the establishment of educational and reporting guidelines.

Geographic forensic medicine and forensic sciences.

PubMed

Eckert, W G; Noguchi, T T; Chao, T C

1985-12-01

The necessity of learning more about the criminality and the culture of persons from overseas is upon us. As forensic scientists, we have to take a lead in presenting information to our colleagues that would facilitate their investigations. In this paper, we look at many of the different cultures that have been presented to American authorities, and the activities of the Milton Helpern International Center for the Forensic Sciences are discussed.

Forensic Mass Spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoffmann, William D.; Jackson, Glen P.

2015-07-01

Developments in forensic mass spectrometry tend to follow, rather than lead, the developments in other disciplines. Examples of techniques having forensic potential born independently of forensic applications include ambient ionization, imaging mass spectrometry, isotope ratio mass spectrometry, portable mass spectrometers, and hyphenated chromatography-mass spectrometry instruments, to name a few. Forensic science has the potential to benefit enormously from developments that are funded by other means, if only the infrastructure and personnel existed to adopt, validate, and implement the new technologies into casework. Perhaps one unique area in which forensic science is at the cutting edge is in the area of chemometrics and the determination of likelihood ratios for the evaluation of the weight of evidence. Such statistical techniques have been developed most extensively for ignitable-liquid residue analyses and isotope ratio analysis. This review attempts to capture the trends, motivating forces, and likely impact of developing areas of forensic mass spectrometry, with the caveat that none of this research is likely to have any real impact in the forensic community unless: (a) The instruments developed are turned into robust black boxes with red and green lights for positives and negatives, respectively, or (b) there are PhD graduates in the workforce who can help adopt these sophisticated techniques.

Forensic Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cobb, P. G. W.

1973-01-01

Summarizes the type of work carried out by forensic chemists and the minimum qualification needed for appointment. Indicates that there are eight Home Office regional forensic science laboratories in addition to the Central Research Establishment at Aldermaston. (CC)

Nuclear Forensics. Chapter 18

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mayer, Klaus; Glaser, Alexander

Whenever nuclear material is found out of regulatory control, questions on the origin of the material, on its intended use, and on hazards associated with the material need to be answered. Here, analytical and interpretational methodologies have been developed in order to exploit measurable material properties for gaining information on the history of the nuclear material. This area of research is referred to as nuclear forensic science or, in short, nuclear forensics.This chapter reviews the origins, types, and state-of-the-art of nuclear forensics; discusses the potential roles of nuclear forensics in supporting nuclear security; and examines what nuclear forensics can realisticallymore » achieve. Lastly, it also charts a path forward, pointing at potential applications of nuclear forensic methodologies in other areas.« less

American Academy of Forensic Sciences

MedlinePlus

... Academy News PDF Library Proceedings Journal of Forensic Sciences Information for Authors Searchable Index Contact Information Forensic Links ... Dale Stewart Award 2018 Annual Scientific Meeting Registration ... in Forensic Science … Now What? Young Forensic Scientists Forum (YFSF) Annual ...

[Research Progress on Forensic Dentistry].

PubMed

Liu, F; Dang, Y H

2017-04-01

Forensic dentistry is an interdiscipline of forensic medicine and stomatology, which provides legal information by collecting, testing and assessing the dental evidence scientifically. In this review, the present application of forensic dentistry has been described, such as the estimation of age, sex, species, occupation and living habit, as well as the identification of individual, domestic violence or abuse, which aims to enrich and improve forensic dentistry for making it be more useful in forensic medicine even in juridical practice. Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Forensic Medicine.

9649 forensic web watch--DNA in forensic science.

PubMed

Bowyer, V L; Graham, E A M; Rutty, G N

2004-10-01

In 1923, within the Manual of Police technique, Edmond Locard published what is commonly known as the Doctrine of Exchange; a series of rules related to the exchange of trace evidence between the victim and offender. Although at the time of publication these rules principally applied to trace evidence related to print (for exchange finger print or shoeprint), fibre and blood, today one can add the very substance that defines each human being -- DNA. Since th first use of DNA evidence to help identify an offender in the Pitchfork Murders of 1986, the use of DNA within forensic science has developed from its humble days within a single experimental laboratory at the University of Leicester to a multi-million pound industry. It thus seams fitting that this forensic web watch should originate from the very University where the use of DNA in forensic science was conceived, drawing the readers attention to a number of sites which can be used as an introduction to the concept of the use of DNA in forensic science today.

Enhancing assessment of interpersonal violence (IPV) pregnancy-related homicide risk within nursing curricula.

PubMed

Clements, Paul Thomas; Holt, Karyn E; Hasson, Catherine M; Fay-Hillier, Theresa

2011-12-01

Pregnancy and motherhood traditionally represent evolution of the next generation; yet, contemporary research and analyses confirm that this time can also be manifested in fear by the expectant mother within an environment of battering, cruelty, physical and emotional abuse, and sexual assault. Often to the surprise of many healthcare providers, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have consistently reported that Interpersonal Violence (IPV) related homicide is a leading cause of traumatic death among new and expectant mothers. In spite of these staggering statistical and anecdotal findings, universal screening for violence during pregnancy continues to be minimal. Forensic nurses might be prompted to respond to the consequences of violence and its resultant negative effects on expectant mothers by strategically incorporating systematic and consistent assessment into foundational nursing curricula regarding IPV as a leading risk factor for injury or death. © 2011 International Association of Forensic Nurses.

The role of forensic botany in crime scene investigation: case report and review of literature.

PubMed

Aquila, Isabella; Ausania, Francesco; Di Nunzio, Ciro; Serra, Arianna; Boca, Silvia; Capelli, Arnaldo; Magni, Paola; Ricci, Pietrantonio

2014-05-01

Management of a crime is the process of ensuring accurate and effective collection and preservation of physical evidence. Forensic botany can provide significant supporting evidences during criminal investigations. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the importance of forensic botany in the crime scene. We reported a case of a woman affected by dementia who had disappeared from nursing care and was found dead near the banks of a river that flowed under a railroad. Two possible ways of access to crime scene were identified and denominated "Path A" and "Path B." Both types of soil and plants were identified. Botanical survey was performed. Some samples of Xanthium Orientalis subsp. Italicum were identified. The fall of woman resulted in external injuries and vertebral fracture at autopsy. The botanical evidence is important when crime scene and autopsy findings are not sufficient to define the dynamics and the modality of death. © 2014 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Nursing students' experiences in managing patient aggression.

PubMed

Nau, Johannes; Dassen, Theo; Halfens, Ruud; Needham, Ian

2007-11-01

Nursing students are at high risk to become a victim of patient aggression. There is little evidence that training programmes developed for post-registered nurses or nurses in psychiatric or forensic settings can meet the needs of nursing students. To gain more insight into student nurses' educational outcomes in Germany the view of the target group was explored. Twelve nursing students participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were evaluated by qualitative content analysis. Managing patient aggression is a general challenge for nursing students and is not confined to psychiatric settings. Specific problems of beginners became evident. Additionally, general issues were addressed on control of causes of aggression, interpretation aggressive situations, dealing with the aggressive patient, coping with stress, and organizational issues. Nursing students need preparation and training in handling patient aggression. They should acquire knowledge about aggression, awareness of contributing problems, self-confidence in dealing with aggressive patients, assertiveness and empathy in communication and the ability to cope in an appropriate manner. In addition the safety policy of hospital placements should be examined for appropriateness to support nursing students.

Parallel digital forensics infrastructure.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liebrock, Lorie M.; Duggan, David Patrick

2009-10-01

This report documents the architecture and implementation of a Parallel Digital Forensics infrastructure. This infrastructure is necessary for supporting the design, implementation, and testing of new classes of parallel digital forensics tools. Digital Forensics has become extremely difficult with data sets of one terabyte and larger. The only way to overcome the processing time of these large sets is to identify and develop new parallel algorithms for performing the analysis. To support algorithm research, a flexible base infrastructure is required. A candidate architecture for this base infrastructure was designed, instantiated, and tested by this project, in collaboration with New Mexicomore » Tech. Previous infrastructures were not designed and built specifically for the development and testing of parallel algorithms. With the size of forensics data sets only expected to increase significantly, this type of infrastructure support is necessary for continued research in parallel digital forensics. This report documents the implementation of the parallel digital forensics (PDF) infrastructure architecture and implementation.« less

Tasks of research in forensic medicine - different study types in clinical research and forensic medicine.

PubMed

Madea, Burkhard; Saukko, Pekka; Musshoff, Frank

2007-01-17

In the last years the research output of forensic medicine has sometimes been regarded as insufficient and as of poor quality, especially when parameters as impact factors and external funding were taken into account. However, forensic medicine has different tasks compared to clinical medicine. The main difference between basic subjects, clinical and forensic medicine is not a lack of scientific efficiency in forensic medicine but is a result of the questions asked, the available methods and specific aims. In contrast to natural-scientific research, forensic science has furthermore important intersections with arts and socio-scientific disciplines. Etiologic and pathogenetic research is of only limited relevance in forensic medicine. Thus, forensic medicine is excluded from these research fields, which are mainly supported by external funding. In forensic medicine research mainly means applied research regarding findings, the probative value and reconstruction as well as examination at different points of intersection between medicine and law. Clinical types of research such as controlled randomised, prospective cross-sectional, cohort or case-control studies can only rarely be applied in forensic medicine due to the area specific research fields (e.g. thantatology, violent death, vitality, traffic medicine, analytical toxicology, hemogenetics and stain analysis). The types of studies which are successfully established in forensic medicine are comparison of methods, sensitivity studies, validation of methods, kinetic examinations etc. Tasks of research in forensic medicine and study types, which may be applied will be addressed.

[The concept of "forensic medicine"].

PubMed

Popov, V L

2013-01-01

The analysis of the definition of forensic medicine and its evolution during the past 300 years is presented. The special character of forensic medicine, its subject-matter, scope of research, procedures, goals and targeted application of forensic medical knowledge are discussed. The original definition of the notion of "forensic medicine" is proposed.

New perspectives in forensic anthropology.

PubMed

Dirkmaat, Dennis C; Cabo, Luis L; Ousley, Stephen D; Symes, Steven A

2008-01-01

A critical review of the conceptual and practical evolution of forensic anthropology during the last two decades serves to identify two key external factors and four tightly inter-related internal methodological advances that have significantly affected the discipline. These key developments have not only altered the current practice of forensic anthropology, but also its goals, objectives, scope, and definition. The development of DNA analysis techniques served to undermine the classic role of forensic anthropology as a field almost exclusively focused on victim identification. The introduction of the Daubert criteria in the courtroom presentation of scientific testimony accompanied the development of new human comparative samples and tools for data analysis and sharing, resulting in a vastly enhanced role for quantitative methods in human skeletal analysis. Additionally, new questions asked of forensic anthropologists, beyond identity, required sound scientific bases and expanded the scope of the field. This environment favored the incipient development of the interrelated fields of forensic taphonomy, forensic archaeology, and forensic trauma analysis, fields concerned with the reconstruction of events surrounding death. Far from representing the mere addition of new methodological techniques, these disciplines (especially, forensic taphonomy) provide forensic anthropology with a new conceptual framework, which is broader, deeper, and more solidly entrenched in the natural sciences. It is argued that this new framework represents a true paradigm shift, as it modifies not only the way in which classic forensic anthropological questions are answered, but also the goals and tasks of forensic anthropologists, and their perception of what can be considered a legitimate question or problem to be answered within the field.

Digital Forensics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harron, Jason; Langdon, John; Gonzalez, Jennifer; Cater, Scott

2017-01-01

The term forensic science may evoke thoughts of blood-spatter analysis, DNA testing, and identifying molds, spores, and larvae. A growing part of this field, however, is that of digital forensics, involving techniques with clear connections to math and physics. This article describes a five-part project involving smartphones and the investigation…

Suicide in Guyana: Nurses' Perspectives.

PubMed

Anthony, Maureen; Groh, Carla; Gash, Jean

Guyana, an English-speaking country on the north coast of South America, has the highest suicide rate in the world. Nurses are an integral part of the healthcare team working with patients experiencing psychological distress and are uniquely qualified to add to the discourse on factors contributing to the high suicide rate in Guyana. The purpose of this study was to explore the attitudes and experiences of nurses and nurse assistants in Guyana related to suicide. Nine registered nurses and nurse assistants who worked at a private hospital in Georgetown, Guyana, were recruited to participate in a focus group. The focus group lasted approximately 70 minutes and was recorded. The audio recordings were later transcribed word for word. Four themes emerged from the data: family issues as they relate to the high suicide rate, suicide attempts as a cry for help, lack of support, and coping mechanisms used by nurses when caring for victims of attempted suicide. Nurses are uniquely positioned to intervene with families in crisis, whether it be suicide, suicide attempts, or the underlying factors of family dysfunction, child maltreatment, poverty, or alcoholism. Establishing forensic nursing as a specialty in Guyana would validate this important role through education and certification of nurses.

Conceptualising forensic science and forensic reconstruction. Part I: A conceptual model.

PubMed

Morgan, R M

2017-11-01

There has been a call for forensic science to actively return to the approach of scientific endeavour. The importance of incorporating an awareness of the requirements of the law in its broadest sense, and embedding research into both practice and policy within forensic science, is arguably critical to achieving such an endeavour. This paper presents a conceptual model (FoRTE) that outlines the holistic nature of trace evidence in the 'endeavour' of forensic reconstruction. This model offers insights into the different components intrinsic to transparent, reproducible and robust reconstructions in forensic science. The importance of situating evidence within the whole forensic science process (from crime scene to court), of developing evidence bases to underpin each stage, of frameworks that offer insights to the interaction of different lines of evidence, and the role of expertise in decision making are presented and their interactions identified. It is argued that such a conceptual model has value in identifying the future steps for harnessing the value of trace evidence in forensic reconstruction. It also highlights that there is a need to develop a nuanced approach to reconstructions that incorporates both empirical evidence bases and expertise. A conceptual understanding has the potential to ensure that the endeavour of forensic reconstruction has its roots in 'problem-solving' science, and can offer transparency and clarity in the conclusions and inferences drawn from trace evidence, thereby enabling the value of trace evidence to be realised in investigations and the courts. Copyright © 2017 The Author. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Whistleblowing and boundary violations: exposing a colleague in the forensic milieu.

PubMed

Peternelj-Taylor, Cindy

2003-09-01

The purpose of this article is to examine the phenomenon of whistleblowing as it relates to a reconstructed case study of an erotic boundary violation that emerged from a clinical situation in forensic psychiatric nursing practice. The unique features of this case are illustrated with the help of a model for decision making. Although the ramifications of exposing a colleague are many, it is argued that, in this particular case, it was morally and ethically the right thing to do.

The forensic psychiatric report.

PubMed

Norko, Michael A; Buchanan, Mar Alec

2015-01-01

The construction of a written forensic report is a core component of forensic practice, demonstrating the evaluator's skill in conducting the evaluation and in communicating relevant information to the legal audience in an effective manner. Although communication skills and quality of written documentation are important in clinical psychiatry generally, they form the sine qua non of successful forensic work, which consists in telling complex stories in a coherent and compelling fashion. High quality forensic reports require careful preparation from the earliest stages of work on a case. They generally follow an expected structure, which permits the evaluator to provide all the data necessary to form a carefully reasoned opinion that addresses the legal questions posed. Formats and content of reports vary according to the type of case and the circumstances of the evaluation and so require flexibility within customary frameworks. The style and quality of writing are critical to the crafting of forensic reports. The effects on legal decision-makers of various approaches to the presentation of information in reports has not been studied empirically, but guidance from experienced forensic psychiatrists is available. There is a small body of research on quality improvement in forensic writing, and further empiric study is warranted.

Forensic DNA testing.

PubMed

Butler, John M

2011-12-01

Forensic DNA testing has a number of applications, including parentage testing, identifying human remains from natural or man-made disasters or terrorist attacks, and solving crimes. This article provides background information followed by an overview of the process of forensic DNA testing, including sample collection, DNA extraction, PCR amplification, short tandem repeat (STR) allele separation and sizing, typing and profile interpretation, statistical analysis, and quality assurance. The article concludes with discussions of possible problems with the data and other forensic DNA testing techniques.

Power, discourse, and resistance: Poststructuralist influences in nursing.

PubMed

Holmes, Dave; Gagnon, Marilou

2018-01-01

Based on our respective research programs (psychiatry, forensic psychiatry, public health, HIV/AIDS, harm reduction) this article aims to use purposely non-conventional means to present the substantial contribution of poststructuralist perspectives to knowledge development in nursing science in general and in our current research in particular. More specifically, we call on the work of Michel Foucault and Deleuze & Guattari to politicize nursing science using examples from our empirical research programs with marginal and often highly marginalized populations. We discuss the concepts of power, discourse, and resistance to illustrate the essential contribution of poststructuralism to marginal, even "nomadic", nursing research. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Accuracy Rates of Ancestry Estimation by Forensic Anthropologists Using Identified Forensic Cases.

PubMed

Thomas, Richard M; Parks, Connie L; Richard, Adam H

2017-07-01

A common task in forensic anthropology involves the estimation of the ancestry of a decedent by comparing their skeletal morphology and measurements to skeletons of individuals from known geographic groups. However, the accuracy rates of ancestry estimation methods in actual forensic casework have rarely been studied. This article uses 99 forensic cases with identified skeletal remains to develop accuracy rates for ancestry estimations conducted by forensic anthropologists. The overall rate of correct ancestry estimation from these cases is 90.9%, which is comparable to most research-derived rates and those reported by individual practitioners. Statistical tests showed no significant difference in accuracy rates depending on examiner education level or on the estimated or identified ancestry. More recent cases showed a significantly higher accuracy rate. The incorporation of metric analyses into the ancestry estimate in these cases led to a higher accuracy rate. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

The state of nuclear forensics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kristo, Michael J.; Tumey, Scott J.

2013-01-01

Nuclear terrorism has been identified as one of the most serious security threats facing the world today. Many countries, including the United States, have incorporated nuclear forensic analysis as a component of their strategy to prevent nuclear terrorism. Nuclear forensics involves the laboratory analysis of seized illicit nuclear materials or debris from a nuclear detonation to identify the origins of the material or weapon. Over the years, a number of forensic signatures have been developed to improve the confidence with which forensic analysts can draw conclusions. These signatures are validated and new signatures are discovered through research and development programs and in round-robin exercises among nuclear forensic laboratories. The recent Nuclear Smuggling International Technical Working Group Third Round Robin Exercise and an on-going program focused on attribution of uranium ore concentrate provide prime examples of the current state of nuclear forensics. These case studies will be examined and the opportunities for accelerator mass spectrometry to play a role in nuclear forensics will be discussed.

Integrating Forensic Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Funkhouser, John; Deslich, Barbara J.

2000-01-01

Explains the implementation of forensic science in an integrated curriculum and discusses the advantages of this approach. Lists the forensic science course syllabi studied in three high schools. Discusses the unit on polymers in detail. (YDS)

[Two anniversaries in Czech forensic medicine].

PubMed

Nečas, P; Hejna, P

2012-10-01

The authors commemorate the 100th anniversary of the publication of Slavíks textbook Forensic Pathology for Medical and Legal Students and the 125th anniversary of the 1st Czech forensic autopsy. They introduce professor V. Slavík and describe his personal qualities and expertise. The content of the textbook is described. The topicality of Slavíks explanations and the tradition of Czech forensic pathology are discussed. Key words: forensic pathology - history of Czech forensic pathology - textbooks of forensic pathology.

The Rise of Forensic Pathology in Human Medicine: Lessons for Veterinary Forensic Pathology.

PubMed

Pollanen, M S

2016-09-01

The rise of forensic pathology in human medicine has greatly contributed to the administration of justice, public safety and security, and medical knowledge. However, the evolution of human forensic pathology has been challenging. Veterinary forensic pathologists can learn from some of the lessons that have informed the growth and development of human forensic pathology. Three main observations have emerged in the past decade. First, wrongful convictions tell us to use a truth-seeking stance rather than an a priori "think dirty" stance when investigating obscure death. Second, missed homicides and concealed homicides tell us that training and certification are the beginning of reliable forensic pathology. Third, failure of a sustainable institutional arrangement that fosters a combination of service, research, and teaching will lead to stagnation of knowledge. Forensic pathology of humans and animals will flourish, help protect society, and support justice if we embrace a modern biomedical scientific model for our practice. We must build training programs, contribute to the published literature, and forge strong collaborative institutions. © The Author(s) 2016.

The broad field of forensic pharmacy.

PubMed

Anderson, Peter D

2012-02-01

Forensic pharmacy is application of the sciences of drugs to legal issues. Forensic pharmacists engage in work relating to litigation, the regulatory process, and the criminal justice system. Forensic pharmacy overlaps with many other forensic fields. Pharmacists hold a variety of positions with local, state, and federal governments. Many pharmacists do freelance work as forensic litigation consultants. A forensic pharmacist can be a valuable resource in legal cases relating to malpractice, adverse drug reactions, drunk and drugged driving, health care fraud, poisoning, and numerous other types of civil and criminal cases.

[Level of Development of Clinical Ethics Consultation in Psychiatry - Results of a Survey Among Psychiatric Acute Clinics and Forensic Psychiatric Hospitals].

PubMed

Gather, Jakov; Kaufmann, Sarah; Otte, Ina; Juckel, Georg; Schildmann, Jan; Vollmann, Jochen

2018-04-17

The aim of this article is to assess the level of development of clinical ethics consultation in psychiatric institutions in North Rhine-Westphalia. Survey among medical directors, directors of nursing and administrative directors of all psychiatric acute clinics and forensic psychiatric hospitals in North Rhine-Westphalia. 113 persons working in psychiatric acute clinics responded (reponse rate: 48 %) and 13 persons working in forensic psychiatric hospitals (response rate 54 %). We received at least one response from 89 % of all psychiatric acute clinics and from 100 % of all forensic psychiatric hospitals. 90 % of the responding psychiatric acute clinics and 29 % of the responding forensic psychiatric hospitals have already implemented clinical ethics consultation. Clinical ethics consultation is more widespread in psychiatric institutions than was hitherto assumed. Future medical ethics research should therefore give greater attention to the methodology and the quality of clinical ethics consultation in psychiatric practice. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Is Online Learning a Viable Training Option for Teaching Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners?

PubMed

Patterson, Debra; Resko, Stella M

2015-01-01

This study assessed knowledge attainment of healthcare professionals who participated in a nationwide sexual assault forensic examiner training program developed by the International Association of Forensic Nursing. A comprehensive curriculum was divided into 12 modules that students accessed through an online learning management system. Using a one-group pretest-posttest design, we assessed students' knowledge attainment for all 12 online modules. The results showed that the mean posttest scores were significantly greater than the mean pretest scores for all 12 online modules. On over 40% of the modules, the students exhibited at least a 25% knowledge gain. This study also examined the predictors of knowledge attainment. Using a multiple linear regression model, we found that knowledge attainment was positively associated with a reliable Internet connection, students who were drawn to the training because it was of no cost to them, and those students with higher levels of motivation. By contrast, lower knowledge gains were significantly related to students who reported more work/personal barriers and those who were drawn to sexual assault forensic examiner practice because they, or someone close to them, have personal experience with sexual assault.

[Forensic entomology].

PubMed

Açikgöz, Halide Nihal

2010-01-01

Odour of the animal or human corpses immediately after death is very attractive for insects and other invertebrates. Blue and green bottle flies from the Calliphoridae family are the first colonizers of cadaver and immediately later necrophagous Diptera from the Sarcophagidae family settle on the same corpse. It is essential to determine the time past after death for elucidating the event in case of the homicide or suspicious death, and it is directly proportional to the post mortem interval expected time, which is based upon the speed of the larval growth. In this article, we purposed to stress the special interest of forensic entomology for the scientists who will apply this science in their forensic researches and case studies, and also to provide information to our judges, prosecutors and law enforcement agents in order to consider the entomological samples to be reliable and applicable evidences as biological stains and hairs. We are of the opinion that if any forensic entomologist is called to the crime scene or if the evidences are collected and then delivered to an entomologist, the forensic cases will be elucidated faster and more accurately.

U.S. initiatives to strengthen forensic science & international standards in forensic DNA

PubMed Central

Butler, John M.

2015-01-01

A number of initiatives are underway in the United States in response to the 2009 critique of forensic science by a National Academy of Sciences committee. This article provides a broad review of activities including efforts of the White House National Science and Technology Council Subcommittee on Forensic Science and a partnership between the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to create the National Commission on Forensic Science and the Organization of Scientific Area Committees. These initiatives are seeking to improve policies and practices of forensic science. Efforts to fund research activities and aid technology transition and training in forensic science are also covered. The second portion of the article reviews standards in place or in development around the world for forensic DNA. Documentary standards are used to help define written procedures to perform testing. Physical standards serve as reference materials for calibration and traceability purposes when testing is performed. Both documentary and physical standards enable reliable data comparison, and standard data formats and common markers or testing regions are crucial for effective data sharing. Core DNA markers provide a common framework and currency for constructing DNA databases with compatible data. Recent developments in expanding core DNA markers in Europe and the United States are discussed. PMID:26164236

The use of insects in forensic investigations: An overview on the scope of forensic entomology

PubMed Central

Joseph, Isaac; Mathew, Deepu G; Sathyan, Pradeesh; Vargheese, Geetha

2011-01-01

Forensic entomology is the study of insects/arthropods in criminal investigation. Right from the early stages insects are attracted to the decomposing body and may lay eggs in it. By studying the insect population and the developing larval stages, forensic scientists can estimate the postmortem index, any change in position of the corpse as well as the cause of death. Forensic odontologists are called upon more frequently to collaborate in criminal investigations and hence should be aware of the possibilities that forensic entomology have to offer and use it as an adjunct to the conventional means of forensic investigation. PMID:22408328

The use of insects in forensic investigations: An overview on the scope of forensic entomology.

PubMed

Joseph, Isaac; Mathew, Deepu G; Sathyan, Pradeesh; Vargheese, Geetha

2011-07-01

Forensic entomology is the study of insects/arthropods in criminal investigation. Right from the early stages insects are attracted to the decomposing body and may lay eggs in it. By studying the insect population and the developing larval stages, forensic scientists can estimate the postmortem index, any change in position of the corpse as well as the cause of death. Forensic odontologists are called upon more frequently to collaborate in criminal investigations and hence should be aware of the possibilities that forensic entomology have to offer and use it as an adjunct to the conventional means of forensic investigation.

Forensic archaeology and anthropology : An Australian perspective.

PubMed

Oakley, Kate

2005-09-01

Forensic archaeology is an extremely powerful investigative discipline and, in combination with forensic anthropology, can provide a wealth of evidentiary information to police investigators and the forensic community. The re-emergence of forensic archaeology and anthropology within Australia relies on its diversification and cooperation with established forensic medical organizations, law enforcement forensic service divisions, and national forensic boards. This presents a unique opportunity to develop a new multidisciplinary approach to forensic archaeology/anthropology within Australia as we hold a unique set of environmental, social, and cultural conditions that diverge from overseas models and require different methodological approaches. In the current world political climate, more forensic techniques are being applied at scenes of mass disasters, genocide, and terrorism. This provides Australian forensic archaeology/anthropology with a unique opportunity to develop multidisciplinary models with contributions from psychological profiling, ballistics, sociopolitics, cultural anthropology, mortuary technicians, post-blast analysis, fire analysis, and other disciplines from the world of forensic science.

Forensic Pathology Education in Pathology Residency

PubMed Central

Ross, Wayne K.; Domen, Ronald E.

2017-01-01

Forensic pathology is a fundamental part of anatomic pathology training during pathology residency. However, the lack of information on forensic teaching suggests the highly variable nature of forensic education. A survey of pathology residency program directors was performed to determine key aspects of their respective forensic rotations and curriculum. A total of 38.3% of programs from across the country responded, and the survey results show 5.6% don’t require a forensic pathology rotation. In those that do, most forensic pathology rotations are 4 weeks long, are done at a medical examiner’s office, and require set prerequisites. A total of 21.1% of responding programs have residents who are not receiving documented evaluations for this rotation. While 39.6% of programs have a defined forensics curriculum, as many as 15% do not. Furthermore, nearly 43% of programs place no limit on counting forensic autopsies when applying for pathology board examinations. Our survey confirmed the inconsistent nature of forensic pathology training in resident education. Additionally, our curriculum was reorganized to create a more robust educational experience. A pre- and post-forensic lecture quiz and Resident In-Service Examination scores were analyzed to determine our curriculum’s impact and effectiveness. Analysis of our pre- and post-lecture quiz showed an improved overall average as well as an increase in Resident In-Service Examination scores, indicating improved general forensic pathology knowledge. Using this knowledge, along with changes in our curriculum, we generated a number of recommendations for improving forensic pathology education in pathology residency. PMID:28913415

Forensic neuropsychology and expert witness testimony: An overview of forensic practice.

PubMed

Leonard, Elizabeth L

2015-01-01

Neuropsychologists are frequently asked to serve as expert witnesses in an increasing number of legal contexts for civil and criminal proceedings. The skills required to practice forensic neuropsychology expand upon the knowledge, skills, and abilities developed by clinical neuropsychologists. Forensic neuropsychologists acquire expertise in understanding the roles and various functions of the legal system, as well as their role in addressing psycholegal questions to assist fact finders in making legal decisions. The required skills and the unique circumstances for clinical neuropsychologists pursing forensic work are reviewed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Forensic Chemistry--A Symposium Collection.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Journal of Chemical Education, 1985

1985-01-01

Presents a collection of articles to provide chemistry teachers with resource materials to add forensic chemistry units to their chemistry courses. Topics range from development of forensic science laboratory courses and mock-crime scenes to forensic serology and analytical techniques. (JN)

Geoethics and Forensic Geology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donnelly, Laurance

2017-04-01

The International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS), Initiative on Forensic Geology (IFG) was set up in 2011 to promote and develop the applications of geology to policing and law enforcement throughout the world. This includes the provision of crime scene examinations, searches to locate graves or items of interest that have been buried beneath the ground surface as part of a criminal act and geological trace analysis and evidence. Forensic geologists may assist the police and law enforcement in a range of ways including for example; homicide, sexual assaults, counter terrorism, kidnapping, humanitarian incidents, environmental crimes, precious minerals theft, fakes and fraudulent crimes. The objective of this paper is to consider the geoethical aspects of forensic geology. This includes both delivery to research and teaching, and contribution to the practical applications of forensic geology in case work. The case examples cited are based on the personal experiences of the authors. Often, the technical and scientific aspect of forensic geology investigation may be the most straightforward, after all, this is what the forensic geologist has been trained to do. The associated geoethical issues can be the most challenging and complex to manage. Generally, forensic geologists are driven to carry-out their research or case work with integrity, honesty and in a manner that is law abiding, professional, socially acceptable and highly responsible. This is necessary in advising law enforcement organisations, society and the scientific community that they represent. As the science of forensic geology begins to advance around the world it is desirable to establish a standard set of principles, values and to provide an agreed ethical a framework. But what are these core values? Who is responsible for producing these? How may these become enforced? What happens when geoethical standards are breached? This paper does not attempt to provide all of the answers, as further work

Forensic Science Technician

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tech Directions, 2010

2010-01-01

Forensic science technicians, also called crime laboratory technicians or police science technicians, help solve crimes. They examine and identify physical evidence to reconstruct a crime scene. This article discusses everything students need to know about careers for forensic science technicians--wages, responsibilities, skills needed, career…

An Android Communication App Forensic Taxonomy.

PubMed

Azfar, Abdullah; Choo, Kim-Kwang Raymond; Liu, Lin

2016-09-01

Due to the popularity of Android devices and applications (apps), Android forensics is one of the most studied topics within mobile forensics. Communication apps, such as instant messaging and Voice over IP (VoIP), are one popular app category used by mobile device users, including criminals. Therefore, a taxonomy outlining artifacts of forensic interest involving the use of Android communication apps will facilitate the timely collection and analysis of evidentiary materials from such apps. In this paper, 30 popular Android communication apps were examined, where a logical extraction of the Android phone images was collected using XRY, a widely used mobile forensic tool. Various information of forensic interest, such as contact lists and chronology of messages, was recovered. Based on the findings, a two-dimensional taxonomy of the forensic artifacts of the communication apps is proposed, with the app categories in one dimension and the classes of artifacts in the other dimension. Finally, the artifacts identified in the study of the 30 communication apps are summarized using the taxonomy. It is expected that the proposed taxonomy and the forensic findings in this paper will assist forensic investigations involving Android communication apps. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Collaboration: The Paradigm of Practice Approach between the Forensic Psychiatrist and the Forensic Psychologist

PubMed Central

Gbadebo-Goyea, Ernest Ayodele; Akpudo, Hilary; Jackson, Cynthia D.; Wassef, Tamer; Barker, Narviar C.; Cunningham-Burley, Rhonda; Ali, Shahid A.; Jabeen, Shagufta; Bailey, Rahn Kennedy

2012-01-01

The importance and relevance of forensic practice to societal evolution has increased exponentially in recent years. As society evolves in its understanding of the complex relationships between mankind and society, we rely more and more on the services of forensic experts. This article elucidates the professions of forensic psychiatry and forensic psychology. We examine the two distinct professions from the spectrum of collaboration, integration of services, differences, and similarities. We also compare and contrast the educational background and training requirements for these two professions; and present illustrative scenarios and real life examples of the daily functions of both professionals. Lastly, we present demographic data for the areas of employment, numbers, and geographic distribution of the two professions. Forensic psychiatry is the interface between medicine and law, while forensic psychology is the interface between psychology and law. As such, these professions are mired with complexities and challenged by vulnerabilities. Professionals from both fields can serve as expert witnesses in court and therefore face similar challenges in their course of professional practice. Collaboration between these two professions has the potential to increase both the credibility and utility of forensic services to the courts, the individuals served, and the general public. PMID:23162478

U.S. initiatives to strengthen forensic science & international standards in forensic DNA.

PubMed

Butler, John M

2015-09-01

A number of initiatives are underway in the United States in response to the 2009 critique of forensic science by a National Academy of Sciences committee. This article provides a broad review of activities including efforts of the White House National Science and Technology Council Subcommittee on Forensic Science and a partnership between the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to create the National Commission on Forensic Science and the Organization of Scientific Area Committees. These initiatives are seeking to improve policies and practices of forensic science. Efforts to fund research activities and aid technology transition and training in forensic science are also covered. The second portion of the article reviews standards in place or in development around the world for forensic DNA. Documentary standards are used to help define written procedures to perform testing. Physical standards serve as reference materials for calibration and traceability purposes when testing is performed. Both documentary and physical standards enable reliable data comparison, and standard data formats and common markers or testing regions are crucial for effective data sharing. Core DNA markers provide a common framework and currency for constructing DNA databases with compatible data. Recent developments in expanding core DNA markers in Europe and the United States are discussed. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Improved JPEG anti-forensics with better image visual quality and forensic undetectability.

PubMed

Singh, Gurinder; Singh, Kulbir

2017-08-01

There is an immediate need to validate the authenticity of digital images due to the availability of powerful image processing tools that can easily manipulate the digital image information without leaving any traces. The digital image forensics most often employs the tampering detectors based on JPEG compression. Therefore, to evaluate the competency of the JPEG forensic detectors, an anti-forensic technique is required. In this paper, two improved JPEG anti-forensic techniques are proposed to remove the blocking artifacts left by the JPEG compression in both spatial and DCT domain. In the proposed framework, the grainy noise left by the perceptual histogram smoothing in DCT domain can be reduced significantly by applying the proposed de-noising operation. Two types of denoising algorithms are proposed, one is based on the constrained minimization problem of total variation of energy and other on the normalized weighted function. Subsequently, an improved TV based deblocking operation is proposed to eliminate the blocking artifacts in the spatial domain. Then, a decalibration operation is applied to bring the processed image statistics back to its standard position. The experimental results show that the proposed anti-forensic approaches outperform the existing state-of-the-art techniques in achieving enhanced tradeoff between image visual quality and forensic undetectability, but with high computational cost. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

FORENSIC SCIENCE:: 20 YEARS OF FORENSIC DENTISTRY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ZAGREB, 1994 - 2014.

PubMed

Brkić, Hrvoje

2014-06-01

Data from available literature point to an early beginning of Forensic Dentistry in Croatia relating to a post-mortem examination of a female patient after a dental procedure in the 1930s. Later on, there were several mass casualties due to collisions and airplane crashes and a railway accident at the Zagreb Main Railway Station wherein the identity of the victims was established based on dental features. Foreign experts in forensics helped identify those victims, particularly forensic dentists because this specialty was almost unknown in our region at the time. During the twenty-year period of the development of Forensic Dentistry at the University of Zagreb, the School of Dental Medicine, the city of Zagreb and Croatia have become internationally recognised on the forensic map of the world.

Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Psychologist, 2013

2013-01-01

In the past 50 years forensic psychological practice has expanded dramatically. Because the practice of forensic psychology differs in important ways from more traditional practice areas (Monahan, 1980) the "Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychologists" were developed and published in 1991 (Committee on Ethical Guidelines for Forensic…

When forensic odontology met biochemistry: Multidisciplinary approach in forensic human identification.

PubMed

Adserias-Garriga, Joe; Thomas, Christian; Ubelaker, Douglas H; C Zapico, Sara

2018-03-01

When human remains are found, the priority of the investigation is to ascertain the identity of the deceased. A positive identification is a key factor in providing closure for the family of the deceased; it is also required to issue the death certificate and therefore, to settle legal affairs. Moreover, it is difficult for any forensic investigation involving human remains to be solved without the determination of an identity. Therefore, personal identification is necessary for social, legal and forensic reasons. In the last thirty years forensic odontology has experienced an important transformation, from primarily involving occasional dental identification into a broader role, contributing to the determination of the biological profile. In the same way, "DNA fingerprinting" has evolved not only in terms of improving its technology, but also in its application beyond the "classical": helping with the estimation of sex, age and ancestry. As these two forensic disciplines have developed independently, their pathways have crossed several times through human identification operations, especially the ones that require a multidisciplinary approach. Thus, the aim of this review is to describe the contributions of both forensic odontology and molecular biology/biochemistry to human identification, demonstrating how a multidisciplinary approach can lead to a better and more efficient identification. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Psychiatric/ psychological forensic report writing.

PubMed

Young, Gerald

Approaches to forensic report writing in psychiatry, psychology, and related mental health disciplines have moved from an organization, content, and stylistic framework to considering ethical and other codes, evidentiary standards, and practice considerations. The first part of the article surveys different approaches to forensic report writing, including that of forensic mental health assessment and psychiatric ethics. The second part deals especially with psychological ethical approaches. The American Psychological Association's Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct (2002) provide one set of principles on which to base forensic report writing. The U.S. Federal Rules of Evidence (2014) and related state rules provide another basis. The American Psychological Association's Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychology (2013) provide a third source. Some work has expanded the principles in ethics codes; and, in the third part of this article, these additions are applied to forensic report writing. Other work that could help with the question of forensic report writing concerns the 4 Ds in psychological injury assessments (e.g., conduct oneself with Dignity, avoid the adversary Divide, get the needed reliable Data, Determine interpretations and conclusions judiciously). One overarching ethical principle that is especially applicable in forensic report writing is to be comprehensive, scientific, and impartial. As applied to forensic report writing, the overall principle that applies is that the work process and product should reflect integrity in its ethics, law, and science. Four principles that derive from this meta-principle concern: Competency and Communication; Procedure and Protection; Dignity and Distance; and Data Collection and Determination. The standards or rules associated with each of these principles are reviewed. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Can clinical CT data improve forensic reconstruction?

PubMed

Schuh, P; Scheurer, E; Fritz, K; Pavlic, M; Hassler, E; Rienmüller, R; Yen, K

2013-05-01

In accidents resulting in severe injuries, a clinical forensic examination is generally abandoned in the initial phase due to high-priority clinical needs. However, in many cases, data from clinical computed tomography (CT) examinations are available. The goals of this prospective study were (a) to evaluate clinical CT data as a basis for forensic reconstruction of the sequence of events, (b) to assess if forensic radiological follow-up reading improves the forensic diagnostic benefit compared to the written clinical radiological reports, and (c) to evaluate if full data storage including additional reconstructed 0.6-mm slices enhances forensic analysis. Clinical CT data of 15 living individuals with imaging of at least the head, thorax, and abdomen following polytrauma were examined regarding the forensic evaluation of the sequence of events. Additionally, 0.6-mm slices and 3D images were reconstructed for forensic purposes and used for the evaluation. At the forensic radiological readings, additional traumatic findings were observed in ten of the 15 patients. The main weakness of the clinical reports was that they were not detailed enough, particularly regarding the localization of injuries and description of wound morphology. In seven cases, however, forensic conclusions were possible on the basis of the written clinical reports, whereas in five cases forensic reconstruction required specific follow-up reading. The additional 0.6-mm slices were easily available and with improved 3D image quality and forensic diagnostics. In conclusion, the use of clinical CT data can considerably support forensic expertise regarding reconstruction issues. Forensic follow-up reading as well as the use of additional thin slices for 3D analysis can further improve its benefit for forensic reconstruction purposes.

[Advances of forensic entomology in China].

PubMed

Lan, Ling-mei; Liao, Zhi-gang; Chen, Yao-qing; Yao, Yue; Li, Jian-bo; Li, Mao-yang; Cai, Ji-feng

2006-12-01

Forensic entomology is a branch of forensic medicine, which applies studies of insects and arthropods to getting evidence for court and has an analogous advantage in the estimation of the postmortem interval (PMI) and other questions of forensic relevance. The paper expounds its definition and contents and reviews some progress of the studies in some aspects in China such as the constitution and succession of insect community on the different cadavers, the applications of morphological features of insects and the technology of analysis of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in forensic entomology, and forensic entomological toxicology etc.

Forensics on a Shoestring Budget

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greco, Joseph A.

2005-01-01

In recent years, forensic science has gained popularity thanks in part to high-profile court cases and television programs. Although the cost of forensic equipment and supplies may initially seem too expensive for the typical high school classroom, the author developed an activity that incorporates forensics into her 10th-grade biology curriculum…

Parasites in Forensic Science: a historic perspective

PubMed

Cardoso, Rita; Alves, Helena; Richter, Joachim; Botelho, Monica C

Parasites show a great potential to Forensic Science. Forensic Science is the application of any science and methodology to the legal system. The forensic scientist collects and analyses the physical evidence and produce a report of the results to the court. A parasite is an organism that lives at the expense of another and they exist in any ecosystem. Parasites are the cause of many important diseases. The forensic scientists can use the parasites to identify a crime scene, to determine the murder weapon or simply identify an individual. The applications for parasites in the Forensic Science can be many and more studies should be made in Forensic Parasitology. The most important parasites in Forensic Science are helminths specifically schistosomes. Through history there are many cases where schistosomes were described in autopsies and it was related to the cause of death. Here we review the applications of parasites in Forensic Science and its importance to the forensic scientist.

Distinguishing between forensic science and forensic pseudoscience: testing of validity and reliability, and approaches to forensic voice comparison.

PubMed

Morrison, Geoffrey Stewart

2014-05-01

In this paper it is argued that one should not attempt to directly assess whether a forensic analysis technique is scientifically acceptable. Rather one should first specify what one considers to be appropriate principles governing acceptable practice, then consider any particular approach in light of those principles. This paper focuses on one principle: the validity and reliability of an approach should be empirically tested under conditions reflecting those of the case under investigation using test data drawn from the relevant population. Versions of this principle have been key elements in several reports on forensic science, including forensic voice comparison, published over the last four-and-a-half decades. The aural-spectrographic approach to forensic voice comparison (also known as "voiceprint" or "voicegram" examination) and the currently widely practiced auditory-acoustic-phonetic approach are considered in light of this principle (these two approaches do not appear to be mutually exclusive). Approaches based on data, quantitative measurements, and statistical models are also considered in light of this principle. © 2013.

Forensic hash for multimedia information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Wenjun; Varna, Avinash L.; Wu, Min

2010-01-01

Digital multimedia such as images and videos are prevalent on today's internet and cause significant social impact, which can be evidenced by the proliferation of social networking sites with user generated contents. Due to the ease of generating and modifying images and videos, it is critical to establish trustworthiness for online multimedia information. In this paper, we propose novel approaches to perform multimedia forensics using compact side information to reconstruct the processing history of a document. We refer to this as FASHION, standing for Forensic hASH for informatION assurance. Based on the Radon transform and scale space theory, the proposed forensic hash is compact and can effectively estimate the parameters of geometric transforms and detect local tampering that an image may have undergone. Forensic hash is designed to answer a broader range of questions regarding the processing history of multimedia data than the simple binary decision from traditional robust image hashing, and also offers more efficient and accurate forensic analysis than multimedia forensic techniques that do not use any side information.

Taxonomy of Challenges for Digital Forensics.

PubMed

Karie, Nickson M; Venter, Hein S

2015-07-01

Since its inception, over a decade ago, the field of digital forensics has faced numerous challenges. Despite different researchers and digital forensic practitioners having studied and analysed various known digital forensic challenges, as of 2013, there still exists a need for a formal classification of these challenges. This article therefore reviews existing research literature and highlights the various challenges that digital forensics has faced for the last 10 years. In conducting this research study, however, it was difficult for the authors to review all the existing research literature in the digital forensic domain; hence, sampling and randomization techniques were employed to facilitate the review of the gathered literature. Taxonomy of the various challenges is subsequently proposed in this paper based on our review of the literature. The taxonomy classifies the large number of digital forensic challenges into four well-defined and easily understood categories. The proposed taxonomy can be useful, for example, in future developments of automated digital forensic tools by explicitly describing processes and procedures that focus on addressing specific challenges identified in this paper. However, it should also be noted that the purpose of this paper was not to propose any solutions to the individual challenges that digital forensics face, but to serve as a survey of the state of the art of the research area. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Analytical and Radiochemistry for Nuclear Forensics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Steiner, Robert Ernest; Dry, Donald E.; Kinman, William Scott

Information about nonproliferation nuclear forensics, activities in forensics at Los Alamos National Laboratory, radio analytical work at LANL, radiochemical characterization capabilities, bulk chemical and materials analysis capabilities, and future interests in forensics interactions.

The Individual Experience of Aging Patients and the Current Service Provision in the Context of Italian Forensic Psychiatry: A Case Study.

PubMed

Di Lorito, Claudio; Castelletti, Luca; Tripi, Giuseppa; Gandellini, Maria Gloria; Dening, Tom; Völlm, Birgit

After the recent development of residential units for the execution of security measures managed by the National Health Service and the closing down of forensic psychiatric hospitals, no study has been conducted to investigate the individual experience of aging patients and to assess whether the new service is adequately meeting their needs. We aimed to explore the experience of the service of a sample of patients aged 50 years and above living in one of the Italian residential units for the execution of security measures. We adopted a case study design and included a sample of five patients. We collected their basic demographic data, administered the Camberwell Assessment Needs Forensic Short Version and carried out in-depth qualitative semi-structured interviews. Results from the Camberwell Assessment Needs Forensic Short Version evidenced that met needs were more prevalent than unmet needs. The qualitative interviews demonstrated high levels of satisfaction around accommodation, healthcare provision, activities, availability of benefits and company, and lower levels of satisfaction around psychological and practical support. This study gave voice to aging forensic psychiatric patients and provided through personal accounts, based on their lived experience, preliminary evidence around the benefits and limitations of the Italian residential forensic psychiatric system for this age group. Implications for clinical nursing forensic practitioners operating within different service frameworks are discussed.

Adult Sexual Assault Survivors' Experiences with Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fehler-Cabral, Giannina; Campbell, Rebecca; Patterson, Debra

2011-01-01

Sexual assault survivors often feel traumatized by the care received in traditional hospital emergency departments. To address these problems, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) programs were created to provide comprehensive medical care, crisis intervention, and forensic services. However, there is limited research on the actual experiences and…

Cross-cultural issues in forensic psychiatry training.

PubMed

Layde, Joseph B

2004-01-01

Forensic psychiatry was officially recognized as a subspecialty by the American Board of Medical Specialties in the 1990's. In 1994, the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) gave its first written examination to certify forensic psychiatrists. In 1996, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) began to officially accredit one-year residency experiences in forensic psychiatry, which follow a 4-year residency in general psychiatry. The extra year of training, colloquially known as a fellowship, is required for candidates who wish to receive certification in the subspecialty of forensic psychiatry; since 2001, completion of a year of training in a program accredited by ACGME has been required for candidates wishing to take the ABPN forensic psychiatry subspecialty examination. With the formal recognition of the subspecialty of forensic psychiatry comes the need to examine special issues of cultural importance which apply specifically to forensic psychiatry training. This paper examines the current literature on cross-cultural issues in forensic psychiatry, sets out several of the societal reasons for the importance of emphasizing those issues in forensic psychiatric training, and discusses how those issues are addressed in the curriculum of one forensic psychiatry fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW). While much has been written about cross-cultural issues in general psychiatry, very little has appeared in the literature on the topic of cross-cultural issues in forensic psychiatry.

Forensic science, genetics and wildlife biology: getting the right mix for a wildlife DNA forensics lab.

PubMed

Ogden, Rob

2010-09-01

Wildlife DNA forensics is receiving increasing coverage in the popular press and has begun to appear in the scientific literature in relation to several different fields. Recognized as an applied subject, it rests on top of very diverse scientific pillars ranging from biochemistry through to evolutionary genetics, all embedded within the context of modern forensic science. This breadth of scope, combined with typically limited resources, has often left wildlife DNA forensics hanging precariously between human DNA forensics and academics keen to seek novel applications for biological research. How best to bridge this gap is a matter for regular debate among the relatively few full-time practitioners in the field. The decisions involved in establishing forensic genetic services to investigate wildlife crime can be complex, particularly where crimes involve a wide range of species and evidential questions. This paper examines some of the issues relevant to setting up a wildlife DNA forensics laboratory based on experiences of working in this area over the past 7 years. It includes a discussion of various models for operating individual laboratories as well as options for organizing forensic testing at higher national and international levels.

Forensic psychiatry in Singapore.

PubMed

Chan, Lai Gwen; Tomita, Todd

2013-12-01

Singapore is a geographically small nation-state that has transformed itself from a third-world country to a developed nation after attaining political independence 46 years ago. The pace of change has been tremendous and mental health care is no exception. This paper provides an overview of mental health care and a review of key mental health legislation, including a National Mental Health Blueprint that was rolled out in 2007. On this background, the paper focuses on a description of forensic psychiatric services in Singapore. The role of the Department of Forensic Psychiatry at the Institute of Mental Health, which is the only forensic psychiatry department in the country, will be highlighted. Civil commitment and the treatment of unfit accused persons and insanity acquittees is reviewed. The role of forensic psychiatric assessments in the Singapore courts is examined. The application of the insanity and diminished responsibility defenses are reviewed. A trend is identified in the Singapore courts towards a more rehabilitation-focused sentencing approach and the role that forensic psychiatric assessments play in cases involving mentally disordered offenders is highlighted. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Forensic Taxonomy of Android Social Apps.

PubMed

Azfar, Abdullah; Choo, Kim-Kwang Raymond; Liu, Lin

2017-03-01

An Android social app taxonomy incorporating artifacts that are of forensic interest will enable users and forensic investigators to identify the personally identifiable information (PII) stored by the apps. In this study, 30 popular Android social apps were examined. Artifacts of forensic interest (e.g., contacts lists, chronology of messages, and timestamp of an added contact) were recovered. In addition, images were located, and Facebook token strings used to tie account identities and gain access to information entered into Facebook by a user were identified. Based on the findings, a two-dimensional taxonomy of the forensic artifacts of the social apps is proposed. A comparative summary of existing forensic taxonomies of different categories of Android apps, designed to facilitate timely collection and analysis of evidentiary materials from Android devices, is presented. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Forensic odontology, historical perspective.

PubMed

Sansare, K

1995-01-01

According to the old testament Adam was convinced by eve to put a "Bite Mark" on the apple. Interest in Forensic Odontology was heightened in the latter part of 19th Century. The first formal instructional programme was given at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, U.S. Since then the number of cases reported has played a significant role in expanding the role of Forensic Odontology. The earliest reported case was of Lollia Paulina in the year 49 A. D. One of the early reported case is also found in India in the year 1193. In the last few decades, the basic pattern of Forensic Odontology has changed quite a lot. Advances in dental material and laboratory techniques, with improvements in scientific and photographic technology, have made the proof of presentation much to forensic science.

Veterinary Forensic Pathology: The Search for Truth.

PubMed

McDonough, S P; McEwen, B J

2016-09-01

Veterinary forensic pathology is emerging as a distinct discipline, and this special issue is a major step forward in establishing the scientific basis of the discipline. A forensic necropsy uses the same skill set needed for investigations of natural disease, but the analytical framework and purpose of forensic pathology differ significantly. The requirement of legal credibility and all that it entails distinguishes the forensic from routine diagnostic cases. Despite the extraordinary depth and breadth of knowledge afforded by their training, almost 75% of veterinary pathologists report that their training has not adequately prepared them to handle forensic cases. Many veterinary pathologists, however, are interested and willing to develop expertise in the discipline. Lessons learned from tragic examples of wrongful convictions in medical forensic pathology indicate that a solid foundation for the evolving discipline of veterinary forensic pathology requires a commitment to education, training, and certification. The overarching theme of this issue is that the forensic necropsy is just one aspect in the investigation of a case of suspected animal abuse or neglect. As veterinary pathologists, we must be aware of the roles filled by other veterinary forensic experts involved in these cases and how our findings are an integral part of an investigation. We hope that the outcome of this special issue of the journal is that veterinary pathologists begin to familiarize themselves with not only forensic pathology but also all aspects of veterinary forensic science. © The Author(s) 2016.

[The application of radiological image in forensic medicine].

PubMed

Zhang, Ji-Zong; Che, Hong-Min; Xu, Li-Xiang

2006-04-01

Personal identification is an important work in forensic investigation included sex discrimination, age and stature estimation. Human identification depended on radiological image technique analysis is a practice and proper method in forensic science field. This paper intended to understand the advantage and defect by reviewed the employing of forensic radiology in forensic science field broadly and provide a reference to perfect the application of forensic radiology in forensic science field.

Anti-forensics of chromatic aberration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayer, Owen; Stamm, Matthew C.

2015-03-01

Over the past decade, a number of information forensic techniques have been developed to identify digital image manipulation and falsification. Recent research has shown, however, that an intelligent forger can use anti-forensic countermeasures to disguise their forgeries. In this paper, an anti-forensic technique is proposed to falsify the lateral chromatic aberration present in a digital image. Lateral chromatic aberration corresponds to the relative contraction or expansion between an image's color channels that occurs due to a lens's inability to focus all wavelengths of light on the same point. Previous work has used localized inconsistencies in an image's chromatic aberration to expose cut-and-paste image forgeries. The anti-forensic technique presented in this paper operates by estimating the expected lateral chromatic aberration at an image location, then removing deviations from this estimate caused by tampering or falsification. Experimental results are presented that demonstrate that our anti-forensic technique can be used to effectively disguise evidence of an image forgery.

An introduction to computer forensics.

PubMed

Furneaux, Nick

2006-07-01

This paper provides an introduction to the discipline of Computer Forensics. With computers being involved in an increasing number, and type, of crimes the trace data left on electronic media can play a vital part in the legal process. To ensure acceptance by the courts, accepted processes and procedures have to be adopted and demonstrated which are not dissimilar to the issues surrounding traditional forensic investigations. This paper provides a straightforward overview of the three steps involved in the examination of digital media: Acquisition of data. Investigation of evidence. Reporting and presentation of evidence. Although many of the traditional readers of Medicine, Science and the Law are those involved in the biological aspects of forensics, I believe that both disciplines can learn from each other, with electronic evidence being more readily sought and considered by the legal community and the long, tried and tested scientific methods of the forensic community being shared and adopted by the computer forensic world.

[Applicability of non-invasive imaging methods in forensic medicine and forensic anthropology in particular].

PubMed

Marcinková, Mária; Straka, Ľubomír; Novomeský, František; Janík, Martin; Štuller, František; Krajčovič, Jozef

2018-01-01

Massive progress in developing even more precise imaging modalities influenced all medical branches including the forensic medicine. In forensic anthropology, an inevitable part of forensic medicine itself, the use of all imaging modalities becomes even more important. Despite of acquiring more accurate informations about the deceased, all of them can be used in the process of identification and/or age estimation. X - ray imaging is most commonly used in detecting foreign bodies or various pathological changes of the deceased. Computed tomography, on the other hand, can be very helpful in the process of identification, whereas outcomes of this examination can be used for virtual reconstruction of living objects. Magnetic resonance imaging offers new opportunities in detecting cardiovascular pathological processes or develompental anomalies. Ultrasonography provides promising results in age estimation of living subjects without excessive doses of radiation. Processing the latest information sources available, authors introduce the application examples of X - ray imaging, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasonography in everyday forensic medicine routine, with particular focusing on forensic anthropology.

A metamodel for mobile forensics investigation domain

PubMed Central

Abd Razak, Shukor; Othman, Siti Hajar; Mohammed, Arafat; Saeed, Faisal

2017-01-01

With the rapid development of technology, mobile phones have become an essential tool in terms of crime fighting and criminal investigation. However, many mobile forensics investigators face difficulties with the investigation process in their domain. These difficulties are due to the heavy reliance of the forensics field on knowledge which, although a valuable resource, is scattered and widely dispersed. The wide dispersion of mobile forensics knowledge not only makes investigation difficult for new investigators, resulting in substantial waste of time, but also leads to ambiguity in the concepts and terminologies of the mobile forensics domain. This paper developed an approach for mobile forensics domain based on metamodeling. The developed approach contributes to identify common concepts of mobile forensics through a development of the Mobile Forensics Metamodel (MFM). In addion, it contributes to simplifying the investigation process and enables investigation teams to capture and reuse specialized forensic knowledge, thereby supporting the training and knowledge management activities. Furthermore, it reduces the difficulty and ambiguity in the mobile forensics domain. A validation process was performed to ensure the completeness and correctness of the MFM. The validation was conducted using two techniques for improvements and adjustments to the metamodel. The last version of the adjusted metamodel was named MFM 1.2. PMID:28445486

Careers in Forensics: Analysis, Evidence, and Law

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torpey, Elka Maria

2009-01-01

In legal proceedings, a case is only as strong as its evidence. And whether that evidence is strong depends, in large part, on the work of forensic specialists. The field of forensics is broad and involves many kinds of workers. Some of them are involved in crimesolving. Others, such as forensic social workers or forensic economists, help to…

Girly mags and girly jobs: pornography and gendered inequality in forensic practice.

PubMed

Mercer, Dave

2013-02-01

This article presents findings from a discourse analytic study into the constructive nature and textual variations of language in a high-security hospital. It explores how mental health nurses, and men convicted of sexual offences who also have a diagnosis of personality disorder, talked about pornography and sexual crime in the context of forensic provision. Access to sexually-explicit media, in relation to treatment environments for people convicted of sexual offences, has become a cause for professional and political concern in the UK. Data collection and analysis, undertaken concurrently, were informed by a discursive design. Semistructured interviews, as co-constructed accounts with nursing staff and detained patients, were audio-taped and transcribed. Data were coded to identify the discursive repertoires, or collective talk, of respondents. In contrast to empirical inquiry into pornography and sexual violence, methodology shifted attention from measurement to meaning, and situated research in a clinical domain. The findings focus on performative language use, where talk about pornography textured the treatment environment, contributed to an overtly masculine discourse, framed the ward as male space, and promoted gendered inequality. The discussion questions the legitimacy of the therapeutic enterprise. © 2012 The Author; International Journal of Mental Health Nursing © 2012 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Terminology and forensic gait analysis.

PubMed

Birch, Ivan; Vernon, Wesley; Walker, Jeremy; Young, Maria

2015-07-01

The use of appropriate terminology is a fundamental aspect of forensic gait analysis. The language used in forensic gait analysis is an amalgam of that used in clinical practice, podiatric biomechanics and the wider field of biomechanics. The result can often be a lack of consistency in the language used, the definitions used and the clarity of the message given. Examples include the use of 'gait' and 'walking' as synonymous terms, confusion between 'step' and 'stride', the mixing of anatomical, positional and pathological descriptors, and inability to describe appropriately movements of major body segments such as the torso. The purpose of this paper is to share the well-established definitions of the fundamental parameters of gait, common to all professions, and advocate their use in forensic gait analysis to establish commonality. The paper provides guidance on the selection and use of appropriate terminology in the description of gait in the forensic context. This paper considers the established definitions of the terms commonly used, identifies those terms which have the potential to confuse readers, and suggests a framework of terminology which should be utilised in forensic gait analysis. Copyright © 2015 Forensic Science Society. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment and determinants of aggression in a forensic psychiatric institution in Hong Kong, China.

PubMed

Chan, Oliver; Chow, Kavin Kit-wan

2014-12-15

Institutional aggression in forensic psychiatric setting is an under-researched subject, despite the magnitude of the problem. No studies have been conducted on the assessment of risk and the examination of predictors of aggression among the Chinese forensic psychiatric population. Our study aimed to examine the determinants of aggression in the only forensic psychiatric institution in Hong Kong, and to test the psychometric properties of a risk-assessment instrument, the Dynamic Appraisal of Situational Aggression (DASA). We recruited a representative sample of 530 consecutively admitted detainees. Qualified nurses completed two risk-assessment instruments, the DASA and the Brøset Violence Checklist (BVC), once daily during the participants׳ first 14 days of admission. Aggressive incidents were recorded using the revised Staff Observation Aggression Scale (SOAS-R), and participants׳ data were collected for multivariate analyses. We showed that female gender, diagnoses of personality disorder and substance-related disorder, and admission at other correctional institutions were associated with institutional aggression. Aggression was perpetrated by 17.7% of the participants, and the DASA was demonstrated to have good psychometric properties in assessing and predicting aggressive incidents. Our findings preliminarily support the use of daily in-patient risk-assessment and affirm the role of dynamic factors in institutional aggression. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Frequently cited journals in forensic psychology.

PubMed

Black, Steve

2012-02-01

Works cited in six forensic psychology journals published 2008-2010 were counted to identify the most frequently cited journals. The sample of works cited (N = 21,776) was not a definitive ranked list of important journals in forensic psychology, but was large enough to indicate high-impact journals. The list of frequently cited publications included more general psychiatry and psychology journals than titles specific to forensic psychology. The implications of the proportion of general versus specific titles for collections supporting research in forensic psychology were discussed.

Forensic geomorphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruffell, Alastair; McKinley, Jennifer

2014-02-01

Geomorphology plays a critical role in two areas of geoforensics: searching the land for surface or buried objects and sampling scenes of crime and control locations as evidence. Associated geoscience disciplines have substantial bodies of work dedicated to their relevance in forensic investigations, yet geomorphology (specifically landforms, their mapping and evolution, soils and relationship to geology and biogeography) have not had similar public exposure. This is strange considering how fundamental to legal enquiries the location of a crime and its evolution are, as this article will demonstrate. This work aims to redress the balance by showing how geomorphology featured in one of the earliest works on forensic science methods, and has continued to play a role in the sociology, archaeology, criminalistics and geoforensics of crime. Traditional landscape interpretation from aerial photography is used to demonstrate how a geomorphological approach saved police time in the search for a clandestine grave. The application geomorphology has in military/humanitarian geography and environmental/engineering forensics is briefly discussed as these are also regularly reviewed in courts of law.

A ranking index for quality assessment of forensic DNA profiles forensic DNA profiles

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Assessment of DNA profile quality is vital in forensic DNA analysis, both in order to determine the evidentiary value of DNA results and to compare the performance of different DNA analysis protocols. Generally the quality assessment is performed through manual examination of the DNA profiles based on empirical knowledge, or by comparing the intensities (allelic peak heights) of the capillary electrophoresis electropherograms. Results We recently developed a ranking index for unbiased and quantitative quality assessment of forensic DNA profiles, the forensic DNA profile index (FI) (Hedman et al. Improved forensic DNA analysis through the use of alternative DNA polymerases and statistical modeling of DNA profiles, Biotechniques 47 (2009) 951-958). FI uses electropherogram data to combine the intensities of the allelic peaks with the balances within and between loci, using Principal Components Analysis. Here we present the construction of FI. We explain the mathematical and statistical methodologies used and present details about the applied data reduction method. Thereby we show how to adapt the ranking index for any Short Tandem Repeat-based forensic DNA typing system through validation against a manual grading scale and calibration against a specific set of DNA profiles. Conclusions The developed tool provides unbiased quality assessment of forensic DNA profiles. It can be applied for any DNA profiling system based on Short Tandem Repeat markers. Apart from crime related DNA analysis, FI can therefore be used as a quality tool in paternal or familial testing as well as in disaster victim identification. PMID:21062433

Naturalistic decision making in forensic science: toward a better understanding of decision making by forensic team leaders.

PubMed

Helsloot, Ira; Groenendaal, Jelle

2011-07-01

This study uses the naturalistic decision-making (NDM) perspective to examine how Dutch forensic team leaders (i.e., the officers in charge of criminal forensic research from the crime scene until the use of laboratory assistance) make decisions in real-life settings and identifies the contextual factors that might influence those decisions. First, a focus group interview was conducted to identify four NDM mechanisms in day-to-day forensic decision making. Second, a serious game was conducted to examine the influence of three of these contextual mechanisms. The results uncovered that forensic team leaders (i) were attracted to obtain further information when more information was initially made available, (ii) were likely to devote more attention to emotionally charged cases, and (iii) used not only forensic evidence in the decision making but also tactical, unverified information of the police inquiry. Interestingly, the measured contextual influences did not deviate significantly from a control group of laypeople. © 2011 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Emergence of forensic podiatry--A novel sub-discipline of forensic sciences.

PubMed

Krishan, Kewal; Kanchan, Tanuj; DiMaggio, John A

2015-10-01

"Forensic podiatry is defined as the application of sound and researched podiatric knowledge and experience in forensic investigations; to show the association of an individual with a scene of crime, or to answer any other legal question concerned with the foot or footwear that requires knowledge of the functioning foot". Forensic podiatrists can contribute to forensic identification by associating the pedal evidence with the criminal or crime scene. The most common pedal evidence collected from the crime scene is in the form of footprints, shoeprints and their tracks and trails. Forensic podiatrists can establish identity of the individuals from the footprints in many ways. The analysis of bare footprints involves the identification based on the individualistic features like flat footedness, ridges, humps, creases, an extra toe, missing toe, corns, cuts, cracks, pits, deformities, and various features of the toe and heel region. All these individualistic features can link the criminal with the crime. In addition to these, parameters of body size like stature and body weight as well as sex can also be estimated by using anthropometric methods. If a series of footprints are recovered from the crime scene, then parameters of the gait analysis such as stride/step length and general movement of the criminal can be traced. Apart from these, a newly established biometric parameter of the footprints i.e. footprint ridge density can also be evaluated for personal identification. Careful analysis of the footprint ridge density can give an idea about the sex of the criminal whose footprints are recovered at the scene which can further help to reduce the burden of the investigating officer as the investigations then may be directed toward either a male suspect or a female suspect accordingly. This paper highlights various aspects of Forensic Podiatry and discusses the different methods of personal identification related to pedal evidence. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland

[Analysis of the knowledge and practices of health care workers in Emergency Departments regarding the protection and preservation of evidence in forensic cases].

PubMed

Ilçe, Arzu; Yıldız, Dilek; Baysal, Gonca; Ozdoğan, Fatma; Taş, Fatma

2010-11-01

The frequency of violent incidents is increasing. This increase has made the role of Emergency Department (ED) staff more important in the collection, recording, protection, and storage of the evidence until the arrival of the responsible people concerned with the issue. Therefore, this study was designed to analyze the knowledge and practices of the nursing staff working in the EDs with respect to the protection and preservation of the evidence in forensic cases. This research, which was designed to be descriptive, was conducted with 44 health care workers in the hospitals with Emergency Departments in the center of Bolu province between October 2008 and January 2009. It was observed that 90.9% of the health care workers encountered forensic cases, 65.9% of them had not attended any training on forensic cases, and 22.7% of them did not use care when removing and storing the clothes of the patient. It was considered that 90.9% of the health care workers duly carry out their duties and responsibilities in forensic cases; however, 18.2% of them do not have sufficient knowledge or practical experience in the preservation and protection of evidence in forensic cases. It was observed that most health care workers do not have sufficient knowledge or practical experience in the preservation and protection of evidence in forensic cases.

The nucleic acid revolution continues - will forensic biology become forensic molecular biology?

PubMed

Gunn, Peter; Walsh, Simon; Roux, Claude

2014-01-01

Molecular biology has evolved far beyond that which could have been predicted at the time DNA identity testing was established. Indeed we should now perhaps be referring to "forensic molecular biology." Aside from DNA's established role in identifying the "who" in crime investigations, other developments in medical and developmental molecular biology are now ripe for application to forensic challenges. The impact of DNA methylation and other post-fertilization DNA modifications, plus the emerging role of small RNAs in the control of gene expression, is re-writing our understanding of human biology. It is apparent that these emerging technologies will expand forensic molecular biology to allow for inferences about "when" a crime took place and "what" took place. However, just as the introduction of DNA identity testing engendered many challenges, so the expansion of molecular biology into these domains will raise again the issues of scientific validity, interpretation, probative value, and infringement of personal liberties. This Commentary ponders some of these emerging issues, and presents some ideas on how they will affect the conduct of forensic molecular biology in the foreseeable future.

Evolution of forensic odontology: An overview

PubMed Central

Balachander, N.; Babu, N. Aravindha; Jimson, Sudha; Priyadharsini, C.; Masthan, K. M. K.

2015-01-01

Forensic dentistry or forensic odontology admits dentists’ participation or identification of the victim and assisting legal and criminal issues. It refers to the proper handling, examination, identification and evaluation of dental evidence. This article summarizes the evolution of forensic odontology that started right from Garden of Eden to the modern scenario in identification of the gang rape case which happened in the state capital. Forensic dentistry plays a significant role in identifying the victims of crime, deceased individuals through the examination of anatomical structures, dental appliances and dental restorations. PMID:26015703

Developing Ideas through Forensics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Derryberry, Bob R.

If forensic activity is to contribute to student growth and development, careful attention must be given to training and experience in developing ideas. Borrowing from the time-honored premise of invention, forensics educators should highlight argument construction as a foundation in speechwriting practices. Some of the essential premises or…

History of forensic medicine in Turkey.

PubMed

Oguz, Polat; Cem, Uysal

2009-05-01

Turkey has a short history of forensic medicine compared to the developed countries. Sultan Mahmud II established the first medical school of the Ottoman Empire named as Mekteb-i Tibbiye-i Sahane to provide health services to the army in 1839 [Gok S. Tomorrow, today and yesterday of the forensic medicine. 1st ed. Istanbul: Temel printing office; 1995]. It is also accepted as an important milestone of both medical education and forensic medicine in Turkey [Gok S and Ozen C. History and organization of forensic. 1st ed. Istanbul: Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Medical School Publications; 1982]. The first lecturer of forensic medicine at Mekteb-i Tibbiye-i Sahane was Dr. Charles Ambroise Bernard (C.A.). and he was also the first to perform autopsy in the history of Ottoman Empire [Gok, 1995]. Approximately 40 years after the first forensic medicine lecture in 1879, the Department of Medical Jurisprudence was established as a division of Zabita Tababet-i Adliye (Law Enforcement Office) in Istanbul [Sehsuvaroğlu and Ozen. History and development of forensic medicine in the world and in our country. Mag Istanbul Univ Med Fac 1974;36(60)]. This paper documents the first two cases of autopsies performed in Turkey with the original papers from the National Library.

A call for more science in forensic science.

PubMed

Bell, Suzanne; Sah, Sunita; Albright, Thomas D; Gates, S James; Denton, M Bonner; Casadevall, Arturo

2018-05-01

Forensic science is critical to the administration of justice. The discipline of forensic science is remarkably complex and includes methodologies ranging from DNA analysis to chemical composition to pattern recognition. Many forensic practices developed under the auspices of law enforcement and were vetted primarily by the legal system rather than being subjected to scientific scrutiny and empirical testing. Beginning in the 1990s, exonerations based on DNA-related methods revealed problems with some forensic disciplines, leading to calls for major reforms. This process generated a National Academy of Science report in 2009 that was highly critical of many forensic practices and eventually led to the establishment of the National Commission for Forensic Science (NCFS) in 2013. The NCFS was a deliberative body that catalyzed communication between nonforensic scientists, forensic scientists, and other stakeholders in the legal community. In 2017, despite continuing problems with forensic science, the Department of Justice terminated the NCFS. Just when forensic science needs the most support, it is getting the least. We urge the larger scientific community to come to the aid of our forensic colleagues by advocating for urgently needed research, testing, and financial support.

Toward a general ontology for digital forensic disciplines.

PubMed

Karie, Nickson M; Venter, Hein S

2014-09-01

Ontologies are widely used in different disciplines as a technique for representing and reasoning about domain knowledge. However, despite the widespread ontology-related research activities and applications in different disciplines, the development of ontologies and ontology research activities is still wanting in digital forensics. This paper therefore presents the case for establishing an ontology for digital forensic disciplines. Such an ontology would enable better categorization of the digital forensic disciplines, as well as assist in the development of methodologies and specifications that can offer direction in different areas of digital forensics. This includes such areas as professional specialization, certifications, development of digital forensic tools, curricula, and educational materials. In addition, the ontology presented in this paper can be used, for example, to better organize the digital forensic domain knowledge and explicitly describe the discipline's semantics in a common way. Finally, this paper is meant to spark discussions and further research on an internationally agreed ontological distinction of the digital forensic disciplines. Digital forensic disciplines ontology is a novel approach toward organizing the digital forensic domain knowledge and constitutes the main contribution of this paper. © 2014 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Human resources and their possible forensic meanings.

PubMed

Russo, Andrea; Urlić, Ivan; Kasum, Josip

2015-09-01

Forensics (forensic--before the Forum) means the application of knowledge from different scientific fields in order to define facts in judicial and/or administrative procedures. Nowadays forensics, besides this, finds its application even in different economic processes. For example, forensics enters the commercial areas of business intelligence and of different security areas. The European Commission recognized the importance of forensics, and underscored the importance of development of its scientific infrastructure in member States. We are witnessing the rise of various tragedies in economic and other kinds of processes. Undoubtedly, the world is increasingly exposed to various forms of threats whose occurrences regularly involve people. In this paper we are proposing the development of a new approach in the forensic assessment of the state of human resources. We are suggesting that in the focus should be the forensic approach in the psychological assessment of awareness of the individual and of the critical infrastructure sector operator (CISO) in determining the level of actual practical, rather than formal knowledge of an individual in a particular field of expertise, or in a specific scientific field, and possible forensic meanings.

Expansion of Microbial Forensics

PubMed Central

Schmedes, Sarah E.; Sajantila, Antti

2016-01-01

Microbial forensics has been defined as the discipline of applying scientific methods to the analysis of evidence related to bioterrorism, biocrimes, hoaxes, or the accidental release of a biological agent or toxin for attribution purposes. Over the past 15 years, technology, particularly massively parallel sequencing, and bioinformatics advances now allow the characterization of microorganisms for a variety of human forensic applications, such as human identification, body fluid characterization, postmortem interval estimation, and biocrimes involving tracking of infectious agents. Thus, microbial forensics should be more broadly described as the discipline of applying scientific methods to the analysis of microbial evidence in criminal and civil cases for investigative purposes. PMID:26912746

Conceptualising forensic science and forensic reconstruction. Part II: The critical interaction between research, policy/law and practice.

PubMed

Morgan, R M

2017-11-01

This paper builds on the FoRTE conceptual model presented in part I to address the forms of knowledge that are integral to the four components of the model. Articulating the different forms of knowledge within effective forensic reconstructions is valuable. It enables a nuanced approach to the development and use of evidence bases to underpin decision-making at every stage of a forensic reconstruction by enabling transparency in the reporting of inferences. It also enables appropriate methods to be developed to ensure quality and validity. It is recognised that the domains of practice, research, and policy/law intersect to form the nexus where forensic science is situated. Each domain has a distinctive infrastructure that influences the production and application of different forms of knowledge in forensic science. The channels that can enable the interaction between these domains, enhance the impact of research in theory and practice, increase access to research findings, and support quality are presented. The particular strengths within the different domains to deliver problem solving forensic reconstructions are thereby identified and articulated. It is argued that a conceptual understanding of forensic reconstruction that draws on the full range of both explicit and tacit forms of knowledge, and incorporates the strengths of the different domains pertinent to forensic science, offers a pathway to harness the full value of trace evidence for context sensitive, problem-solving forensic applications. Copyright © 2017 The Author. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessment of the Forensic Sciences Profession. A Survey of Educational Offerings in the Forensic Sciences. Volume I.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Field, Kenneth S.; And Others

This survey of the educational offerings in the Forensic Sciences was initiated to identify institutions and agencies offering educational courses and/or programs in the forensic sciences and to evaluate the availability of these programs. The information gathered by surveying members of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences reveals that…

Civilizing the 'Barbarian': a critical analysis of behaviour modification programmes in forensic psychiatry settings.

PubMed

Holmes, Dave; Murray, Stuart J

2011-04-01

Drawing on the works of Erving Goffman and Michel Foucault, this article presents part of the results of a qualitative study conducted in a forensic psychiatry setting. For many years, behaviour modification programmes (BMPs) have been subjected to scrutiny and harsh criticism on the part of researchers, clinicians and professional organizations. Nevertheless, BMPs continue to be in vogue in some 'total' institutions, such as psychiatric hospitals and prisons. Discourse analysis of mute evidence available in situ was used to critically look at behaviour modification programmes. Compelling examples of behaviour modification care plans are used to illustrate our critical analysis and to support our claim that BMPs violate both scientific and ethical norms in the name of doing 'what is best' for the patients. We argue that the continued use of BMPs is not only flawed from a scientific perspective, but constitutes an unethical approach to the management of nursing care for mentally ill offenders. Nurse managers need to be aware that BMPs violate ethical standards in nursing. As a consequence, they should overtly question the use of these approaches in psychiatric nursing. © 2011 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Civil forensic psychiatry - Part 1: an overview.

PubMed

Samuels, Anthony H

2018-06-01

Objectives This paper provides an overview for general and forensic psychiatrists of the complexity and challenge of working in the civil medico-legal arena. It covers expert evidence, ethics, core concepts in civil forensic psychiatry and report writing. Conclusions Civil forensic psychiatry is an important sub-speciality component of forensic psychiatry that requires specific skills, knowledge and the ability to assist legal bodies in determining the significance of psychiatric issues.

Forensic age assessment of asylum seekers in Finland.

PubMed

Metsäniitty, Mari; Varkkola, Olli; Waltimo-Sirén, Janna; Ranta, Helena

2017-01-01

In Finland, forensic age assessment is strictly regulated by legislation. According to the Aliens Act (301/2004) and the amendment of the Act (549/2010), the police authorities, the frontier guard authorities, and the immigration authorities have the right to refer asylum seekers to the University of Helsinki, Department of Forensic Medicine, for age assessment. These assessments are especially performed to solve if the person is of major age, the cutoff being 18 completed years. The forensic age assessment is largely based on dental development, since the special permit of the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) to the Department of Forensic Medicine of the University of Helsinki, allowing the use of ionizing radiation for non-medical purposes, includes dental and hand X-rays. Forensic age assessment is always performed by two forensic odontologists. In 2015, the total number of forensic age assessment examinations was 149, and the countries of origin of the asylum seekers were most commonly Iraq, Afghanistan, and Somalia. The current legislation on forensic age assessment has been well received and approved. Radiological and other examinations can be performed in different parts of Finland, but the forensic odontologist at the University of Helsinki is always involved in the process and ensures joint quality standards for the forensic age assessment.

A history of forensic anthropology.

PubMed

Ubelaker, Douglas H

2018-04-01

Forensic anthropology represents a dynamic and rapidly evolving complex discipline within anthropology and forensic science. Academic roots extend back to early European anatomists but development coalesced in the Americas through high-profile court testimony, assemblage of documented collections and focused research. Formation of the anthropology section of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences in 1972, the American Board of Forensic Anthropology in 1977/1978 and other organizational advances provided important stimuli for progress. While early pioneers concentrated on analysis of skeletonized human remains, applications today have expanded to include complex methods of search and recovery, the biomechanics of trauma interpretation, isotopic analysis related to diet and region of origin, age estimation of the living and issues related to humanitarian and human rights investigations. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Founding editorial--forensics and TheScientificWorld.

PubMed

Rowe, W

2001-10-30

At the beginning of a new millennium it seems a good idea to stop for a moment and take stock of the current state of forensic science. As a field of scientific research and scientific application, forensic science is a little more than a century old. Forensic science may be said to have begun in 1887 with the simultaneous publication of A. Conan Doyle's A Study in Scarlet and Hans Gross's Handbuch f1/4r Untersuchungsrichter. Conan Doyle's novel introduced to the world the character of Sherlock Holmes, whose literary career would popularize the use of physical evidence in criminal investigations. Gross's manual for examining magistrates suggests ways in which the expertise of chemists, biologists, geologists, and other natural scientists could contribute to investigations. Gross's book was translated into a number of languages and went through various updated editions during the course of the century. The intervening century saw the development and application of fingerprinting, firearm and tool mark identification, forensic chemistry, forensic biology, forensic toxicology, forensic odontology, forensic pathology, and forensic engineering. Increasingly, the judicial systems of the industrial nations of the world have come to rely upon the expertise of scientists in a variety of disciplines. In most advanced countries, virtually all criminal prosecutions now involve the presentation of scientific testimony. This has had the beneficial effect of diminishing the reliance of courts on eyewitness testimony and defendant confessions.

Teaching forensic pathology to undergraduates at Zhongshan School of Medicine.

PubMed

Zhou, Nan; Wu, Qiu-Ping; Su, Terry; Zhao, Qian-Hao; Yin, Kun; Zheng, Da; Zheng, Jing-Jing; Huang, Lei; Cheng, Jian-Ding

2018-04-01

Producing qualified forensic pathological practitioners is a common difficulty around the world. In China, forensic pathology is one of the required major subspecialties for undergraduates majoring in forensic medicine, in contrast to forensic education in Western countries where forensic pathology is often optional. The enduring predicament is that the professional qualities and abilities of forensic students from different institutions vary due to the lack of an efficient forensic pedagogical model. The purpose of this article is to describe the new pedagogical model of forensic pathology at Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, which is characterised by: (a) imparting a broad view of forensic pathology and basic knowledge of duties and tasks in future careers to students; (b) educating students in primary skills on legal and medical issues, as well as advanced forensic pathological techniques; (c) providing students with resources to broaden their professional minds, and opportunities to improve their professional qualities and abilities; and (d) mentoring students on occupational preparation and further forensic education. In the past few years, this model has resulted in numerous notable forensic students accomplishing achievements in forensic practice and forensic scientific research. We therefore expect this pedagogical model to establish the foundation for forensic pathological education and other subspecialties of forensic medicine in China and abroad.

StreetWise: developing a serious game to support forensic mental health service users' preparation for discharge: a feasibility study.

PubMed

Reynolds, L M; Davies, J P; Mann, B; Tulloch, S; Nidsjo, A; Hodge, P; Maiden, N; Simpson, A

2017-05-01

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Serious gaming can support learning and development. The use of serious games for skills development and the rehearsal of the management of events that cannot be replicated in real life is well established. Few serious games have been used in mental health services, and none in forensic mental health care. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: How a serious game may be coproduced by forensic mental health service users and game developers The acceptability of the therapeutic use of serious gaming by forensic mental health service users and providers. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Computer games may be used by practitioners in their therapeutic work with forensic mental health service users. Mental health nurses to use serious games to creatively and safely bridge the gap for service users between receiving care in controlled environments and living more independent in the community. Introduction Assessment of users' skills and confidence to safely respond to risky community-based situations underpins discharge planning. Serious games have been used for skills development, and this study trialled their use in forensic mental health services. Aim The aim was to develop and test the acceptability and usability of an innovative serious game to support forensic mental health service users' preparation for discharge. Method A prototype serious game was developed by service users and researchers. Acceptability and usability testing was undertaken and service providers interviewed about the acceptability of serious gaming for forensic mental health services. Result A prototype game was produced and successfully trialled by service users. However, both service users and providers identified that work needed to be done to develop and test a game with greater complexity. Discussion The acceptability and usability of using serious games to support service users to develop skills needed for successful discharge was demonstrated

A Review of Forensic Science Management Literature.

PubMed

Houck, M M; McAndrew, W P; Porter, M; Davies, B

2015-01-01

The science in forensic science has received increased scrutiny in recent years, but interest in how forensic science is managed is a relatively new line of research. This paper summarizes the literature in forensic science management generally from 2009 to 2013, with some recent additions, to provide an overview of the growth of topics, results, and improvements in the management of forensic services in the public and private sectors. This review covers only the last three years or so and a version of this paper was originally produced for the 2013 Interpol Forensic Science Managers Symposium and is available at interpol.int. Copyright © 2015 Central Police University.

[Research Progress on Forensic Entomotoxicology].

PubMed

Liu, Zhi-jiang; Zhai, Xian-dun; Guan, Ling; Mo, Yao-nan

2015-06-01

Forensic entomotoxicology is a branch of forensic medicine, which applies entomology, toxicology and other related studies to solve the poisoning cases. It has an obvious advantage in the investigation on poisoning death. Based on the expounding definition and research of entomotoxicology, this paper reviews research progress and application value in some aspects of forensic medicine, such as the effects of drugs/toxins on the growth and development of sarcosaphagous insects and the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the drugs/toxins in the poisoned body tissue.

Expansion of Microbial Forensics.

PubMed

Schmedes, Sarah E; Sajantila, Antti; Budowle, Bruce

2016-08-01

Microbial forensics has been defined as the discipline of applying scientific methods to the analysis of evidence related to bioterrorism, biocrimes, hoaxes, or the accidental release of a biological agent or toxin for attribution purposes. Over the past 15 years, technology, particularly massively parallel sequencing, and bioinformatics advances now allow the characterization of microorganisms for a variety of human forensic applications, such as human identification, body fluid characterization, postmortem interval estimation, and biocrimes involving tracking of infectious agents. Thus, microbial forensics should be more broadly described as the discipline of applying scientific methods to the analysis of microbial evidence in criminal and civil cases for investigative purposes. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Origin and development of forensic medicine in Egypt.

PubMed

Kharoshah, Magdy Abdel Azim; Zaki, Mamdouh Kamal; Galeb, Sherien Salah; Moulana, Ashraf Abdel Reheem; Elsebaay, Elsebaay Ahmed

2011-01-01

Egyptians are one of the first civilisations to practice the removal and examination of internal organs of humans. Their practices ranged from embalming to faith healing to surgery and autopsy. Modern radiological studies, together with various forensic techniques, allowed scientists unique glimpses of the state of health in Egypt 4000 years ago and discovered one of the earliest applications of autopsy, the main element of forensic medicine practice today. The Egyptian Forensic Medicine Authority handles a relatively large number of cases annually and depends on different assisting laboratories (forensic histopathology, microbiology, serology unit, DNA laboratory, forensic chemistry laboratory) as well as the Counterfeiting and Forgery unit. Crime scene investigations are performed mainly through the criminal laboratory related to the Ministry of Interior. Forensic Medicine is studied thoroughly in the faculty of medicine (undergraduates), as well as by forensic medical examiners at postgraduate level (diploma, master's and doctorate). This review recommends more scientific cooperation with universities in the field of forensic medicine and related sciences to solve various crimes with meticulous detail. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Forensic Toxicology: An Introduction.

PubMed

Smith, Michael P; Bluth, Martin H

2016-12-01

This article presents an overview of forensic toxicology. The authors describe the three components that make up forensic toxicology: workplace drug testing, postmortem toxicology, and human performance toxicology. Also discussed are the specimens that are tested, the methods used, and how the results are interpreted in this particular discipline. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Coercive procedures in forensic psychiatry : Current treatment practice in forensic psychiatric hospitals from a medical ethics perspective].

PubMed

Jakovljević, A-K; Wiesemann, C

2016-07-01

In 2011 the legal foundations of coercive treatment in German forensic psychiatric clinics were declared to be unconstitutional. In the present study we analyzed the frequency of coercive procedures in forensic psychiatric hospitals before and after 2011, the consequences for medical care as well as the ethical assessments by attending chief physicians. By a questionnaire-based survey of views of attending chief physicians in forensic psychiatric clinics in 2013, data on the current state of patient care were collected and analyzed from an ethical perspective. These were compared with treatment data from a large forensic psychiatric clinic collected over the period 2007-2013. Even after 2011 coercive forms of treatment were applied in forensic psychiatric hospitals. In practice, there is a high degree of legal uncertainty regarding the limits of coercive treatment. Of all patients treated in forensic psychiatric clinics in 2012, on average 13 % had been in isolation at least once, approximately 3 % had been treated under fixation at least once and 2.2 % had been subjected to coercive medical treatment at least once. From an ethical perspective an open debate about the practice of coercive treatment is urgently required. Legal regulations, ethical guidelines and treatment standards have to be developed for the special situation of patient care in forensic psychiatric hospitals.

Molecular Imprinting Applications in Forensic Science

PubMed Central

Yılmaz, Erkut; Garipcan, Bora; Patra, Hirak K.; Uzun, Lokman

2017-01-01

Producing molecular imprinting-based materials has received increasing attention due to recognition selectivity, stability, cast effectiveness, and ease of production in various forms for a wide range of applications. The molecular imprinting technique has a variety of applications in the areas of the food industry, environmental monitoring, and medicine for diverse purposes like sample pretreatment, sensing, and separation/purification. A versatile usage, stability and recognition capabilities also make them perfect candidates for use in forensic sciences. Forensic science is a demanding area and there is a growing interest in molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) in this field. In this review, recent molecular imprinting applications in the related areas of forensic sciences are discussed while considering the literature of last two decades. Not only direct forensic applications but also studies of possible forensic value were taken into account like illicit drugs, banned sport drugs, effective toxins and chemical warfare agents in a review of over 100 articles. The literature was classified according to targets, material shapes, production strategies, detection method, and instrumentation. We aimed to summarize the current applications of MIPs in forensic science and put forth a projection of their potential uses as promising alternatives for benchmark competitors. PMID:28350333

Molecular Imprinting Applications in Forensic Science.

PubMed

Yılmaz, Erkut; Garipcan, Bora; Patra, Hirak K; Uzun, Lokman

2017-03-28

Producing molecular imprinting-based materials has received increasing attention due to recognition selectivity, stability, cast effectiveness, and ease of production in various forms for a wide range of applications. The molecular imprinting technique has a variety of applications in the areas of the food industry, environmental monitoring, and medicine for diverse purposes like sample pretreatment, sensing, and separation/purification. A versatile usage, stability and recognition capabilities also make them perfect candidates for use in forensic sciences. Forensic science is a demanding area and there is a growing interest in molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) in this field. In this review, recent molecular imprinting applications in the related areas of forensic sciences are discussed while considering the literature of last two decades. Not only direct forensic applications but also studies of possible forensic value were taken into account like illicit drugs, banned sport drugs, effective toxins and chemical warfare agents in a review of over 100 articles. The literature was classified according to targets, material shapes, production strategies, detection method, and instrumentation. We aimed to summarize the current applications of MIPs in forensic science and put forth a projection of their potential uses as promising alternatives for benchmark competitors.

Principal forensic physicians as educational supervisors.

PubMed

Stark, Margaret M

2009-10-01

This research project was performed to assist the Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine (FFLM) with the development of a training programme for Principal Forensic Physicians (PFPs) (Since this research was performed the Metropolitan Police Service have dispensed with the services of the Principal Forensic Physicians so currently (as of January 2009) there is no supervision of newly appointed FMEs or the development training of doctors working in London nor any audit or appraisal reviews.) to fulfil their role as educational supervisors. PFPs working in London were surveyed by questionnaire to identify the extent of their knowledge with regard to their role in the development training of all forensic physicians (FPs) in their group, the induction of assistant FPs and their perceptions of their own training needs with regard to their educational role. A focus group was held at the FFLM annual conference to discuss areas of interest that arose from the preliminary results of the questionnaire. There is a clear need for the FFLM to set up a training programme for educational supervisors in clinical forensic medicine, especially with regard to appraisal. 2009 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine.

Using environmental forensic microscopy in exposure science.

PubMed

Millette, James R; Brown, Richard S; Hill, Whitney B

2008-01-01

Environmental forensic microscopy investigations are based on the methods and procedures developed in the fields of criminal forensics, industrial hygiene and environmental monitoring. Using a variety of microscopes and techniques, the environmental forensic scientist attempts to reconstruct the sources and the extent of exposure based on the physical evidence left behind after particles are exchanged between an individual and the environments he or she passes through. This article describes how environmental forensic microscopy uses procedures developed for environmental monitoring, criminal forensics and industrial hygiene investigations. It provides key references to the interdisciplinary approach used in microscopic investigations. Case studies dealing with lead, asbestos, glass fibers and other particulate contaminants are used to illustrate how environmental forensic microscopy can be very useful in the initial stages of a variety of environmental exposure characterization efforts to eliminate some agents of concern and to narrow the field of possible sources of exposure.

Development of forensic medicine in post reform Indonesia.

PubMed

Syukriani, Yoni Fuadah; Novita, Nita; Sunjaya, Deni K

2018-05-03

Forensic medicine practice in Indonesia was introduced through the Dutch colonial criminal justice system in the early twentieth century. After more than 70 years of national independence, the development of forensic medicine still faces fundamental challenges, including confusion in the distribution of responsibility with law enforcement agencies, difficulties in managing conflicts of interest, and impediments in scientific practice and professional development. Despite of the golden opportunity from the Indonesian Reform movement in the late 1990s, the impact on forensic medicine development has been less than expected. It is thus important to identify the scope of the problems plaguing the development of forensic medicine, as well as its causes. We conducted a qualitative study to explain the problems and propose solutions. The results show that the standards of practice have developed more slowly than those in many other branches of medicine, despite its increasing popularity from its role in counterterrorism and disaster victim identification. A strong thriving spirit exists in forensic science, although growth in forensic research activities should be facilitated more. The 2009 Health Law has included forensic medicine practice in the health system to cover the role of forensic medicine for health and medical education purposes. It also potentially provides a way to support the justice system without exposing forensic practitioners to possible conflicts of interest, for instance, by utilizing a tiered referral system. To this aim, an alternative is proposed: to place forensic medicine practice within the context of the health system. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

[National organization of forensic medicine in France].

PubMed

Chariot, Patrick

2012-06-01

Forensic medicine has long been characterized, in France, by diverse medical practices, which affected its recognition and development. A change was needed, Harmonization procedure includes the development of professional guidelines and allows forensic medicine to look at itself. However, the implementation of the recommendations is still far from complete. A national reform came into effect on 15 January 2011 and has defined a national reform of forensic medicine which includes funding by global budgets instead of fee-for-service. This reform allows easier organization and identification of forensic medicine units. One year later, tangible results are mixed. Forensic medicine is now more clearly identified but properly defined funding criteria are still lacking.

Forensic botany: usability of bryophyte material in forensic studies.

PubMed

Virtanen, Viivi; Korpelainen, Helena; Kostamo, Kirsi

2007-10-25

Two experiments were performed to test the relevance of bryophyte (Plantae, Bryophyta) material for forensic studies. The first experiment was conducted to reveal if, and how well, plant fragments attach to footwear in general. In the test, 16 persons walked outdoors wearing rubber boots or hiking boots. After 24h of use outdoors the boots were carefully cleaned, and all plant fragments were collected. Afterwards, all plant material was examined to identify the species. In the second experiment, fresh material of nine bryophyte species was kept in a shed in adverse conditions for 18 months, after which DNA was extracted and subjected to genotyping to test the quality of the material. Both experiments give support for the usability of bryophyte material in forensic studies. The bryophyte fragments become attached to shoes, where they remain even after the wearer walks on a dry road for several hours. Bryophyte DNA stays intact, allowing DNA profiling after lengthy periods following detachment from the original plant source. Based on these experiments, and considering the fact that many bryophytes are clonal plants, we propose that bryophytes are among the most usable plants to provide botanical evidence for forensic investigations.

An audit of a specialist old age psychiatry liaison service to a medium and a high secure forensic psychiatry unit.

PubMed

Shah, Ajit

2006-04-01

The elderly prison population is increasing and there is a significant amount of unidentified psychiatric morbidity among elderly prisoners. A sizeable number of elderly subjects are referred to regional forensic units. These units are able to provide advice but are reluctant to admit frail, physically ill and vulnerable elderly into their unit because the ward environment is considered inappropriate for them. A sizeable number of inpatients in medium and high secure units are elderly. This paper is an exploratory audit of referrals from a medium and high secure forensic psychiatry unit to a specialist consultation-only liaison old age psychiatry service, which was specifically developed to service the forensic unit. The demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients seen by this specialist service were similar to elderly inpatients in medium and high secure units. All referrals were judged to be appropriate and new management advice was provided in all cases. Main reasons for referral included diagnostic advice, placement advice and treatment advice. Establishing a diagnosis of dementia was considered important because Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia can be treated with cholinesterase inhibitors. Placement advice was the most difficult to provide because of paucity of residential and nursing homes able and willing to accept patients with a forensic history. There is a need for a comprehensive model of specialist forensic old age psychiatry service at a regional or supraregional level. A consensus needs to be reached on the exact configuration of such a service.

[Forensic evidence-based medicine in computer communication networks].

PubMed

Qiu, Yun-Liang; Peng, Ming-Qi

2013-12-01

As an important component of judicial expertise, forensic science is broad and highly specialized. With development of network technology, increasement of information resources, and improvement of people's legal consciousness, forensic scientists encounter many new problems, and have been required to meet higher evidentiary standards in litigation. In view of this, evidence-based concept should be established in forensic medicine. We should find the most suitable method in forensic science field and other related area to solve specific problems in the evidence-based mode. Evidence-based practice can solve the problems in legal medical field, and it will play a great role in promoting the progress and development of forensic science. This article reviews the basic theory of evidence-based medicine and its effect, way, method, and evaluation in the forensic medicine in order to discuss the application value of forensic evidence-based medicine in computer communication networks.

Application of DNA-based methods in forensic entomology.

PubMed

Wells, Jeffrey D; Stevens, Jamie R

2008-01-01

A forensic entomological investigation can benefit from a variety of widely practiced molecular genotyping methods. The most commonly used is DNA-based specimen identification. Other applications include the identification of insect gut contents and the characterization of the population genetic structure of a forensically important insect species. The proper application of these procedures demands that the analyst be technically expert. However, one must also be aware of the extensive list of standards and expectations that many legal systems have developed for forensic DNA analysis. We summarize the DNA techniques that are currently used in, or have been proposed for, forensic entomology and review established genetic analyses from other scientific fields that address questions similar to those in forensic entomology. We describe how accepted standards for forensic DNA practice and method validation are likely to apply to insect evidence used in a death or other forensic entomological investigation.

Client-side Skype forensics: an overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meißner, Tina; Kröger, Knut; Creutzburg, Reiner

2013-03-01

IT security and computer forensics are important components in the information technology. In the present study, a client-side Skype forensics is performed. It is designed to explain which kind of user data are stored on a computer and which tools allow the extraction of those data for a forensic investigation. There are described both methods - a manual analysis and an analysis with (mainly) open source tools, respectively.

Teaching forensic medicine in the University of Porto.

PubMed

Magalhães, Teresa; Dinis-Oliveira, Ricardo Jorge; Santos, Agostinho

2014-07-01

The University of Porto (UP) provides education in Forensic Medicine (FM) through the 1st, 2nd and 3rd cycle of studies, post-graduation and continuing education courses. This education is related to forensic pathology, clinical forensic medicine (including forensic psychology and psychiatry), forensic chemistry and toxicology, forensic genetics and biology, and criminalistics. With this work we intent to reflect on how we are currently teaching FM in the UP, at all levels of university graduation. We will present our models, regarding the educational objectives, curricular program and teaching/learning methodologies of each cycle of studies as well as in post-graduate and continuing education courses. Historically, and besides related administratively to the Ministry of Justice, the Portuguese Medico-Legal Institutes (since 1918) and more recently the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences (INMLCF) also have educational and research responsibilities. Thus, it lends space and cooperates with academic institutions and this contribution, namely regarding teaching forensic sciences in Portugal has been judged as an example for other Countries. This contribution is so important that in UP, the Department of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences of the Faculty of Medicine (FMUP) shares, until now, the same physical space with North Branch of the INMLCF, which represents a notorious advantage, since it makes possible the "learning by doing". Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Image processing in forensic pathology.

PubMed

Oliver, W R

1998-03-01

Image processing applications in forensic pathology are becoming increasingly important. This article introduces basic concepts in image processing as applied to problems in forensic pathology in a non-mathematical context. Discussions of contrast enhancement, digital encoding, compression, deblurring, and other topics are presented.

Forensic historiography: narratives and science.

PubMed

Drukteinis, Albert M

2014-01-01

Psychiatrists function, in part, as historians who rely on patient narratives to help them understand presenting mental disorders and explain their causes. Forensic psychiatrists have been skeptical of using narratives, raising concerns about their lack of objectivity and potential for bias. They also have criticized narratives as being more performative than scientific. Recent authors, however, have pointed out that narratives may be helpful in forming forensic opinions and supporting oral testimony, while stressing that their use must be consistent with the ethics espoused by forensic psychiatry. This article reviews the role of narratives in understanding human events and the ubiquitous presence of narratives in the judicial process. It delves into the inescapability of using explicit or implicit narratives in the course of forensic practice, as well as how they may be meaningfully incorporated into evaluations and find expression alongside scientific principles. © 2014 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.

Integration initiatives for forensic services

PubMed Central

ARBOLEDA-FLÓREZ, JULIO

2003-01-01

Poorly implemented mental health reform policies are often given as reasons for the growth in demands for forensic psychiatric services and the steady increase of mental patients in prison systems. However, in this paper, additional reasons are advanced to explain the growth of forensic psychiatry, such as an expansion in the types of "psychiatric defences" in courts of law; public concerns about violent behaviour attributed to the mentally ill; the community management of paraphilias, especially pedophilia; the development of risk assessment methodologies and the halo of super-specialization. The net result of these developments is that patients who receive a label of "forensic" enter into a mental health ghetto with little connectivity or integration with the general mental health system. The forensic label increases the stigma and decreases opportunities for reintegration and full social recovery. The paper provides guidelines to reverse these trends. PMID:16946932

Forensic importance of jealousy.

PubMed

Muzinić, Lana; Goreta, Miroslav; Jukić, Vlado; Dordević, Veljko; Koić, Elvira; Herceg, Miroslav

2003-06-01

The aim of the investigation is to define as clearly as possible specific forensic psychiatric characteristics of persons who committed homicide and or attempted due to jealousy (the nature and severity of psychopathology, the level of responsibility, danger for the community, intensity and nature of aggression, the victimologic dimension, the relation of alcohol and jealousy). A retrospective method based on forensic psychiatric expertises in the period 1975-1999 was used. They encompassed 200 examinees that committed murder or attempted it. The results show the connection of psychotic jealousy with the highest degree of danger in diagnostic categories of paranoid psychosis and paranoid schizophrenia. The time span from the first manifestations of jealousy until the actual commitment of a crime is the longest in personality disorders and the shortest in schizophrenia. Exogenous provoking situations were dominant for committing homicide due to jealousy in personality disorders. Acute alcohol intoxication has a specific significance in crime due to jealousy in the same diagnostic category. Clear criteria were designed for forensic psychiatric evaluation of murder and attempts of homicide caused by jealousy, which will be of help in everyday practice in the field forensic work and treatment.

Microbial Forensics: A Scientific Assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Keim, Paul

2003-02-17

Microorganisms have been used as weapons in criminal acts, most recently highlighted by the terrorist attack using anthrax in the fall of 2001. Although such ''biocrimes'' are few compared with other crimes, these acts raise questions about the ability to provide forensic evidence for criminal prosecution that can be used to identify the source of the microorganisms used as a weapon and, more importantly, the perpetrator of the crime. Microbiologists traditionally investigate the sources of microorganisms in epidemiological investigations, but rarely have been asked to assist in criminal investigations. A colloquium was convened by the American Academy of Microbiology inmore » Burlington, Vermont, on June 7-9, 2002, in which 25 interdisciplinary, expert scientists representing evolutionary microbiology, ecology, genomics, genetics, bioinformatics, forensics, chemistry, and clinical microbiology, deliberated on issues in microbial forensics. The colloquium's purpose was to consider issues relating to microbial forensics, which included a detailed identification of a microorganism used in a bioattack and analysis of such a microorganism and related materials to identify its forensically meaningful source--the perpetrators of the bioattack. The colloquium examined the application of microbial forensics to assist in resolving biocrimes with a focus on what research and education are needed to facilitate the use of microbial forensics in criminal investigations and the subsequent prosecution of biocrimes, including acts of bioterrorism. First responders must consider forensic issues, such as proper collection of samples to allow for optimal laboratory testing, along with maintaining a chain of custody that will support eventual prosecution. Because a biocrime may not be immediately apparent, a linkage must be made between routine diagnosis, epidemiological investigation, and criminal investigation. There is a need for establishing standard operating procedures and

Forensic Analysis Demonstration via Hawaii Five-O

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shmaefsky, Brian R.

2006-01-01

"Forensics," in its most universal sense, is defined as the use of science or technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence for determining identity or relatedness. Most forensic reasoning is used for arguing legal matters. However, forensic studies are also used in agronomy, biology, chemistry, geology, and…

Information Assurance and Forensic Readiness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pangalos, Georgios; Katos, Vasilios

Egalitarianism and justice are amongst the core attributes of a democratic regime and should be also secured in an e-democratic setting. As such, the rise of computer related offenses pose a threat to the fundamental aspects of e-democracy and e-governance. Digital forensics are a key component for protecting and enabling the underlying (e-)democratic values and therefore forensic readiness should be considered in an e-democratic setting. This position paper commences from the observation that the density of compliance and potential litigation activities is monotonically increasing in modern organizations, as rules, legislative regulations and policies are being constantly added to the corporate environment. Forensic practices seem to be departing from the niche of law enforcement and are becoming a business function and infrastructural component, posing new challenges to the security professionals. Having no a priori knowledge on whether a security related event or corporate policy violation will lead to litigation, we advocate that computer forensics need to be applied to all investigatory, monitoring and auditing activities. This would result into an inflation of the responsibilities of the Information Security Officer. After exploring some commonalities and differences between IS audit and computer forensics, we present a list of strategic challenges the organization and, in effect, the IS security and audit practitioner will face.

Forensic Entomologists: An Evaluation of their Status

PubMed Central

Magni, Paola; Guercini, Silvia; Leighton, Angela; Dadour, Ian

2013-01-01

The National Academy of Sciences (2009) published a review charting several key recommendations on strengthening the forensic sciences as an entity as part of an initiative put forth by the USA Congress to streamline and improve the quality of the forensic sciences and their impact on the judiciary process. Although the review was not totally inclusive, many of its sentiments have permeated into all the forensic sciences. The following paper is designed to determine who is practicing the science of forensic entomology, and in what capacity, by questioning practicing forensic entomologists about the type of education obtained, their countries' standards and accreditation processes, as well as general demographic information such as age and gender. A 28-question survey was sent out to 300 forensic entomologists worldwide in 2009. Of the 70 respondents, 80% had a formal education (either Masters or PhD), and 66% published their research. Approximately 50% of respondents were involved in the delivery of expert evidence and writing up case reports, and countries were actively involved with accrediting personnel, facilities, and entomology kits. Many discrepancies within the reported practices and accreditation processes highlight the need for the adoption of a standard code of practice among forensic entomologists. PMID:24219583

Forensic Science Curriculum for High School Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burgess, Christiana J.

Over the last several decades, forensic science---the application of science to civil and criminal legal matters---has become of increasing popularity with the public. The range of disciplines within the field is immense, offering individuals the potential for a unique career, regardless of their specific interests or expertise. In response to this growth, many organizations, both public and private, have recognized the need to create forensic science programs that strive to maintain and enhance the quality of forensic science education. Unfortunately, most of the emphasis placed on developing these materials relates to post-secondary education, and creates a significant lack of forensic science educational materials available in the U.S., especially in Oklahoma. The purpose of this project was to create a high school curriculum that provides the foundation for building a broad, yet comprehensive, overview of the field of forensic science and its associated disciplines. The overall goal was to create and provide course materials to high school teachers in order to increase their knowledge of forensic science such that they are able to teach its disciplines effectively and with accuracy. The Forensic Science Curriculum for High School Students includes sample lesson plans, PowerPoint presentations, and lab activities with step-by-step instructions.

Forensic entomologists: an evaluation of their status.

PubMed

Magni, Paola; Guercini, Silvia; Leighton, Angela; Dadour, Ian

2013-01-01

The National Academy of Sciences ( 2009 ) published a review charting several key recommendations on strengthening the forensic sciences as an entity as part of an initiative put forth by the USA Congress to streamline and improve the quality of the forensic sciences and their impact on the judiciary process. Although the review was not totally inclusive, many of its sentiments have permeated into all the forensic sciences. The following paper is designed to determine who is practicing the science of forensic entomology, and in what capacity, by questioning practicing forensic entomologists about the type of education obtained, their countries' standards and accreditation processes, as well as general demographic information such as age and gender. A 28-question survey was sent out to 300 forensic entomologists worldwide in 2009. Of the 70 respondents, 80% had a formal education (either Masters or PhD), and 66% published their research. Approximately 50% of respondents were involved in the delivery of expert evidence and writing up case reports, and countries were actively involved with accrediting personnel, facilities, and entomology kits. Many discrepancies within the reported practices and accreditation processes highlight the need for the adoption of a standard code of practice among forensic entomologists.

Forensic Suicides and Attempted Suicides.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

French, Laurence A.

1986-01-01

Forensic suicides and suicide attempts challenge certain premises long held by classical suicidologists. Chronic ambiguity and free-floating rage, attributes exacerbated by the jail-like environment of many forensic units, pose a situation whereby either the self or others become convenient targets for aggression release. (Author/BL)

[Application of DNA labeling technology in forensic botany].

PubMed

Znang, Xian; Li, Jing-Lin; Zhang, Xiang-Yu

2008-12-01

Forensic botany is a study of judicial plant evidence. Recently, researches on DNA labeling technology have been a mainstream of forensic botany. The article systematically reviews various types of DNA labeling techniques in forensic botany with enumerated practical cases, as well as the potential forensic application of each individual technique. The advantages of the DNA labeling technology over traditional morphological taxonomic methods are also summarized.

The nucleic acid revolution continues – will forensic biology become forensic molecular biology?

PubMed Central

Gunn, Peter; Walsh, Simon; Roux, Claude

2014-01-01

Molecular biology has evolved far beyond that which could have been predicted at the time DNA identity testing was established. Indeed we should now perhaps be referring to “forensic molecular biology.” Aside from DNA’s established role in identifying the “who” in crime investigations, other developments in medical and developmental molecular biology are now ripe for application to forensic challenges. The impact of DNA methylation and other post-fertilization DNA modifications, plus the emerging role of small RNAs in the control of gene expression, is re-writing our understanding of human biology. It is apparent that these emerging technologies will expand forensic molecular biology to allow for inferences about “when” a crime took place and “what” took place. However, just as the introduction of DNA identity testing engendered many challenges, so the expansion of molecular biology into these domains will raise again the issues of scientific validity, interpretation, probative value, and infringement of personal liberties. This Commentary ponders some of these emerging issues, and presents some ideas on how they will affect the conduct of forensic molecular biology in the foreseeable future. PMID:24634675

Error and its meaning in forensic science.

PubMed

Christensen, Angi M; Crowder, Christian M; Ousley, Stephen D; Houck, Max M

2014-01-01

The discussion of "error" has gained momentum in forensic science in the wake of the Daubert guidelines and has intensified with the National Academy of Sciences' Report. Error has many different meanings, and too often, forensic practitioners themselves as well as the courts misunderstand scientific error and statistical error rates, often confusing them with practitioner error (or mistakes). Here, we present an overview of these concepts as they pertain to forensic science applications, discussing the difference between practitioner error (including mistakes), instrument error, statistical error, and method error. We urge forensic practitioners to ensure that potential sources of error and method limitations are understood and clearly communicated and advocate that the legal community be informed regarding the differences between interobserver errors, uncertainty, variation, and mistakes. © 2013 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Forensic identification science evidence since Daubert: Part II--judicial reasoning in decisions to exclude forensic identification evidence on grounds of reliability.

PubMed

Page, Mark; Taylor, Jane; Blenkin, Matt

2011-07-01

Many studies regarding the legal status of forensic science have relied on the U.S. Supreme Court's mandate in Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals Inc., and its progeny in order to make subsequent recommendations or rebuttals. This paper focuses on a more pragmatic approach to analyzing forensic science's immediate deficiencies by considering a qualitative analysis of actual judicial reasoning where forensic identification evidence has been excluded on reliability grounds since the Daubert precedent. Reliance on general acceptance is becoming insufficient as proof of the admissibility of forensic evidence. The citation of unfounded statistics, error rates and certainties, a failure to document the analytical process or follow standardized procedures, and the existence of observe bias represent some of the concerns that have lead to the exclusion or limitation of forensic identification evidence. Analysis of these reasons may serve to refocus forensic practitioners' testimony, resources, and research toward rectifying shortfalls in these areas. © 2011 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Psychiatric comorbidity in forensic psychiatry.

PubMed

Palijan, Tija Zarković; Muzinić, Lana; Radeljak, Sanja

2009-09-01

For the past several years a numerous studies in the field of forensic psychiatry confirmed a close relationship between violent offenders and comorbid substance abuse. The comorbid substance abuse in violent offenders was usually unrecognized and misdiagnosed. Furthermore, comorbidity in forensic psychiatry describes the co-occurrence of two or more conditions or psychiatric disorder known in the literature as dual diagnosis and defined by World Health Organization (WHO). In fact, many violent offenders have multiple psychiatric diagnoses. Recent studies have confirmed causal relationship between major psychiatric disorders and concomitant substance abuse (comorbidity) in 50-80% of forensic cases. In general, there is a high level of psychiatric comorbidity in forensic patients with prevalence of personality disorders (50-90%), mood disorders (20-60%) and psychotic disorders (15-20%) coupled with substance abuse disorders. Moreover, the high prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities could be found in mentally retarded individuals, as well as, in epileptic patients. Drugs and alcohol abuse can produce serious psychotoxic effects that may lead to extreme violent behavior and consequently to serious criminal offence such as physical assault, rape, armed robbery, attempted murder and homicide, all due to an altered brain function and generating psychotic-like symptoms. Studies have confirmed a significant statistical relevance in causal relationship between substance abuse and violent offences. In terms of forensic psychiatry, the comorbidity strongly contributes in the process of establishing psychiatric diagnosis of diminished mental capacity or insanity at the time of the offence in the course of clinical assessment and evaluation of violent offenders. Today, the primary focus of forensic psychiatry treatment services (in-patient or community) is management of the violent offenders with psychiatric comorbidity which requires a multilevel, evidence based approach to

A Forensically Sound Adversary Model for Mobile Devices.

PubMed

Do, Quang; Martini, Ben; Choo, Kim-Kwang Raymond

2015-01-01

In this paper, we propose an adversary model to facilitate forensic investigations of mobile devices (e.g. Android, iOS and Windows smartphones) that can be readily adapted to the latest mobile device technologies. This is essential given the ongoing and rapidly changing nature of mobile device technologies. An integral principle and significant constraint upon forensic practitioners is that of forensic soundness. Our adversary model specifically considers and integrates the constraints of forensic soundness on the adversary, in our case, a forensic practitioner. One construction of the adversary model is an evidence collection and analysis methodology for Android devices. Using the methodology with six popular cloud apps, we were successful in extracting various information of forensic interest in both the external and internal storage of the mobile device.

A Forensically Sound Adversary Model for Mobile Devices

PubMed Central

Choo, Kim-Kwang Raymond

2015-01-01

In this paper, we propose an adversary model to facilitate forensic investigations of mobile devices (e.g. Android, iOS and Windows smartphones) that can be readily adapted to the latest mobile device technologies. This is essential given the ongoing and rapidly changing nature of mobile device technologies. An integral principle and significant constraint upon forensic practitioners is that of forensic soundness. Our adversary model specifically considers and integrates the constraints of forensic soundness on the adversary, in our case, a forensic practitioner. One construction of the adversary model is an evidence collection and analysis methodology for Android devices. Using the methodology with six popular cloud apps, we were successful in extracting various information of forensic interest in both the external and internal storage of the mobile device. PMID:26393812

High Performance Proactive Digital Forensics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alharbi, Soltan; Moa, Belaid; Weber-Jahnke, Jens; Traore, Issa

2012-10-01

With the increase in the number of digital crimes and in their sophistication, High Performance Computing (HPC) is becoming a must in Digital Forensics (DF). According to the FBI annual report, the size of data processed during the 2010 fiscal year reached 3,086 TB (compared to 2,334 TB in 2009) and the number of agencies that requested Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory assistance increasing from 689 in 2009 to 722 in 2010. Since most investigation tools are both I/O and CPU bound, the next-generation DF tools are required to be distributed and offer HPC capabilities. The need for HPC is even more evident in investigating crimes on clouds or when proactive DF analysis and on-site investigation, requiring semi-real time processing, are performed. Although overcoming the performance challenge is a major goal in DF, as far as we know, there is almost no research on HPC-DF except for few papers. As such, in this work, we extend our work on the need of a proactive system and present a high performance automated proactive digital forensic system. The most expensive phase of the system, namely proactive analysis and detection, uses a parallel extension of the iterative z algorithm. It also implements new parallel information-based outlier detection algorithms to proactively and forensically handle suspicious activities. To analyse a large number of targets and events and continuously do so (to capture the dynamics of the system), we rely on a multi-resolution approach to explore the digital forensic space. Data set from the Honeynet Forensic Challenge in 2001 is used to evaluate the system from DF and HPC perspectives.

Present and foreseeable future of metabolomics in forensic analysis.

PubMed

Castillo-Peinado, L S; Luque de Castro, M D

2016-06-21

The revulsive publications during the last years on the precariousness of forensic sciences worldwide have promoted the move of major steps towards improvement of this science. One of the steps (viz. a higher involvement of metabolomics in the new era of forensic analysis) deserves to be discussed under different angles. Thus, the characteristics of metabolomics that make it a useful tool in forensic analysis, the aspects in which this omics is so far implicit, but not mentioned in forensic analyses, and how typical forensic parameters such as the post-mortem interval or fingerprints take benefits from metabolomics are critically discussed in this review. The way in which the metabolomics-forensic binomial succeeds when either conventional or less frequent samples are used is highlighted here. Finally, the pillars that should support future developments involving metabolomics and forensic analysis, and the research required for a fruitful in-depth involvement of metabolomics in forensic analysis are critically discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Benefits of Required Forensic Clinical Experiences in Residency.

PubMed

Wasser, Tobias; Sun, Amanda; Chandra, Saksham; Michaelsen, Katherine

2018-06-01

The growth of forensic psychiatry has spurred efforts to improve forensic psychiatry training in general psychiatry residency. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education requires that residencies provide an experience that "exposes" residents to forensic issues, but leaves the specifics to individual programs. However, there is growing need for psychiatrists to understand the unique circumstances of individuals with mental illness involved in the criminal justice system. The authors developed a new mandatory forensic rotation for general psychiatry residents and conducted a pilot study to assess its impact on residents' interest and comfort working with criminal justice-involved patients, interest in forensic fellowship, and knowledge of available resources for consultation and supervision. Rotation completion was associated with a significantly increased interest in working with forensic populations and pursuing forensic fellowship, but no changes in residents' level of comfort or knowledge of supervisory and consultative resources. This study adds to the growing body of literature describing the benefits of expanding forensic education for residents.

Analysis of forensic odontological examinations at the National Forensic Service of Korea from 2011 to 2015.

PubMed

Roh, Byung-Yoon; Lee, Won-Joon; Seo, Jeong-Uk; Lee, U-Young; Lee, Sang-Seob

2018-05-01

The National Forensic Service (NFS) of Korea is a government agency responsible for examining and evaluating evidence obtained at crime scenes. The Section of Forensic Odontology of the Medical Examiner's Office conducts forensic odontological analyses of human remains, and mainly criminal cases are handled. In this study, 588 forensic odontological cases referred to NFS during 2011-2015 were analyzed for referral pattern, evidence material, examination criteria, and other factors and were compared with respective data from 2007 to 2010. Majority of the requests were internal (further dental examinations after autopsy) rather than external (direct requests from other agencies such as police departments). Regarding evidence materials, "Teeth" (including teeth and resected jaws) were dominant evidences. Due to the seasonal effects in Korea, the highest number of requests was in September of each year, but the number of requests in April has recently increased. Evidence materials were mostly found in suburban and rural area, especially in mountainous area due to the geographic characteristics of Korea. Regarding specific examinations, profiling, including age estimation, accounted for majority of the requests; this number had increased relative to the findings of a previous study, whereas the number of requests for dental identification and bite mark analysis had decreased. With this analysis, trends in forensic odontology can be observed, and we expect that these trends would be served as a reference for designing study and making training protocol for forensic odontology. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DNA fingerprinting in forensics: past, present, future

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

DNA fingerprinting, one of the great discoveries of the late 20th century, has revolutionized forensic investigations. This review briefly recapitulates 30 years of progress in forensic DNA analysis which helps to convict criminals, exonerate the wrongly accused, and identify victims of crime, disasters, and war. Current standard methods based on short tandem repeats (STRs) as well as lineage markers (Y chromosome, mitochondrial DNA) are covered and applications are illustrated by casework examples. Benefits and risks of expanding forensic DNA databases are discussed and we ask what the future holds for forensic DNA fingerprinting. PMID:24245688

My-Forensic-Loci-queries (MyFLq) framework for analysis of forensic STR data generated by massive parallel sequencing.

PubMed

Van Neste, Christophe; Vandewoestyne, Mado; Van Criekinge, Wim; Deforce, Dieter; Van Nieuwerburgh, Filip

2014-03-01

Forensic scientists are currently investigating how to transition from capillary electrophoresis (CE) to massive parallel sequencing (MPS) for analysis of forensic DNA profiles. MPS offers several advantages over CE such as virtually unlimited multiplexy of loci, combining both short tandem repeat (STR) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci, small amplicons without constraints of size separation, more discrimination power, deep mixture resolution and sample multiplexing. We present our bioinformatic framework My-Forensic-Loci-queries (MyFLq) for analysis of MPS forensic data. For allele calling, the framework uses a MySQL reference allele database with automatically determined regions of interest (ROIs) by a generic maximal flanking algorithm which makes it possible to use any STR or SNP forensic locus. Python scripts were designed to automatically make allele calls starting from raw MPS data. We also present a method to assess the usefulness and overall performance of a forensic locus with respect to MPS, as well as methods to estimate whether an unknown allele, which sequence is not present in the MySQL database, is in fact a new allele or a sequencing error. The MyFLq framework was applied to an Illumina MiSeq dataset of a forensic Illumina amplicon library, generated from multilocus STR polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on both single contributor samples and multiple person DNA mixtures. Although the multilocus PCR was not yet optimized for MPS in terms of amplicon length or locus selection, the results show excellent results for most loci. The results show a high signal-to-noise ratio, correct allele calls, and a low limit of detection for minor DNA contributors in mixed DNA samples. Technically, forensic MPS affords great promise for routine implementation in forensic genomics. The method is also applicable to adjacent disciplines such as molecular autopsy in legal medicine and in mitochondrial DNA research. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by

[Commentary on the history of forensic medicine in Venezuela].

PubMed

González Carrero, A

1991-01-01

The author explains definitions and fields of forensic medicine. Three periods are described: 1) Since colonial times to the foundation of the Caracas forensic medicine (1937); 2) From 1937 to the foundation of the Technical Judiciary Police (1958); 3) From 1958 until now; this period includes the process called "Nationalization of forensic medicine". Then there are remarks, within the historical context, on forensic medicine and teaching, the importance of the Forensic Medicine Society and the importance of postgraduate courses.

Cognitive neuroscience in forensic science: understanding and utilizing the human element

PubMed Central

Dror, Itiel E.

2015-01-01

The human element plays a critical role in forensic science. It is not limited only to issues relating to forensic decision-making, such as bias, but also relates to most aspects of forensic work (some of which even take place before a crime is ever committed or long after the verification of the forensic conclusion). In this paper, I explicate many aspects of forensic work that involve the human element and therefore show the relevance (and potential contribution) of cognitive neuroscience to forensic science. The 10 aspects covered in this paper are proactive forensic science, selection during recruitment, training, crime scene investigation, forensic decision-making, verification and conflict resolution, reporting, the role of the forensic examiner, presentation in court and judicial decisions. As the forensic community is taking on the challenges introduced by the realization that the human element is critical for forensic work, new opportunities emerge that allow for considerable improvement and enhancement of the forensic science endeavour. PMID:26101281

Nuclear Forensics: A Capability at Risk (Abbreviated Version)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

National Research Council of the National Academies

Nuclear forensics is important to our national security. Actions, including provision of appropriate funding, are needed now to sustain and improve the nation's nuclear forensics capabilities. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), working with cooperating agencies and national laboratories, should plan and implement a sustainable, effective nuclear forensics program. Nuclear forensics is the examination and evaluation of discovered or seized nuclear materials and devices or, in cases of nuclear explosions or radiological dispersals, of detonation signals and post-detonation debris. Nuclear forensic evidence helps law enforcement and intelligence agencies work toward preventing, mitigating, and attributing a nuclear or radiological incident. Thismore » report, requested by DHS, the National Nuclear Security Administration, and the Department of Defense, makes recommendations on how to sustain and improve U.S. nuclear forensics capabilities. The United States has developed a nuclear forensics capability that has been demonstrated in real-world incidents of interdicted materials and in exercises of actions required after a nuclear detonation. The committee, however, has concerns about the program and finds that without strong leadership, careful planning, and additional funds, these capabilities will decline. Major areas of concern include: Organization. The responsibility for nuclear forensics is shared by several agencies without central authority and with no consensus on strategic requirements to guide the program. This organizational complexity hampers the program and could prove to be a major hindrance operationally. Sustainability. The nation's current nuclear forensics capabilities are available primarily because the system of laboratories, equipment, and personnel upon which they depend was developed and funded by the nuclear weapons program. However, the weapons program's funds are declining. Workforce and Infrastructure. Personnel skilled in nuclear

An unusual pedestrian road trauma: from forensic pathology to forensic veterinary medicine.

PubMed

Aquila, Isabella; Di Nunzio, Ciro; Paciello, Orlando; Britti, Domenico; Pepe, Francesca; De Luca, Ester; Ricci, Pietrantonio

2014-01-01

Traffic accidents have increased in the last decade, pedestrians being the most affected group. At autopsy, it is evident that the most common cause of pedestrian death is central nervous system injury, followed by skull base fractures, internal bleeding, lower limb haemorrhage, skull vault fractures, cervical spinal cord injury and airway compromise. The attribution of accident responsibility can be realised through reconstruction of road accident dynamics, investigation of the scene, survey of the vehicle involved and examination of the victim(s). A case study concerning a car accident where both humans and pets were involved is reported here. Investigation and reconstruction of the crime scene were conducted by a team consisting of forensic pathologists and forensic veterinarians. At the scene investigation, the pedestrian and his dog were recovered on the side of the road. An autopsy and a necropsy were conducted on the man and the dog, respectively. In addition, a complete inspection of the sports utility vehicle (SUV) implicated in the road accident was conducted. The results of the autopsy and necropsy were compared and the information was used to reconstruct the collision. This unusual case was solved through the collaboration between forensic pathology and veterinary forensic medicine, emphasising the importance of this kind of co-operation to solve a crime scene concerning both humans and animals. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Forensic Science Education and Educational Requirements for Forensic Scientists.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaensslen, Robert E.

2002-01-01

Focuses on criminalistics, which can be understood to mean the activities and specialty areas characteristic of most municipal, county, or state forensic science laboratories in the United States. (DDR)

FastID: Extremely Fast Forensic DNA Comparisons

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-05-19

FastID: Extremely Fast Forensic DNA Comparisons Darrell O. Ricke, PhD Bioengineering Systems & Technologies Massachusetts Institute of...Technology Lincoln Laboratory Lexington, MA USA Darrell.Ricke@ll.mit.edu Abstract—Rapid analysis of DNA forensic samples can have a critical impact on...time sensitive investigations. Analysis of forensic DNA samples by massively parallel sequencing is creating the next gold standard for DNA

Professionalism in Computer Forensics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Irons, Alastair D.; Konstadopoulou, Anastasia

The paper seeks to address the need to consider issues regarding professionalism in computer forensics in order to allow the discipline to develop and to ensure the credibility of the discipline from the differing perspectives of practitioners, the criminal justice system and in the eyes of the public. There is a need to examine and develop professionalism in computer forensics in order to promote the discipline and maintain the credibility of the discipline.

Forensic Assertive Community Treatment: A Review of the Literature.

PubMed

Marquant, Thomas; Sabbe, Bernard; Van Nuffel, Meike; Goethals, Kris

2016-11-01

An extensive body of literature provides evidence supporting the effectiveness of assertive community treatment (ACT) with regard to non-forensic outcome measures, such as number of hospital admissions and length of stay. However, research findings on the effectiveness of ACT for forensic outcome measures, such as rearrests or detentions, is much less clear. The present review, therefore, focuses on the application of ACT in forensic populations, combining key elements of ACT with elements of forensic rehabilitation models. Specifically, a review of the literature was conducted using a systematic methodology in an attempt to combine evidence-based elements of 40 years of research on regular ACT with elements of forensic rehabilitation models. Results reveal limited yet promising evidence in support of the effectiveness of forensic ACT for forensic outcome measures. Implications for future research and clinical practice are discussed.

The interface between forensic science and technology: how technology could cause a paradigm shift in the role of forensic institutes in the criminal justice system.

PubMed

Kloosterman, Ate; Mapes, Anna; Geradts, Zeno; van Eijk, Erwin; Koper, Carola; van den Berg, Jorrit; Verheij, Saskia; van der Steen, Marcel; van Asten, Arian

2015-08-05

In this paper, the importance of modern technology in forensic investigations is discussed. Recent technological developments are creating new possibilities to perform robust scientific measurements and studies outside the controlled laboratory environment. The benefits of real-time, on-site forensic investigations are manifold and such technology has the potential to strongly increase the speed and efficacy of the criminal justice system. However, such benefits are only realized when quality can be guaranteed at all times and findings can be used as forensic evidence in court. At the Netherlands Forensic Institute, innovation efforts are currently undertaken to develop integrated forensic platform solutions that allow for the forensic investigation of human biological traces, the chemical identification of illicit drugs and the study of large amounts of digital evidence. These platforms enable field investigations, yield robust and validated evidence and allow for forensic intelligence and targeted use of expert capacity at the forensic institutes. This technological revolution in forensic science could ultimately lead to a paradigm shift in which a new role of the forensic expert emerges as developer and custodian of integrated forensic platforms. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

The interface between forensic science and technology: how technology could cause a paradigm shift in the role of forensic institutes in the criminal justice system

PubMed Central

Kloosterman, Ate; Mapes, Anna; Geradts, Zeno; van Eijk, Erwin; Koper, Carola; van den Berg, Jorrit; Verheij, Saskia; van der Steen, Marcel; van Asten, Arian

2015-01-01

In this paper, the importance of modern technology in forensic investigations is discussed. Recent technological developments are creating new possibilities to perform robust scientific measurements and studies outside the controlled laboratory environment. The benefits of real-time, on-site forensic investigations are manifold and such technology has the potential to strongly increase the speed and efficacy of the criminal justice system. However, such benefits are only realized when quality can be guaranteed at all times and findings can be used as forensic evidence in court. At the Netherlands Forensic Institute, innovation efforts are currently undertaken to develop integrated forensic platform solutions that allow for the forensic investigation of human biological traces, the chemical identification of illicit drugs and the study of large amounts of digital evidence. These platforms enable field investigations, yield robust and validated evidence and allow for forensic intelligence and targeted use of expert capacity at the forensic institutes. This technological revolution in forensic science could ultimately lead to a paradigm shift in which a new role of the forensic expert emerges as developer and custodian of integrated forensic platforms. PMID:26101289

Factors Predicting Organizational Identification with Intercollegiate Forensics Teams

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Croucher, Stephen M.; Long, Bridget L.; Meredith, Michael J.; Oommen, Deepa; Steele, Emily L.

2009-01-01

This study examines the relationship between intercollegiate forensics competitors' organizational identification and organizational culture. Through a survey analysis of 314 intercollegiate forensics students, this study reports three major findings. First, this study found male competitors identify with forensics programs more than female…

Awareness of forensic odontology among dentists in Australia; are they keeping forensically valuable dental records?

PubMed

Al-Azri, Abdul Rahman; Harford, Jane; James, Helen

2015-03-30

Forensic odontologists provide an important service to the community by identifying unknown deceased people, allowing both legal outcomes and family closure. Non-visual identification may be achieved by comparison of post-mortem data with ante-mortem dental records provided by oral health practitioners. Success is dependent largely on the accuracy and adequacy of data in the dental records. An online self-administered questionnaire evaluated Australian dentists' knowledge and behaviours relevant to forensic odontology. Reported record keeping practices were assessed for detail, legibility, accessibility and retention. Behaviours were classified according to the frequency of response. Dentists reported overall reasonable awareness of the major applications of forensic odontology. Personal information and details of restorative treatment were recorded at high levels, while tooth anomalies, photography, additional patient details and denture marking were recorded inadequately. Legible tooth coding was reported at a high level, while other key legibility practices were recorded inadequately. Few of the behaviours related to retention or to maximise accessibility were recorded at a high level. Australian dentists have high expectations of the forensic value of their dental records; however many practices that would enhance the diagnostic, medico-legal and forensic value of dental records are not routinely applied. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

History, research and practice of forensic anthropology in Thailand.

PubMed

Traithepchanapai, Pongpon; Mahakkanukrauh, Pasuk; Kranioti, Elena F

2016-04-01

Forensic anthropology is an increasingly developing discipline born about a century ago in the United States with the objective to contribute the knowledge of bone biology and physical anthropology to the emerging needs of the court of law. The development of research in biological and forensic anthropology has made rapid progress worldwide in the past few years, however, in most countries--with the exception of the United States--forensic anthropology work is still considered within the duties of the forensic pathologist. This paper attempts to summarise the history and development of forensic anthropology in Thailand by providing information on past and current research and practice that can help forensic practitioners to apply existing methods in forensic cases and mass disasters. It is hoped that the lessons learned from the tsunami catastrophe and the emerging need for positive identification in medicolegal settings will lead to rapid advances in education, training and professional engagement of anthropologists from the forensic departments and the law enforcement agencies in Thailand. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Course constructions: A case-base of forensic toxicology.

PubMed

Zhou, Nan; Wu, Yeda; Su, Terry; Zhang, Liyong; Yin, Kun; Zheng, Da; Zheng, Jingjing; Huang, Lei; Wu, Qiuping; Cheng, Jianding

2017-08-01

Forensic toxicology education in China is limited by insufficient teaching methods and resources, resulting in students with adequate theoretical principles but lacking practice experience. Typical cases used as teaching materials vividly represent intoxication and provide students with an opportunity to practice and hone resolving skills. In 2013, the Department of Forensic Pathology at Zhongshan School of Medicine began to construct top-quality courses in forensic toxicology, with its first step, creating a base containing typical cases of intoxication. This essay reviews the construction process of said cases-base, which is intended to set an example of forensic toxicology education. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Forensic Analysis of Parachute Deaths.

PubMed

Burke, Michael Philip; Chitty, Johannes

2017-03-01

Deaths associated with parachuting are very uncommon. However, these deaths do tend to be "high profile" in the traditional and social media. When forensic pathologists examine the deceased after a fatal parachuting incident, the anatomical cause of death is usually not in question. For most forensic pathologists, it is usually the case that we will have very limited knowledge of parachuting equipment or the mechanics of a typical successful parachute jump. As such, the investigation of the death should involve a multidisciplinary approach with an appropriate expert providing the formal forensic examination of the parachuting equipment. We have endeavored to describe, in simple terms, the usual components of a typical parachute rig, a précis of the sequence of events in a routine skydive and BASE jump, and the various types of malfunctions that may occur. Last, we present a case report of a BASE jump fatality to illustrate how an expert examination of the BASE jumper's gear aided the medicolegal investigation of the death with some important aspects in the forensic examination of the jumper's equipment.

Cognitive neuroscience in forensic science: understanding and utilizing the human element.

PubMed

Dror, Itiel E

2015-08-05

The human element plays a critical role in forensic science. It is not limited only to issues relating to forensic decision-making, such as bias, but also relates to most aspects of forensic work (some of which even take place before a crime is ever committed or long after the verification of the forensic conclusion). In this paper, I explicate many aspects of forensic work that involve the human element and therefore show the relevance (and potential contribution) of cognitive neuroscience to forensic science. The 10 aspects covered in this paper are proactive forensic science, selection during recruitment, training, crime scene investigation, forensic decision-making, verification and conflict resolution, reporting, the role of the forensic examiner, presentation in court and judicial decisions. As the forensic community is taking on the challenges introduced by the realization that the human element is critical for forensic work, new opportunities emerge that allow for considerable improvement and enhancement of the forensic science endeavour. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Forensic Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berry, Keith O.; Nigh, W. G.

1973-01-01

A course is described, which was given during an interim, with an enrollment of 41 students. The course involved an in-depth study of forensic science, involving students with the methodology of science. (DF)

Unsolicited E-mails to Forensic Psychiatrists.

PubMed

Friedman, Susan Hatters; Appel, Jacob M; Ash, Peter; Frierson, Richard L; Giorgi-Guarnieri, Deborah; Martinez, Richard; Newman, Alan W; Pinals, Debra A; Resnick, Phillip J; Simpson, Alexander I F

2016-12-01

E-mail communication is pervasive. Since many forensic psychiatrists have their e-mail addresses available online (either on personal websites, university websites, or articles they have authored), they are likely to receive unsolicited e-mails. Although there is an emerging body of literature about exchanging e-mail with patients, there is little guidance about how to respond to e-mails from nonpatients. Therefore, we used a Delphi technique to develop a consensus about salient points for the forensic psychiatrist to consider regarding responding to e-mails from nonpatients and the risks entailed. Four scenarios are described, including e-mails from nonpatients and unknown others requesting advice or help. The potential ethics-related, legal, moral, and practical concerns for forensic psychiatrists are discussed. Finally, potential pitfalls for forensic psychiatrists are described. © 2016 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.

Forensic anthropology in Latin America.

PubMed

Işcan, M Y; Olivera, H E

2000-03-13

Forensic anthropology has been one of the fastest growing medico-legal disciplines both in its contribution to the practical needs of the legal system and research accomplishments. New anthropological standards were developed to apply to a specific population of a region. The purpose of this paper is to analyze a large sample of anthropological forensic cases and to review pertinent literature that deals with anthropological standards developed for the population of the continent of Central and South America. Using Uruguay as an example, there was not a single office or anthropologist assigned to analyze human skeletal remains in Uruguay. In 1991 the Laboratorio de Antropología Forense at the Morgue Judicial of Montevideo was created. A total of 189 forensic anthropological cases (276 individuals) were analyzed since this date. Twenty six percent of cases involving human remains were positively identified. The majority came from the Departamento de Montevideo, the largest population district of the country. Most of the cases fell into the 60 to 69 years old age range (35%). Females represented 32% of the total. Since the establishment of the laboratory, the number of forensic cases increased considerably from 20 in 1991 to 40 in 1997. The case studies were accompanied with skull-photo superimposition and facial reconstruction when no other evidence for positive identification was available. This service provided by the laboratory was quickly known to coroners, law enforcement agencies, and other legal authorities and thus utilized not only in Uruguay but also in several other countries in the continent. Because of the obvious need for an anthropologist, there are now university programs to provide forensic anthropological education. Yet, research has lagged behind considerably. Deficiencies are obvious in basic osteological standards of estimating age, calculating stature, determining sex and assessing race that can be applied to populations of the continent

Active Traffic Capture for Network Forensics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slaviero, Marco; Granova, Anna; Olivier, Martin

Network traffic capture is an integral part of network forensics, but current traffic capture techniques are typically passive in nature. Under heavy loads, it is possible for a sniffer to miss packets, which affects the quality of forensic evidence.

Best practice in forensic entomology--standards and guidelines.

PubMed

Amendt, Jens; Campobasso, Carlo P; Gaudry, Emmanuel; Reiter, Christian; LeBlanc, Hélène N; Hall, Martin J R

2007-03-01

Forensic entomology, the use of insects and other arthropods in forensic investigations, is becoming increasingly more important in such investigations. To ensure its optimal use by a diverse group of professionals including pathologists, entomologists and police officers, a common frame of guidelines and standards is essential. Therefore, the European Association for Forensic Entomology has developed a protocol document for best practice in forensic entomology, which includes an overview of equipment used for collection of entomological evidence and a detailed description of the methods applied. Together with the definitions of key terms and a short introduction to the most important methods for the estimation of the minimum postmortem interval, the present paper aims to encourage a high level of competency in the field of forensic entomology.

Location tracking forensics on mobile devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sack, Stefan; Kröger, Knut; Creutzburg, Reiner

2013-03-01

The spread of navigation devices has increased significantly over the last 10 years. With the help of the current development of even smaller navigation receiver units it is to navigate with almost any current smart phone. Modern navigation systems are no longer limited to satellite navigation, but use current techniques, e.g. WLAN localization. Due to the increased use of navigation devices their relevance to forensic investigations has risen rapidly. Because navigation, for example with navigation equipment and smartphones, have become common place these days, also the amount of saved navigation data has risen rapidly. All of these developments lead to a necessary forensic analysis of these devices. However, there are very few current procedures for investigating of navigation devices. Navigation data is forensically interesting because by the position of the devices in most cases the location and the traveled path of the owner can be reconstructed. In this work practices for forensic analysis of navigation devices are developed. Different devices will be analyzed and it is attempted, by means of forensic procedures to restore the traveled path of the mobile device. For analysis of the various devices different software and hardware is used. There will be presented common procedures for securing and testing of mobile devices. Further there will be represented the specials in the investigation of each device. The different classes considered are GPS handhelds, mobile navigation devices and smartphones. It will be attempted, wherever possible, to read all data of the device. The aim is to restore complete histories of the navigation data and to forensically study and analyze these data. This is realized by the usage of current forensic software e.g. TomTology or Oxygen Forensic Suite. It is also attempted to use free software whenever possible. Further alternative methods are used (e.g. rooting) to access locked data of the unit. To limit the practical work the

Practice Parameter for Child and Adolescent Forensic Evaluations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 2011

2011-01-01

This Parameter addresses the key concepts that differentiate the forensic evaluation of children and adolescents from a clinical assessment. There are ethical issues unique to the forensic evaluation, because the forensic evaluator's duty is to the person, court, or agency requesting the evaluation, rather than to the patient. The forensic…

An Improved Forensic Science Information Search.

PubMed

Teitelbaum, J

2015-01-01

Although thousands of search engines and databases are available online, finding answers to specific forensic science questions can be a challenge even to experienced Internet users. Because there is no central repository for forensic science information, and because of the sheer number of disciplines under the forensic science umbrella, forensic scientists are often unable to locate material that is relevant to their needs. The author contends that using six publicly accessible search engines and databases can produce high-quality search results. The six resources are Google, PubMed, Google Scholar, Google Books, WorldCat, and the National Criminal Justice Reference Service. Carefully selected keywords and keyword combinations, designating a keyword phrase so that the search engine will search on the phrase and not individual keywords, and prompting search engines to retrieve PDF files are among the techniques discussed. Copyright © 2015 Central Police University.

System Support for Forensic Inference

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gehani, Ashish; Kirchner, Florent; Shankar, Natarajan

Digital evidence is playing an increasingly important role in prosecuting crimes. The reasons are manifold: financially lucrative targets are now connected online, systems are so complex that vulnerabilities abound and strong digital identities are being adopted, making audit trails more useful. If the discoveries of forensic analysts are to hold up to scrutiny in court, they must meet the standard for scientific evidence. Software systems are currently developed without consideration of this fact. This paper argues for the development of a formal framework for constructing “digital artifacts” that can serve as proxies for physical evidence; a system so imbued would facilitate sound digital forensic inference. A case study involving a filesystem augmentation that provides transparent support for forensic inference is described.

Artefact in forensic medicine: non-missile penetrating injury.

PubMed

Patel, F

1994-12-01

Gunshot wounds are well characterised in forensic textbooks and atypical or unusual ballistic characteristics feature regularly in forensic literature. Forensic practitioners receive continuing education in recognising a variety of gunshot wounds which are created by bullet missiles. Awareness of a non-missile penetrating injury mimicking a gunshot wound is also relevant to forensic medical examiners or others who are likely to attend a scene of death. In this case, which involved self-stabbing with a metal nail, a homicidal firearm death investigation was instigated because of a misinterpretation by crime scene investigators.

An Empirical Investigation of the Relevant Skills of Forensic Accountants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DiGabriele, James A.

2008-01-01

The author investigated whether views of the relevant skills of forensic accountants differ among forensic accounting practitioners, accounting academics, and users of forensic accounting services. Universities and colleges are currently considering adding forensic accounting courses to their curriculum. The results of the present study provide…

Integrating forensic information in a crime intelligence database.

PubMed

Rossy, Quentin; Ioset, Sylvain; Dessimoz, Damien; Ribaux, Olivier

2013-07-10

Since 2008, intelligence units of six states of the western part of Switzerland have been sharing a common database for the analysis of high volume crimes. On a daily basis, events reported to the police are analysed, filtered and classified to detect crime repetitions and interpret the crime environment. Several forensic outcomes are integrated in the system such as matches of traces with persons, and links between scenes detected by the comparison of forensic case data. Systematic procedures have been settled to integrate links assumed mainly through DNA profiles, shoemarks patterns and images. A statistical outlook on a retrospective dataset of series from 2009 to 2011 of the database informs for instance on the number of repetition detected or confirmed and increased by forensic case data. Time needed to obtain forensic intelligence in regard with the type of marks treated, is seen as a critical issue. Furthermore, the underlying integration process of forensic intelligence into the crime intelligence database raised several difficulties in regards of the acquisition of data and the models used in the forensic databases. Solutions found and adopted operational procedures are described and discussed. This process form the basis to many other researches aimed at developing forensic intelligence models. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Audit in forensic pathology.

PubMed

Burke, M P; Opeskin, K

2000-09-01

Autopsy numbers in Australian hospitals have declined markedly during the past decade despite evidence of a relatively static rate of demonstrable clinical misdiagnosis during this time. The reason for this decrease in autopsy numbers is multifactorial and may include a general lack of clinical and pathologic interest in the autopsy with a possible decline in autopsy standard, a lack of clinicopathologic correlation after autopsies, and an increased emphasis on surgical biopsy reporting within hospital pathology departments. Although forensic autopsies are currently maintaining their numbers, it is incumbent on forensic pathologists to demonstrate the wealth of important information a carefully performed postmortem examination can reveal. To this end, the Pathology Division of the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine has instituted a program of minimum standards in varied types of coroner cases and commenced a system of internal and external audit. The minimum standard for a routine, sudden, presumed natural death is presented and the audit system is discussed.

National Nuclear Forensics Expertise Development Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kentis, Samantha E.; Ulicny, William D.

2009-08-01

Over the course of the 2009 Federal Fiscal Year the United States (U.S.) Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in partnership with the Departments of Defense (DoD) and Energy (DOE), is continuing existing programs and introducing new programs designed to maintain a highly qualified, enduring workforce capable of performing the technical nuclear forensics mission. These student and university programs are designed to recruit the best and brightest students, develop university faculty and research capabilities, and engage the national laboratories in fields of study with application in nuclear forensics. This comprehensive effort constitutes the National Nuclear Forensics Expertise Development Program.

Peer review in forensic science.

PubMed

Ballantyne, Kaye N; Edmond, Gary; Found, Bryan

2017-08-01

Peer review features prominently in the forensic sciences. Drawing on recent research and studies, this article examines different types of peer review, specifically: editorial peer review; peer review by the scientific community; technical and administrative review; and verification (and replication). The article reviews the different meanings of these quite disparate activities and their utility in relation to enhancing performance and reducing error. It explains how forensic practitioners should approach and use peer review, as well as how it should be described in expert reports and oral testimony. While peer review has considerable potential, and is a key component of modern quality management systems, its actual value in most forensic science settings has yet to be determined. In consequence, forensic practitioners should reflect on why they use specific review procedures and endeavour to make their actual practices and their potential value transparent to consumers; whether investigators, lawyers, jurors or judges. Claims that review increases the validity of a scientific technique or accuracy of opinions within a particular case should be avoided until empirical evidence is available to support such assertions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Role of forensic pathologists in mass disasters.

PubMed

Schuliar, Yves; Knudsen, Peter Juel Thiis

2012-06-01

The forensic pathologist has always had a central role in the identification of the dead in every day practice, in accidents, and in disasters involving hundreds or thousands of victims. This role has changed in recent years, as advances in forensic odontology, genetics and anthropology have improved the chances of identifying victims beyond recognition. According to the Interpol DVI Guide, fingerprints, dental examination and DNA are the primary identifiers, and this has given new emphasis to the role of the forensic pathologist as the leader of a multidisciplinary team of experts in a disaster situation, based on his or her qualifications and the experience gained from doing the same work in the everyday situation of an institute of forensic medicine.

Forensic Analysis of Human DNA from Samples Contamined with Bioweapons Agents

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-10-01

Forensic analysis of human DNA from samples contaminated with bioweapons agents Jason Timbers Kathryn Wright Royal Canadian Mounted...Police Forensic Science and Identification Service Prepared By: Royal Canadian Mounted Police RCMP Forensic Science Identification Services... Royal Canadian Mounted Police Forensic Science and Identification Service Prepared By: Royal Canadian Mounted Police RCMP Forensic Science

Are UK undergraduate Forensic Science degrees fit for purpose?

PubMed

Welsh, Charles; Hannis, Marc

2011-09-01

In October 2009 Skills for Justice published the social research paper 'Fit for purpose?: Research into the provision of Forensic Science degree programmes in UK Higher Education Institutions.' The research engaged employers representing 95% of UK Forensic Science providers and 79% of UK universities offering Forensic Science or Crime Scene degree programmes. In addition to this, the research collected the views of 430 students studying these degrees. In 2008 there were approximately 9000 people working in the Forensic Science sector in the UK. The research found that the numbers of students studying Forensic Science or Crime Scene degrees in the UK have more than doubled since 2002-03, from 2191 in to 5664 in 2007-08. Over the same period there were twice as many females as males studying for these degrees. The research concluded that Forensic Science degree programmes offered by UK universities were of a good quality and they provided the student with a positive learning experience but the content was not relevant for Forensic Science employers. This echoed similar research by the former Government Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills on graduates from wider science, technology, engineering and mathematics degree programmes. The research also found that 75% of students studying Forensic Science or Crime Scene degrees expected to have a career in the Forensic Science sector, meaning that ensuring these courses are relevant for employers is a key challenge for universities. This paper reflects on the original research and discusses the implications in light of recent government policy. Copyright © 2011 Forensic Science Society. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Forensic odontology: a global activity.

PubMed

Gould, George A

2004-05-01

Forensic odontology is an important and expanding field of dentistry. The application of these forensic techniques in identification, criminal justice and dental liability are being practiced worldwide. In some mass disaster events, notably large commercial aircraft crashes, the traumatic forces are such that fragmentation and conflagration result in only the most durable of human tissues-dentition survive and become a potential source of identification.

Bayesian networks for evaluation of evidence from forensic entomology.

PubMed

Andersson, M Gunnar; Sundström, Anders; Lindström, Anders

2013-09-01

In the aftermath of a CBRN incident, there is an urgent need to reconstruct events in order to bring the perpetrators to court and to take preventive actions for the future. The challenge is to discriminate, based on available information, between alternative scenarios. Forensic interpretation is used to evaluate to what extent results from the forensic investigation favor the prosecutors' or the defendants' arguments, using the framework of Bayesian hypothesis testing. Recently, several new scientific disciplines have been used in a forensic context. In the AniBioThreat project, the framework was applied to veterinary forensic pathology, tracing of pathogenic microorganisms, and forensic entomology. Forensic entomology is an important tool for estimating the postmortem interval in, for example, homicide investigations as a complement to more traditional methods. In this article we demonstrate the applicability of the Bayesian framework for evaluating entomological evidence in a forensic investigation through the analysis of a hypothetical scenario involving suspect movement of carcasses from a clandestine laboratory. Probabilities of different findings under the alternative hypotheses were estimated using a combination of statistical analysis of data, expert knowledge, and simulation, and entomological findings are used to update the beliefs about the prosecutors' and defendants' hypotheses and to calculate the value of evidence. The Bayesian framework proved useful for evaluating complex hypotheses using findings from several insect species, accounting for uncertainty about development rate, temperature, and precolonization. The applicability of the forensic statistic approach to evaluating forensic results from a CBRN incident is discussed.

Review of Forensic Tools for Smartphones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jahankhani, Hamid; Azam, Amir

The technological capability of mobile devices in particular Smartphones makes their use of value to the criminal community as a data terminal in the facilitation of organised crime or terrorism. The effective targeting of these devices from criminal and security intelligence perspectives and subsequent detailed forensic examination of the targeted device will significantly enhance the evidence available to the law enforcement community. When phone devices are involved in crimes, forensic examiners require tools that allow the proper retrieval and prompt examination of information present on these devices. Smartphones that are compliant to Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) standards, will maintains their identity and user's personal information on Subscriber Identity Module (SIM). Beside SIM cards, substantial amount of information is stored on device's internal memory and external memory modules. The aim of this paper is to give an overview of the currently available forensic software tools that are developed to carry out forensic investigation of mobile devices and point to current weaknesses within this process.

The development and practice of forensic podiatry.

PubMed

Vernon, Wesley

2006-01-01

Forensic podiatry is a small, but potentially useful specialty using clinical podiatric knowledge for the purpose of person identification. The practice of forensic podiatry began in the early 1970s in Canada and the UK, although supportive research commenced later in the 1990s. Techniques of forensic podiatry include identification from podiatry records, the human footprint, footwear, and the analysis of gait forms captured on Closed Circuit Television Cameras. The most valuable techniques relate to the comparison of the foot impressions inside shoes. Tools to describe, measure and compare foot impressions with footwear wear marks have been developed through research with potential for further development. The role of forensic podiatrists is of particular value when dealing with variable factors relating to the functioning and the shod foot. Case studies demonstrate the approach of podiatrists, in footwear identification, when comparing exemplar with questioned foot impressions. Forensic podiatry practice should be approached cautiously and it is essential for podiatrists undertaking this type of work to understand the context within which the process of person identification takes place.

Computer Forensics Education - the Open Source Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huebner, Ewa; Bem, Derek; Cheung, Hon

In this chapter we discuss the application of the open source software tools in computer forensics education at tertiary level. We argue that open source tools are more suitable than commercial tools, as they provide the opportunity for students to gain in-depth understanding and appreciation of the computer forensic process as opposed to familiarity with one software product, however complex and multi-functional. With the access to all source programs the students become more than just the consumers of the tools as future forensic investigators. They can also examine the code, understand the relationship between the binary images and relevant data structures, and in the process gain necessary background to become the future creators of new and improved forensic software tools. As a case study we present an advanced subject, Computer Forensics Workshop, which we designed for the Bachelor's degree in computer science at the University of Western Sydney. We based all laboratory work and the main take-home project in this subject on open source software tools. We found that without exception more than one suitable tool can be found to cover each topic in the curriculum adequately. We argue that this approach prepares students better for forensic field work, as they gain confidence to use a variety of tools, not just a single product they are familiar with.

Assessment of the Forensic Sciences Profession: A Legal Study Concerning the Forensic Sciences Personnel. Volume III.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schroeder, Oliver, Jr.

The place and function of forensic sciences personnel in American criminal law and court procedure, and the criteria used by criminal trial judges and lawyers to assess the value of forensic sciences personnel were investigated. Federal, state, Virgin Island, and Puerto Rican laws were examined, and a search of the medical and legal literature…

Forensic anthropology and mortuary archaeology in Lithuania.

PubMed

Jankauskas, Rimantas

2009-12-01

Forensic anthropology (in Lithuania, as everywhere in Eastern Europe, traditionally considered as a narrower field--forensic osteology) has a long history, experience being gained both during exhumations of mass killings during the Second World War and the subsequent totalitarian regime, investigations of historical mass graves, identification of historical personalities and routine forensic work. Experts of this field (usually a branch of forensic medicine) routinely are solving "technical" questions of crime investigation, particularly identification of (usually dead) individuals. Practical implementation of the mission of forensic anthropology is not an easy task due to interdisciplinary character of the field. On one hand, physical anthropology has in its disposition numerous scientifically tested methods, however, their practical value in particular legal processes is limited. Reasons for these discrepancies can be related both to insufficient understanding of possibilities and limitations of forensic anthropology and archaeology by officials representing legal institutions that perform investigations, and sometimes too "academic" research, that is conducted at anthropological laboratories, when methods developed are not completely relevant to practical needs. Besides of answering to direct questions (number of individuals, sex, age, stature, population affinity, individual traits, evidence of violence), important humanitarian aspects--the individual's right for identity, the right of the relatives to know the fate of their beloved ones--should not be neglected. Practical use of other identification methods faces difficulties of their own (e.g., odontology--lack of regular dental registration system and compatible database). Two examples of forensic anthropological work of mass graves, even when the results were much influenced by the questions raised by investigators, can serve as an illustration of the above-mentioned issues.

Forensic anthropology in Europe: an assessment of current status and application.

PubMed

Kranioti, Elena; Paine, Robert

2011-01-01

Forensic anthropology is the discipline that traditionally deals with the examination of human remains for legal purposes and it derives from the fields of anatomy, physical anthropology and forensic medicine. For more than a century, forensic anthropologists in the United States have been offering their services in the court of law complementing the medico-legal investigation of other forensic professionals. The current status in European countries is presented here. The development of forensic anthropology varies significantly among the countries of Europe. Whereas some countries show a long history of research activity in the forensic sciences, including forensic anthropology (i.e. France, Germany and Spain), others are exhibiting a recent, rapid development (i.e. United Kingdom). In some cases, forensic anthropologists are employed within the academic realm (i.e. U.K., Denmark, Portugal, Turkey), forensic institutions (Netherlands) or government organizations (Spain, Hungary), although the vast majority of them remain limited to freelance activities on a sporadic basis. Often, European scientists that deal with skeletal remains come from nonphysical anthropology disciplines such as archaeology, forensic medicine and biology. In many cases they do not have adequate training equivalent to the forensic anthropologists in the USA. Naturally, without common training and a common legal system, an accreditation system for Europe will be difficult to implement.

Role of dental expert in forensic odontology

PubMed Central

Verma, Anoop K.; Kumar, Sachil; Rathore, Shiuli; Pandey, Abhishek

2014-01-01

Forensic dentistry has become an integral part of forensic science over the past 100 years that utilizes dental or oro-facial findings to serve the judicial system. This has been due to the dedication of people like Gustafson's, Keiser-Nielson, and Suzuki for this field. They established the essential role which forensic dentistry plays mainly in the identification of human remains. The tooth has been used as weapons and under certain circumstances, may leave information about the identity of the biter. Dental professionals have a major role to play in keeping accurate dental records and providing all necessary information so that legal authorities may recognize mal practice, negligence, fraud or abuse, and identity of unknown individuals. This paper will try to summarize the various roles of dental experts in forensic medicine. PMID:25298709

[Advance of Forensic Research in Insulin Poisoning].

PubMed

Tong, F; Liang, Y; Shi, Q; Zhang, L; L, W H; Zhou, Y W

2017-02-01

Insulin as a common clinical hypoglycemic agent can effectively control serves to lower the concentration of blood glucose. However, insulin overdose can lead to death. In the whole fatal cases of insulin overdose, medical accident is the most common, followed by suicide. Though insulin homicide is extremely rare, it deserves great attention. Though there are some researches about insulin poisoning on forensic toxicology and pathology, it is still a difficult task in forensic practice. In this paper, the mechanism of death, pathological changes, detection methods and diagnose criteria of insulin overdose will be discussed in the view of forensic toxicology and pathology. We hope that this paper could enhance relative knowledges of insulin poisoning for medical examiners. Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Forensic Medicine.

Three-dimensional computer visualization of forensic pathology data.

PubMed

March, Jack; Schofield, Damian; Evison, Martin; Woodford, Noel

2004-03-01

Despite a decade of use in US courtrooms, it is only recently that forensic computer animations have become an increasingly important form of communication in legal spheres within the United Kingdom. Aims Research at the University of Nottingham has been influential in the critical investigation of forensic computer graphics reconstruction methodologies and techniques and in raising the profile of this novel form of data visualization within the United Kingdom. The case study presented demonstrates research undertaken by Aims Research and the Department of Forensic Pathology at the University of Sheffield, which aims to apply, evaluate, and develop novel 3-dimensional computer graphics (CG) visualization and virtual reality (VR) techniques in the presentation and investigation of forensic information concerning the human body. The inclusion of such visualizations within other CG or VR environments may ultimately provide the potential for alternative exploratory directions, processes, and results within forensic pathology investigations.

Content based information retrieval in forensic image databases.

PubMed

Geradts, Zeno; Bijhold, Jurrien

2002-03-01

This paper gives an overview of the various available image databases and ways of searching these databases on image contents. The developments in research groups of searching in image databases is evaluated and compared with the forensic databases that exist. Forensic image databases of fingerprints, faces, shoeprints, handwriting, cartridge cases, drugs tablets, and tool marks are described. The developments in these fields appear to be valuable for forensic databases, especially that of the framework in MPEG-7, where the searching in image databases is standardized. In the future, the combination of the databases (also DNA-databases) and possibilities to combine these can result in stronger forensic evidence.

Virtual reality and 3D animation in forensic visualization.

PubMed

Ma, Minhua; Zheng, Huiru; Lallie, Harjinder

2010-09-01

Computer-generated three-dimensional (3D) animation is an ideal media to accurately visualize crime or accident scenes to the viewers and in the courtrooms. Based upon factual data, forensic animations can reproduce the scene and demonstrate the activity at various points in time. The use of computer animation techniques to reconstruct crime scenes is beginning to replace the traditional illustrations, photographs, and verbal descriptions, and is becoming popular in today's forensics. This article integrates work in the areas of 3D graphics, computer vision, motion tracking, natural language processing, and forensic computing, to investigate the state-of-the-art in forensic visualization. It identifies and reviews areas where new applications of 3D digital technologies and artificial intelligence could be used to enhance particular phases of forensic visualization to create 3D models and animations automatically and quickly. Having discussed the relationships between major crime types and level-of-detail in corresponding forensic animations, we recognized that high level-of-detail animation involving human characters, which is appropriate for many major crime types but has had limited use in courtrooms, could be useful for crime investigation. © 2010 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Forensic Journal, Volume VI, January 1984.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forensic Journal, 1984

1984-01-01

While covering various English language forensics activities in Japan, this special journal issue is heavily devoted to debate. The 22 articles in the journal are divided into five sections as follows: (1) general information on the Japan English Forensics Association (JEFA); (2) debate, including reports on debate tournaments around the world, a…

Oral Pathology in Forensic Investigation.

PubMed

Shamim, Thorakkal

2018-01-01

Forensic odontology is the subdiscipline of dentistry which analyses dental evidence in the interest of justice. Oral pathology is the subdiscipline of dentistry that deals with the pathology affecting the oral and maxillofacial regions. This subdiscipline is utilized for identification through oral and maxillofacial pathologies with associated syndromes, enamel rod patterns, sex determination using exfoliative cytology, identification from occlusal morphology of teeth, and deoxyribonucleic acid profiling from teeth. This subdiscipline is also utilized for age estimation studies which include Gustafson's method, incremental lines of Retzius, perikymata, natal line formation in teeth, neonatal line, racemization of collagen in dentin, cemental incremental lines, thickness of the cementum, and translucency of dentin. Even though the expertise of an oral pathologist is not taken in forensic investigations, this paper aims to discuss the role of oral pathology in forensic investigation.

Oral Pathology in Forensic Investigation

PubMed Central

Shamim, Thorakkal

2018-01-01

Forensic odontology is the subdiscipline of dentistry which analyses dental evidence in the interest of justice. Oral pathology is the subdiscipline of dentistry that deals with the pathology affecting the oral and maxillofacial regions. This subdiscipline is utilized for identification through oral and maxillofacial pathologies with associated syndromes, enamel rod patterns, sex determination using exfoliative cytology, identification from occlusal morphology of teeth, and deoxyribonucleic acid profiling from teeth. This subdiscipline is also utilized for age estimation studies which include Gustafson's method, incremental lines of Retzius, perikymata, natal line formation in teeth, neonatal line, racemization of collagen in dentin, cemental incremental lines, thickness of the cementum, and translucency of dentin. Even though the expertise of an oral pathologist is not taken in forensic investigations, this paper aims to discuss the role of oral pathology in forensic investigation. PMID:29629322

Nuclear Forensics at Los Alamos National Laboratory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kinman, William Scott; Steiner, Robert Ernest; Lamont, Stephen Philip

Nuclear forensics assists in responding to any event where nuclear material is found outside of regulatory control; a response plan is presented and a nuclear forensics program is undergoing further development so that smugglers are sufficiently deterred.

Forensic Physics 101: Falls from a height

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cross, Rod

2008-09-01

The physics of falling from a height, a topic that could be included in a course on forensic physics or in an undergraduate class as an example of Newton's laws, is applied to a common forensic problem.

Recommended Practice: Creating Cyber Forensics Plans for Control Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eric Cornelius; Mark Fabro

Cyber forensics has been in the popular mainstream for some time, and has matured into an information-technology capability that is very common among modern information security programs. The goal of cyber forensics is to support the elements of troubleshooting, monitoring, recovery, and the protection of sensitive data. Moreover, in the event of a crime being committed, cyber forensics is also the approach to collecting, analyzing, and archiving data as evidence in a court of law. Although scalable to many information technology domains, especially modern corporate architectures, cyber forensics can be challenging when being applied to non-traditional environments, which are notmore » comprised of current information technologies or are designed with technologies that do not provide adequate data storage or audit capabilities. In addition, further complexity is introduced if the environments are designed using proprietary solutions and protocols, thus limiting the ease of which modern forensic methods can be utilized. The legacy nature and somewhat diverse or disparate component aspects of control systems environments can often prohibit the smooth translation of modern forensics analysis into the control systems domain. Compounded by a wide variety of proprietary technologies and protocols, as well as critical system technologies with no capability to store significant amounts of event information, the task of creating a ubiquitous and unified strategy for technical cyber forensics on a control systems device or computing resource is far from trivial. To date, no direction regarding cyber forensics as it relates to control systems has been produced other than what might be privately available from commercial vendors. Current materials have been designed to support event recreation (event-based), and although important, these requirements do not always satisfy the needs associated with incident response or forensics that are driven by cyber incidents. To address

Forensic entomology: implementing quality assurance for expertise work.

PubMed

Gaudry, Emmanuel; Dourel, Laurent

2013-09-01

The Department of Forensic Entomology (Institut de Recherche Criminelle de la Gendarmerie Nationale, France) was accredited by the French Committee of Accreditation (Cofrac's Healthcare section) in October 2007 on the basis of NF EN ISO/CEI 17025 standard. It was the first accreditation in this specific field of forensic sciences in France and in Europe. The present paper introduces the accreditation process in forensic entomology (FE) through the experience of the Department of Forensic Entomology. Based upon the identification of necrophagous insects and the study of their biology, FE must, as any other expertise work in forensic sciences, demonstrate integrity and good working practice to satisfy both the courts and the scientific community. FE does not, strictly speaking, follow an analytical method. This could explain why, to make up for a lack of appropriate quality reference, a specific documentation was drafted and written by the staff of the Department of Forensic Entomology in order to define working methods complying with quality standards (testing methods). A quality assurance system is laborious to set up and maintain and can be perceived as complex, time-consuming and never-ending. However, a survey performed in 2011 revealed that the accreditation process in the frame of expertise work has led to new well-defined working habits, based on an effort at transparency. It also requires constant questioning and a proactive approach, both profitable for customers (magistrates, investigators) and analysts (forensic entomologists).

Drawbacks in the scientification of forensic science.

PubMed

Biedermann, A; Curran, J

2014-12-01

This letter to the Editor comments on the article On the limitations of probability in conceptualizing pattern matches in forensic science by P. T. Jayaprakash (Forensic Science International, [10]). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Educating Jurors about Forensic Evidence: Using an Expert Witness and Judicial Instructions to Mitigate the Impact of Invalid Forensic Science Testimony.

PubMed

Eastwood, Joseph; Caldwell, Jiana

2015-11-01

Invalid expert witness testimony that overstated the precision and accuracy of forensic science procedures has been highlighted as a common factor in many wrongful conviction cases. This study assessed the ability of an opposing expert witness and judicial instructions to mitigate the impact of invalid forensic science testimony. Participants (N = 155) acted as mock jurors in a sexual assault trial that contained both invalid forensic testimony regarding hair comparison evidence, and countering testimony from either a defense expert witness or judicial instructions. Results showed that the defense expert witness was successful in educating jurors regarding limitations in the initial expert's conclusions, leading to a greater number of not-guilty verdicts. The judicial instructions were shown to have no impact on verdict decisions. These findings suggest that providing opposing expert witnesses may be an effective safeguard against invalid forensic testimony in criminal trials. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Problem Based Learning in Digital Forensics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Irons, Alastair; Thomas, Paula

2016-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast the efforts of two universities to address the issue of providing computer forensics students with the opportunity to get involved in the practical aspects of forensic search and seizure procedures. The paper discusses the approaches undertaken by the University of Sunderland and the University…

Case reports: Publication standards in forensic psychiatry.

PubMed

Hanson, Annette; Martinez, Richard; Candilis, Philip J

2014-01-01

Psychiatrists who publish case reports are required to seek informed consent from their subjects on the basis of the ethics-related obligation to maintain patient confidentiality. Academic journals have developed editorial standards to fulfill this obligation. Forensic evaluations do not create a doctor-patient relationship in the traditional sense, and information obtained through a forensic evaluation may also be found in the public domain. This public exposure is particularly likely, given the development of open access publishing standards, online journals, and increasing professional involvement in social media. This article outlines the ethics of informed consent in published case reports for general and forensic psychiatry and offers recommendations for forensic case study publishing. The authors suggest changes in the current requirements stated in The Journal for publication of case reports. © 2014 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.

Fit for purpose quality management system for military forensic exploitation.

PubMed

Wilson, Lauren Elizabeth; Gahan, Michelle Elizabeth; Robertson, James; Lennard, Chris

2018-03-01

In a previous publication we described a systems approach to forensic science applied in the military domain. The forensic science 'system of systems' describes forensic science as a sub-system in the larger criminal justice, law enforcement, intelligence, and military systems, with quality management being an important supporting system. Quality management systems help to ensure that organisations achieve their objective and continually improve their capability. Components of forensic science quality management systems can include standardisation of processes, accreditation of facilities to national/international standards, and certification of personnel. A fit for purpose quality management system should be balanced to allow organisations to meet objectives, provide continuous improvement; mitigate risk; and impart a positive quality culture. Considerable attention over the last decades has been given to the need for forensic science quality management systems to meet criminal justice and law enforcement objectives. More recently, the need for the forensic quality management systems to meet forensic intelligence objectives has been considered. This paper, for the first time, discusses the need for a fit for purpose quality management system for military forensic exploitation. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Veterinary Forensic Necropsy: A Review of Procedures and Protocols.

PubMed

Brownlie, H W Brooks; Munro, R

2016-09-01

Investigation of animal-related crime, and therefore submission of forensic cases to veterinary pathology facilities, is increasing, yet many veterinary pathologists are unfamiliar and often uncomfortable with involvement in the forensic necropsy. This article discusses various aspects of the forensic necropsy without specific attention to any particular species group or crime. General advice is given on procedures, documentation, and recording of the examination, and the article indicates how these features may differ from those used in investigation of natural disease. It also discusses evidence management, including recordkeeping, identification of evidence, labeling of photographs, and use of standard operating procedures and protocols. Various written and visual methods for documentation of the forensic necropsy are covered, and adjunctive topics such as sample collection, assessment, and description of wounds and taphonomy are included. Cause, mechanism, and manner of death are defined, and guidance to the use of these terms is given. The aim of this article is to offer guidance on procedural aspects of the forensic necropsy that will help those developing their forensic services, contribute to standardization of the provision of forensic veterinary pathology, and build the confidence of the "uncomfortable" forensic veterinary pathologist. © The Author(s) 2016.

[Forensic medical examinations and teaching: disagreements and discussions within the Brazilian Society of Neurology, Psychiatry, and Forensic Medicine].

PubMed

Cerqueira, Ede

2015-01-01

In order to observe the influence wielded by forensic medicine in the development of the field of psychiatry in Brazil, this research note analyzes the debates that took place from May to July 1918 within the Brazilian Society of Neurology, Psychiatry, and Forensic Medicine over the use of forensic medical examinations as course material in the study of Public Medicine at the Rio de Janeiro School of Medicine. The focus is on how the controversy unfolded within the Society and how this scientific organization influenced the institution of the theoretical and practical training of medical experts.

Ethical issues across different fields of forensic science.

PubMed

Yadav, Praveen Kumar

2017-01-01

Many commentators have acknowledged the fact that the usual courtroom maxim to "tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth" is not so easy to apply in practicality. In any given situation, what does the whole truth include? In case, the whole truth includes all the possible alternatives for a given situation, what should a forensic expert witness do when an important question is not asked by the prosecutor? Does the obligation to tell the whole truth mean that all possible, all probable, all reasonably probable, all highly probable, or only the most probable alternatives must be given in response to a question? In this paper, an attempt has been made to review the various ethical issues in different fields of forensic science, forensic psychology, and forensic DNA databases. Some of the ethical issues are common to all fields whereas some are field specific. These ethical issues are mandatory for ensuring high levels of reliability and credibility of forensic scientists.

Ethics and forensic psychiatry: translating principles into practice.

PubMed

Appelbaum, Paul S

2008-01-01

Twenty-five years ago, Alan Stone expressed his skepticism that forensic psychiatry could be practiced ethically. His remarks have proven a useful goad to the field, focusing attention on the importance of an ethics framework for forensic practice. But Stone remains dubious that any system of ethics--including the "Standard Position" on which he focuses his critique--could be of much value in practice. In contrast, I suggest that Stone's pessimism is not well founded. Immanent in forensic practice itself is a reasonable set of ethics principles, based on truth-telling and respect for persons. Psychiatrists can offer reliable and valid testimony, while resisting seduction into an advocacy role. Indeed, with new structured approaches to assessment, the potential utility of forensic testimony is probably greater than ever. Though problematic behavior still exists, forensic psychiatry offers the factual background and interpretive context to allow legal decision-makers to make better choices than they otherwise would.

Personalized Medicine Applied to Forensic Sciences: New Advances and Perspectives for a Tailored Forensic Approach.

PubMed

Santurro, Alessandro; Vullo, Anna Maria; Borro, Marina; Gentile, Giovanna; La Russa, Raffaele; Simmaco, Maurizio; Frati, Paola; Fineschi, Vittorio

2017-01-01

Personalized medicine (PM), included in P5 medicine (Personalized, Predictive, Preventive, Participative and Precision medicine) is an innovative approach to the patient, emerging from the need to tailor and to fit the profile of each individual. PM promises to dramatically impact also on forensic sciences and justice system in ways we are only beginning to understand. The application of omics (genomic, transcriptomics, epigenetics/imprintomics, proteomic and metabolomics) is ever more fundamental in the so called "molecular autopsy". Emerging fields of interest in forensic pathology are represented by diagnosis and detection of predisposing conditions to fatal thromboembolic and hypertensive events, determination of genetic variants related to sudden death, such as congenital long QT syndromes, demonstration of lesions vitality, identification of biological matrices and species diagnosis of a forensic trace on crime scenes without destruction of the DNA. The aim of this paper is to describe the state-of-art in the application of personalized medicine in forensic sciences, to understand the possibilities of integration in routine investigation of these procedures with classical post-mortem studies and to underline the importance of these new updates in medical examiners' armamentarium in determining cause of death or contributing factors to death. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Law and psychiatry. Doing forensic work, II: fees, billing, and collections.

PubMed

Reid, William H

2012-05-01

Forensic practice fees, billing, and collection procedures are quite different from those in general psychiatry. Most forensic practices have far fewer "clients," and individual bills are usually larger. Collections are usually better (and less frequently discounted) in forensic practice, and resolving billing disputes is far more straightforward. Medicare, Medicaid, other insurance coverage, provider networks and agreements, procedure codes, and diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) are all largely irrelevant in forensic work (although sometimes important to direct clinical services in correctional psychiatry or forensic treatment clinics). An understanding of the practicalities and ethics of charging and billing for forensic services greatly simplifies practice management.

Basic research in evolution and ecology enhances forensics.

PubMed

Tomberlin, Jeffery K; Benbow, M Eric; Tarone, Aaron M; Mohr, Rachel M

2011-02-01

In 2009, the National Research Council recommended that the forensic sciences strengthen their grounding in basic empirical research to mitigate against criticism and improve accuracy and reliability. For DNA-based identification, this goal was achieved under the guidance of the population genetics community. This effort resulted in DNA analysis becoming the 'gold standard' of the forensic sciences. Elsewhere, we proposed a framework for streamlining research in decomposition ecology, which promotes quantitative approaches to collecting and applying data to forensic investigations involving decomposing human remains. To extend the ecological aspects of this approach, this review focuses on forensic entomology, although the framework can be extended to other areas of decomposition. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Alexithymia as a potential source of symptom over-reporting: An exploratory study in forensic patients and non-forensic participants.

PubMed

Merckelbach, Harald; Prins, Chinouk; Boskovic, Irena; Niesten, Isabella; À Campo, Joost

2018-04-01

The traditional interpretation of symptom over-reporting is that it indicates malingering. We explored a different perspective, namely that over-reporting of eccentric symptoms is related to deficits in articulating internal experiences (i.e., alexithymia). Given that alexithymia has been linked to sleep problems and that fatigue may fuel inattentive responding to symptom lists, we administered measures of alexithymia (TAS-20) and symptom over-reporting (SIMS), but also sleep quality (SLEEP-50) to forensic psychiatric outpatients (n = 40) and non-forensic participants (n = 40). Forensic patients scored significantly higher on all three indices than non-forensic participants. In the total sample as well as in subsamples, over-reporting correlated positively and significantly with alexithymia, with rs being in the 0.50-0.65 range. Sleep problems were also related to over-reporting, but in the full sample and in the forensic subsample, alexithymia predicted variance in over-reporting over and above sleep problems. Although our study is cross-sectional in nature, its results indicate that alexithymia as a potential source of over-reporting merits systematic research. © 2018 Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Preserving the Pedagogy: The Director of Forensics as an At-Risk Professional.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jensen, Scott

Today's collegiate forensic activities have changed in ways that pose profound challenges to directors of forensics. Six primary factors that contribute to the "at-riskness" of directors of forensics are: the changing face of today's forensic program forces difficult choices; the forensics community is seeing signs of a crisis in…

Accuracy Rates of Sex Estimation by Forensic Anthropologists through Comparison with DNA Typing Results in Forensic Casework.

PubMed

Thomas, Richard M; Parks, Connie L; Richard, Adam H

2016-09-01

A common task in forensic anthropology involves the estimation of the biological sex of a decedent by exploiting the sexual dimorphism between males and females. Estimation methods are often based on analysis of skeletal collections of known sex and most include a research-based accuracy rate. However, the accuracy rates of sex estimation methods in actual forensic casework have rarely been studied. This article uses sex determinations based on DNA results from 360 forensic cases to develop accuracy rates for sex estimations conducted by forensic anthropologists. The overall rate of correct sex estimation from these cases is 94.7% with increasing accuracy rates as more skeletal material is available for analysis and as the education level and certification of the examiner increases. Nine of 19 incorrect assessments resulted from cases in which one skeletal element was available, suggesting that the use of an "undetermined" result may be more appropriate for these cases. Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Reliability and Validity of the Dutch Version of the Behavioural Status Index: A Nurse-Rated Forensic Assessment Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chakhssi, Farid; de Ruiter, Corine; Bernstein, David

2010-01-01

The Behavioural Status Index (BEST-Index) has been introduced into Dutch forensic psychiatry to measure change in risk level of future violence. The BEST-Index is a structured observational measure that assesses aggressive behavior, degree of insight, social skills, self-care, and work and leisure skills during inpatient treatment. Thus far,…

[The undergraduate program in forensic science: a national challenge].

PubMed

García Castillo, Zoraida; Graue Wiechers, Enrique; Durante Montiel, Irene; Herrera Saint Leu, Patricia

2014-01-01

The challenge in achieving an ideal state of justice is that each "proof" has the highest degree of reliability. This is the main responsibility of the forensic scientist. Up to now, criminal investigations in Mexico have been supported by forensic work from a wide variety of disciplinary backgrounds that give testimony in a particular area, even though they may have become forensic witnesses in a complementary and experiential manner. In January 2013, the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) approved the "Forensic Science" undergraduate program that, in collaboration with various academic entities and government institutions, will develop forensic scientists trained in science, law, and criminology. This is focused on contributing to the national demand that the justice system has more elements to procure and administer justice in dealing with crime.

Forensic Medicine: An Aid to Criminal Investigation

PubMed Central

Deadman, William J.

1965-01-01

Forensic medicine is medicine as applied to the problems of the law. The origins of both are hidden in the mists of antiquity, dating from the beginnings of family and tribal life. Recorded human history goes back for 6000 years. Sumeria, Babylon and Egypt all contributed to the development of forensic medicine. Imhotep was probably the first real medicolegal expert. Hippocrates, the Greek physician, and Galen, the Roman, made considerable contributions. Little advance was made during the millenium of the Dark Ages. But Renaissance medicine gave this branch of medicine an impetus in the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and in the twentieth, interest in forensic medicine is worldwide. The physician, the coroner, the pathologist, the medical specialist and the forensic laboratory contribute to the investigation of crimes against the person, and to the solution of such problems as identification, untoward deaths, apparent drowning and many others. PMID:14269437

[Professor Kazimierz Jaegermann--forensic pathologist--scientist--thinker].

PubMed

Nasiłowski, Władysław

2009-01-01

Professor Kazimierz Jaegermann, a founder of the theory of medico-legal opinionating, passed away 20 years ago. Numerous specialists in forensic medicine and an ever increasing number of lawyers substantiate the importance and value of the creative thought and the entire research work of Professor Jaegermann that have been an inspiration of progress in forensic medicine and in the science of applied law. His unique ability to perform a scientific synthesis leading to recognizing forensic medicine as an applied bridging knowledge points to the eminently creative role played by Professor Jaegermann in development of forensic medicine. There is an urgent need to recall his research activities and to publish a complete collection of his articles and publications. With this idea in mind, I present below an article based on the text published in No. 1 of the Zeszyty Naukowe Katedry Medycyny Sadowej Slaskiej Akademii Medycznej in 1995.

An Evidence-Based Forensic Taxonomy of Windows Phone Communication Apps.

PubMed

Cahyani, Niken Dwi Wahyu; Martini, Ben; Choo, Kim-Kwang Raymond; Ab Rahman, Nurul Hidayah; Ashman, Helen

2018-05-01

Communication apps can be an important source of evidence in a forensic investigation (e.g., in the investigation of a drug trafficking or terrorism case where the communications apps were used by the accused persons during the transactions or planning activities). This study presents the first evidence-based forensic taxonomy of Windows Phone communication apps, using an existing two-dimensional Android forensic taxonomy as a baseline. Specifically, 30 Windows Phone communication apps, including Instant Messaging (IM) and Voice over IP (VoIP) apps, are examined. Artifacts extracted using physical acquisition are analyzed, and seven digital evidence objects of forensic interest are identified, namely: Call Log, Chats, Contacts, Locations, Installed Applications, SMSs and User Accounts. Findings from this study would help to facilitate timely and effective forensic investigations involving Windows Phone communication apps. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

[Reflection of estimating postmortem interval in forensic entomology and the Daubert standard].

PubMed

Xie, Dan; Peng, Yu-Long; Guo, Ya-Dong; Cai, Ji-Feng

2013-08-01

Estimating postmortem interval (PMI) is always the emphasis and difficulty in forensic practice. Forensic entomology plays a significant indispensable role. Recently, the theories and technologies of forensic entomology are increasingly rich. But many problems remain in the research and practice. With proposing the Daubert standard, the reliability and accuracy of estimation PMI by forensic entomology need more demands. This review summarizes the application of the Daubert standard in several aspects of ecology, quantitative genetics, population genetics, molecular biology, and microbiology in the practice of forensic entomology. It builds a bridge for basic research and forensic practice to provide higher accuracy for estimating postmortem interval by forensic entomology.

[Research & development on computer expert system for forensic bones estimation].

PubMed

Zhao, Jun-ji; Zhang, Jan-zheng; Liu, Nin-guo

2005-08-01

To build an expert system for forensic bones estimation. By using the object oriented method, employing statistical data of forensic anthropology, combining the statistical data frame knowledge representation with productions and also using the fuzzy matching and DS evidence theory method. Software for forensic estimation of sex, age and height with opened knowledge base was designed. This system is reliable and effective, and it would be a good assistant of the forensic technician.

Remarks on forensically interesting Sony Playstation 3 console features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daugs, Gunnar; Kröger, Knut; Creutzburg, Reiner

2012-02-01

This paper deals with forensically interesting features of the Sony Playstation 3 game console. The construction and the internal structure are analyzed more precisely. Interesting forensic features of the operating system and the file system are presented. Differences between a PS3 with and without jailbreak are introduced and possible forensic attempts when using an installed Linux are discussed.

Computer Forensics: Is It the Next Hot IT Subject?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Victor G.; Revels, Ken

2006-01-01

Digital Forensics is not just the recovery of data or information from computer systems and their networks. It is not a procedure that can be accomplished by software alone, and most important, it is not something that can be accomplished by other than a trained IT forensic professional. Digital Forensics is an emerging science and was developed…

Forensic bitemark identification: weak foundations, exaggerated claims

PubMed Central

Saks, Michael J.; Albright, Thomas; Bohan, Thomas L.; Bierer, Barbara E.; Bowers, C. Michael; Bush, Mary A.; Bush, Peter J.; Casadevall, Arturo; Cole, Simon A.; Denton, M. Bonner; Diamond, Shari Seidman; Dioso-Villa, Rachel; Epstein, Jules; Faigman, David; Faigman, Lisa; Fienberg, Stephen E.; Garrett, Brandon L.; Giannelli, Paul C.; Greely, Henry T.; Imwinkelried, Edward; Jamieson, Allan; Kafadar, Karen; Kassirer, Jerome P.; Koehler, Jonathan ‘Jay’; Korn, David; Mnookin, Jennifer; Morrison, Alan B.; Murphy, Erin; Peerwani, Nizam; Peterson, Joseph L.; Risinger, D. Michael; Sensabaugh, George F.; Spiegelman, Clifford; Stern, Hal; Thompson, William C.; Wayman, James L.; Zabell, Sandy; Zumwalt, Ross E.

2016-01-01

Abstract Several forensic sciences, especially of the pattern-matching kind, are increasingly seen to lack the scientific foundation needed to justify continuing admission as trial evidence. Indeed, several have been abolished in the recent past. A likely next candidate for elimination is bitemark identification. A number of DNA exonerations have occurred in recent years for individuals convicted based on erroneous bitemark identifications. Intense scientific and legal scrutiny has resulted. An important National Academies review found little scientific support for the field. The Texas Forensic Science Commission recently recommended a moratorium on the admission of bitemark expert testimony. The California Supreme Court has a case before it that could start a national dismantling of forensic odontology. This article describes the (legal) basis for the rise of bitemark identification and the (scientific) basis for its impending fall. The article explains the general logic of forensic identification, the claims of bitemark identification, and reviews relevant empirical research on bitemark identification—highlighting both the lack of research and the lack of support provided by what research does exist. The rise and possible fall of bitemark identification evidence has broader implications—highlighting the weak scientific culture of forensic science and the law's difficulty in evaluating and responding to unreliable and unscientific evidence. PMID:28852538

Matching forensic sketches to mug shot photos.

PubMed

Klare, Brendan F; Li, Zhifeng; Jain, Anil K

2011-03-01

The problem of matching a forensic sketch to a gallery of mug shot images is addressed in this paper. Previous research in sketch matching only offered solutions to matching highly accurate sketches that were drawn while looking at the subject (viewed sketches). Forensic sketches differ from viewed sketches in that they are drawn by a police sketch artist using the description of the subject provided by an eyewitness. To identify forensic sketches, we present a framework called local feature-based discriminant analysis (LFDA). In LFDA, we individually represent both sketches and photos using SIFT feature descriptors and multiscale local binary patterns (MLBP). Multiple discriminant projections are then used on partitioned vectors of the feature-based representation for minimum distance matching. We apply this method to match a data set of 159 forensic sketches against a mug shot gallery containing 10,159 images. Compared to a leading commercial face recognition system, LFDA offers substantial improvements in matching forensic sketches to the corresponding face images. We were able to further improve the matching performance using race and gender information to reduce the target gallery size. Additional experiments demonstrate that the proposed framework leads to state-of-the-art accuracys when matching viewed sketches.

Forensic bitemark identification: weak foundations, exaggerated claims.

PubMed

Saks, Michael J; Albright, Thomas; Bohan, Thomas L; Bierer, Barbara E; Bowers, C Michael; Bush, Mary A; Bush, Peter J; Casadevall, Arturo; Cole, Simon A; Denton, M Bonner; Diamond, Shari Seidman; Dioso-Villa, Rachel; Epstein, Jules; Faigman, David; Faigman, Lisa; Fienberg, Stephen E; Garrett, Brandon L; Giannelli, Paul C; Greely, Henry T; Imwinkelried, Edward; Jamieson, Allan; Kafadar, Karen; Kassirer, Jerome P; Koehler, Jonathan 'Jay'; Korn, David; Mnookin, Jennifer; Morrison, Alan B; Murphy, Erin; Peerwani, Nizam; Peterson, Joseph L; Risinger, D Michael; Sensabaugh, George F; Spiegelman, Clifford; Stern, Hal; Thompson, William C; Wayman, James L; Zabell, Sandy; Zumwalt, Ross E

2016-12-01

Several forensic sciences, especially of the pattern-matching kind, are increasingly seen to lack the scientific foundation needed to justify continuing admission as trial evidence. Indeed, several have been abolished in the recent past. A likely next candidate for elimination is bitemark identification. A number of DNA exonerations have occurred in recent years for individuals convicted based on erroneous bitemark identifications. Intense scientific and legal scrutiny has resulted. An important National Academies review found little scientific support for the field. The Texas Forensic Science Commission recently recommended a moratorium on the admission of bitemark expert testimony. The California Supreme Court has a case before it that could start a national dismantling of forensic odontology. This article describes the (legal) basis for the rise of bitemark identification and the (scientific) basis for its impending fall. The article explains the general logic of forensic identification, the claims of bitemark identification, and reviews relevant empirical research on bitemark identification-highlighting both the lack of research and the lack of support provided by what research does exist. The rise and possible fall of bitemark identification evidence has broader implications-highlighting the weak scientific culture of forensic science and the law's difficulty in evaluating and responding to unreliable and unscientific evidence.

Clinical and forensic signs related to opioids abuse.

PubMed

Dinis-Oliveira, Ricardo Jorge; Carvalho, Felix; Moreira, Roxana; Duarte, Jose Alberto; Proenca, Jorge Brandao; Santos, Agostinho; Magalhaes, Teresa

2012-12-01

For a good performance in Clinical and Forensic Toxicology it is important to be aware of the biological and non-biological signs and symptoms related to xenobiotic exposure. This manuscript highlights and analyzes clinical and forensic imaging related to opioids abuse critically. Particularly, respiratory depression, track marks and hemorrhages, skin "popping", practices of phlebotomy, tissue necrosis and ulceration, dermatitis, tongue hyperpigmentation, "coma blisters", intra-arterial administration, candidiasis, wounds associated with anthrax or clostridium contaminated heroin, desomorphine related lesions and characteristic non-biological evidences are some commonly reported findings in opioids abuse, which will be discussed. For this purpose, clinical and forensic cases from our database (National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, North Branch, Portugal), in addition to literature data, are reviewed.

Genetic relationships between blowflies (Calliphoridae) of forensic importance.

PubMed

Stevens, J; Wall, R

2001-08-15

Phylogenetic relationships among blowfly (Calliphoridae) species of forensic importance are explored using DNA sequence data from the large sub-unit (lsu, 28S) ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene, the study includes representatives of a range of calliphorid species commonly encountered in forensic analysis in Britain and Europe. The data presented provide a basis to define molecular markers, including the identification of highly informative intra-sequence regions, which may be of use in the identification of larvae for forensic entomology. Phylogenetic analysis of the sequences also provides new insights into the different evolutionary patterns apparent within the family Calliphoridae which, additionally, can provide a measure of the degree of genetic variation likely to be encountered within taxonomic groups of differing forensic utility.

Veterinary Forensic Toxicology.

PubMed

Gwaltney-Brant, S M

2016-09-01

Veterinary pathologists working in diagnostic laboratories are sometimes presented with cases involving animal poisonings that become the object of criminal or civil litigation. Forensic veterinary toxicology cases can include cases involving animal cruelty (malicious poisoning), regulatory issues (eg, contamination of the food supply), insurance litigation, or poisoning of wildlife. An understanding of the appropriate approach to these types of cases, including proper sample collection, handling, and transport, is essential so that chain of custody rules are followed and proper samples are obtained for toxicological analysis. Consultation with veterinary toxicologists at the diagnostic laboratory that will be processing the samples before, during, and after the forensic necropsy can help to ensure that the analytical tests performed are appropriate for the circumstances and findings surrounding the individual case. © The Author(s) 2016.

[Continuous challenges in Japanese forensic toxicology practice: strategy to address specific goals].

PubMed

Kageura, Mitsuyoshi

2002-09-01

In this paper, the status quo of forensic toxicology in Japan and the West is surveyed and a strategy to address future goals of Japanese forensic toxicology is proposed. Forensic toxicology in the West consists of three main areas--post-mortem forensic toxicology, human-performance forensic toxicology and forensic urine drug testing. In Japan, post-mortem forensic toxicology is practiced in university forensic medicine departments while most of the human-performance forensic toxicology is carried out in police laboratories. However, at least at present, strictly controlled workplace urine drug testing is not being performed, despite the abuse of drugs even by uniformed members of the National Defence Forces and police. For several years, the author has been introducing Western forensic toxicology guidelines and recommendations, translated into Japanese with the help of Western forensic toxicologists, to Japanese forensic toxicologists. Western forensic toxicology practice is at an advanced stage, whereas Japanese practice is in a critical condition and holds many problems awaiting solution, as exemplified by the urine drug testing in police laboratories. There is never any sample left for re-examination by the defence in all cases, though the initial volume of the urine sample available for examination is 30-50 ml. Only one organisation carries out everything from sampling to reporting and, in addition, the parent drug and its metabolites are not quantified. It is clear that the police laboratories do not work within good laboratory practice guidelines, nor do they have quality manuals or standard operating procedures manuals. A basic change in Japanese forensic toxicology practice is now essential. The author strongly recommends that, first of all, Japanese toxicologists should prepare forensic toxicology guidelines based on the Western models. The guidelines would progress the following objectives for forensic toxicology laboratories: 1) to have documented good

Application of Next-generation Sequencing Technology in Forensic Science

PubMed Central

Yang, Yaran; Xie, Bingbing; Yan, Jiangwei

2014-01-01

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology, with its high-throughput capacity and low cost, has developed rapidly in recent years and become an important analytical tool for many genomics researchers. New opportunities in the research domain of the forensic studies emerge by harnessing the power of NGS technology, which can be applied to simultaneously analyzing multiple loci of forensic interest in different genetic contexts, such as autosomes, mitochondrial and sex chromosomes. Furthermore, NGS technology can also have potential applications in many other aspects of research. These include DNA database construction, ancestry and phenotypic inference, monozygotic twin studies, body fluid and species identification, and forensic animal, plant and microbiological analyses. Here we review the application of NGS technology in the field of forensic science with the aim of providing a reference for future forensics studies and practice. PMID:25462152

[Forensic medicine and the overlap with pathology].

PubMed

Riepert, T

2010-07-01

Forensic medicine incorporates research, teaching and professional service. In the routine practice this encompasses interdisciplinary cooperation with physicians, natural scientists and the legal profession. Lectures in forensic medicine include the correct performance of an external examination of corpses, which every physician must be capable of, just as medical questions and the evidential documentation of injuries. Clinical forensic medicine encompasses the examination and documentation of living victims of physical and/or sexual violence. For further training to become a specialist for forensic medicine it is mandatory to undertake a 6-month training period in pathology. Fatalities with an unclear or unnatural manner of death must be registered with the police. On suspicion of third party involvement the public prosecutor will request a legal autopsy, which is carried out and documented by two physicians in accordance with the penal code. Imaging procedures are standard for an autopsy. Extensive samples are taken for additional testing, such as toxicological and molecular biological investigations.

Education and Training in Forensic Science: A Guide for Forensic Science Laboratories, Educational Institutions, and Students. Special Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Department of Justice, 2004

2004-01-01

Forensic science provides scientific and foundational information for investigators and courts, and thus plays a crucial role in the criminal justice system. This guide was developed through the work of the Technical Working Group on Education and Training in Forensic Science (TWGED) to serve as a reference on best education and training practices…

Forensic DNA databases in Western Balkan region: retrospectives, perspectives, and initiatives

PubMed Central

Marjanović, Damir; Konjhodžić, Rijad; Butorac, Sara Sanela; Drobnič, Katja; Merkaš, Siniša; Lauc, Gordan; Primorac, Damir; Anđelinović, Šimun; Milosavljević, Mladen; Karan, Željko; Vidović, Stojko; Stojković, Oliver; Panić, Bojana; Vučetić Dragović, Anđelka; Kovačević, Sandra; Jakovski, Zlatko; Asplen, Chris; Primorac, Dragan

2011-01-01

The European Network of Forensic Science Institutes (ENFSI) recommended the establishment of forensic DNA databases and specific implementation and management legislations for all EU/ENFSI members. Therefore, forensic institutions from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, and Macedonia launched a wide set of activities to support these recommendations. To assess the current state, a regional expert team completed detailed screening and investigation of the existing forensic DNA data repositories and associated legislation in these countries. The scope also included relevant concurrent projects and a wide spectrum of different activities in relation to forensics DNA use. The state of forensic DNA analysis was also determined in the neighboring Slovenia and Croatia, which already have functional national DNA databases. There is a need for a ‘regional supplement’ to the current documentation and standards pertaining to forensic application of DNA databases, which should include regional-specific preliminary aims and recommendations. PMID:21674821

Forensic DNA databases in Western Balkan region: retrospectives, perspectives, and initiatives.

PubMed

Marjanović, Damir; Konjhodzić, Rijad; Butorac, Sara Sanela; Drobnic, Katja; Merkas, Sinisa; Lauc, Gordan; Primorac, Damir; Andjelinović, Simun; Milosavljević, Mladen; Karan, Zeljko; Vidović, Stojko; Stojković, Oliver; Panić, Bojana; Vucetić Dragović, Andjelka; Kovacević, Sandra; Jakovski, Zlatko; Asplen, Chris; Primorac, Dragan

2011-06-01

The European Network of Forensic Science Institutes (ENFSI) recommended the establishment of forensic DNA databases and specific implementation and management legislations for all EU/ENFSI members. Therefore, forensic institutions from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, and Macedonia launched a wide set of activities to support these recommendations. To assess the current state, a regional expert team completed detailed screening and investigation of the existing forensic DNA data repositories and associated legislation in these countries. The scope also included relevant concurrent projects and a wide spectrum of different activities in relation to forensics DNA use. The state of forensic DNA analysis was also determined in the neighboring Slovenia and Croatia, which already have functional national DNA databases. There is a need for a 'regional supplement' to the current documentation and standards pertaining to forensic application of DNA databases, which should include regional-specific preliminary aims and recommendations.

Forensic Science--Where Scientific Methods Are Utilized to Fight the Crime.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Henry C.

1980-01-01

Describes various scientific techniques used to analyze physical evidence, ten areas of specialization in forensic science, courses needed by forensic scientists, and the future of forensic science. (DS)

[The criteria for appointing experts in forensic medicine].

PubMed

Vojtíšek, Tomáš

In the Czech Republic, forensic medicine is an independent medical field, in which physicians with the appropriate attestation perform expert activities, especially in criminal proceedings, after being formally appointed by a regional court. In order to improve the quality of the activities provided by these experts, the Ministry of Justice is endeavouring to tighten up the general conditions for the appointment of new forensic experts. The individual criteria do not, however, take into account the special nature of forensic medicine as a medical field, the very essence of which involves the specialist qualifications which are necessary for the provision of expert opinions, most frequently to the police. In particular, the introduction of a strict requirement for ten-years of work experience after leaving medical school has hindered and stalled the entrance of young physicians with completed post-graduate studies into the area of forensic medicine. An inquiry sent to the regional courts has discovered that the average length of work experience for newly appointed experts in the period from 2004 to 2013 was 8.2 years, that half of them had work experience of seven years or less and that 75 percent of the newly appointed experts did not meet any set requirements for the length of their work experience at the time of their appointment. The new conditions may have a negative impact on attracting qualified graduates to forensic medicine after the completion of their medical studies and in the long term it may endanger the ability of the field of forensic medicine to provide expert opinions in criminal proceedings. In conclusion, it is the authors opinion that the appointment conditions should be set in cooperation with the professional medical associations and that they should take into account the specific characteristics of the individual medical fields, especially if they are to be set directly by means of a legal regulation within the framework of the recodification

Privatized managed care and forensic mental health services.

PubMed

Packer, I K

1998-01-01

Managed care for mental health services, which began in the private, commercial sector, has spread over the past few years to the public mental health sector as well. Recently, states have begun considering whether to include the forensic population within their privatized managed care systems. This article explores some of the complexities and special challenges unique to forensic services and notes some of the problems that might be incurred if the forensic population were included in a managed care system.

[Forensic assessments from the Netherlands Institute of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology in retrospect; applications of genetics and neuroscience, in 2000 and 2009].

PubMed

Ter Harmsel, J F; Molendijk, T; van El, C G; M'charek, A; Kempes, M; Rinne, T; Pieters, T

2016-01-01

Developments in neurosciences and genetics are relevant for forensic psychiatry. To find out whether and how genetic and neuroscientific applications are being used in forensic psychiatric assessments, and, if they are, to estimate to what extent new applications will fit in with these uses. We analysed 60 forensic psychiatric assessments from the Netherlands Institute of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology, Pieter Baan Center, and 30 non-clinical assessments from 2000 and 2009. We found that (behavioral) genetic, neurological and neuropsychological applications played only a modest role in forensic psychiatric assessment and they represent different phases of the implementation process. Neuropsychological assessment already occupied a position of some importance, but needed to be better integrated. Applications from neurology were still being developed. Clinical genetic assessment was being used occasionally in order to diagnose a genetic syndrome with behavioral consequences. If further validated information becomes available in the future, it should be possible to integrate new research methods more fully into current clinical practice.

Position and role of forensic psychiatry in integrative psychiatry.

PubMed

Smalc, Vera Folnegović; Varda, Robert; Grosić, Petra Folnegović

2008-09-01

The integrative approach to psychiatry has gained more importance in recent years. Is it justified or not, does it improve theory or practice, those are only some of the questions to which we are looking for answers, but in this paper we shall underline the necessity of enrolling forensic psychiatry into integrative, modern psychiatry. The reason and the motive for that integration is the fact that nowadays the content and the activities of contemporary forensic psychiatrists are totally reduced to executing the tasks given by courts. It is therefore entirely right to say that current forensic psychiatry finds itself in the passive role of executing orders of the court. Our aim is to point out how important it is that forensic psychiatry becomes an interdisciplinary profession in interaction with psychiatry but also with other medical branches just as with judiciary, educational institutions, moral-ethical institutions and religious institutions in producing preventive programmes and by participating in individual decision making process likewise. Our primary goal is to present the status and the position of contemporary forensic psychiatry and to specify the necessary improvements and its place in integrative psychiatry. It should be better, more meaningful and more ethical, both for the individual and the society in total. We want forensic psychiatry to include a protective and therapeutic role for each individual forensic examinee, i.e. a person who has already been in forensic examination and for whom one evaluates mental competence because of a mental disorder. We also want it to get a far larger and more active general role in society in terms of preventing criminal acts among the mentally ill and in society in total.

Implementation and Outcomes of Forensic Housing First Programs.

PubMed

Kriegel, Liat S; Henwood, Benjamin F; Gilmer, Todd P

2016-01-01

This mixed-method study used administrative data from 68 supportive housing programs and evaluative and qualitative site visit data from a subset of four forensic programs to (a) compare fidelity to the Housing First model and residential client outcomes between forensic and nonforensic programs and (b) investigate whether and how providers working in forensic programs can navigate competing Housing First principles and criminal justice mandates. Quantitative findings suggested that forensic programs were less likely to follow a harm reduction approach to substance use and clients in those programs were more likely to live in congregate settings. Qualitative findings suggested that an interplay of court involvement, limited resources, and risk environments influenced staff decisions regarding housing and treatment. Existing mental health and criminal justice collaborations necessitate adaptation to the Housing First model to accommodate client needs.

Commentary: Coming Full Circle--Psychoanalysis, Psychodynamics, and Forensic Psychiatry.

PubMed

Hegarty, Angela M

2015-12-01

Drs. Simopoulos and Cohen argue that knowledge of one's unconscious processes improves the forensic psychiatrist's capacity to manage complex forensic situations and to generate forensic formulations and opinions that are demonstrably more valid and reliable, much like competence in cultural assessment and formulation. In practice, the challenges posed by the application of these principles in forensic settings are far outweighed by the potential benefit. Forensic practice is informed by many specialties. Forensic psychiatrists do not have to complete full training in these disciplines to make use of the knowledge and perspectives they offer. The same may not be true of psychodynamic assessment and formulation. Although much can be learned from supervision, case seminars, conferences, and reading, such knowledge does little to foster awareness of one's unconscious processes that by definition operate outside awareness and thus contribute to the vitiating effect of bias. To date, the only method whereby psychiatrists can effectively come to appreciate their own unconscious processes in action is arguably through their own analysis conducted in the course of training in analysis or psychodynamic psychotherapy. © 2015 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.

Nuclear Forensics: Scientific Analysis Supporting Law Enforcement and Nuclear Security Investigations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Keegan, Elizabeth; Kristo, Michael J.; Toole, Kaitlyn

In Nuclear Forensic Science, analytical chemists join forces with nuclear physicists, material scientists, radiochemists, and traditional forensic scientists, as well as experts in nuclear security, nuclear safeguards, law enforcement, and policy development, in an effort to deter nuclear smuggling. Nuclear forensic science, or “nuclear forensics,” aims to answer questions about nuclear material found outside of regulatory control, questions such as ‘where did this material come from?’ and ‘what is the intended use of the material?’ In this Feature, we provide a general overview of nuclear forensics, selecting examples of key “nuclear forensic signatures” which have allowed investigators to determine themore » identity of unknown nuclear material in real investigations.« less

Nuclear Forensics: Scientific Analysis Supporting Law Enforcement and Nuclear Security Investigations

DOE PAGES

Keegan, Elizabeth; Kristo, Michael J.; Toole, Kaitlyn; ...

2015-12-24

In Nuclear Forensic Science, analytical chemists join forces with nuclear physicists, material scientists, radiochemists, and traditional forensic scientists, as well as experts in nuclear security, nuclear safeguards, law enforcement, and policy development, in an effort to deter nuclear smuggling. Nuclear forensic science, or “nuclear forensics,” aims to answer questions about nuclear material found outside of regulatory control, questions such as ‘where did this material come from?’ and ‘what is the intended use of the material?’ In this Feature, we provide a general overview of nuclear forensics, selecting examples of key “nuclear forensic signatures” which have allowed investigators to determine themore » identity of unknown nuclear material in real investigations.« less

Open Source Live Distributions for Computer Forensics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giustini, Giancarlo; Andreolini, Mauro; Colajanni, Michele

Current distributions of open source forensic software provide digital investigators with a large set of heterogeneous tools. Their use is not always focused on the target and requires high technical expertise. We present a new GNU/Linux live distribution, named CAINE (Computer Aided INvestigative Environment) that contains a collection of tools wrapped up into a user friendly environment. The CAINE forensic framework introduces novel important features, aimed at filling the interoperability gap across different forensic tools. Moreover, it provides a homogeneous graphical interface that drives digital investigators during the acquisition and analysis of electronic evidence, and it offers a semi-automatic mechanism for the creation of the final report.

Meeting a Forensic Podiatry Admissibility Challenge: A Daubert Case Study.

PubMed

Nirenberg, Michael

2016-05-01

This article is an introduction to the United States Supreme Court's standard of admissibility of forensic evidence and testimony at trial, known as the Daubert standard, with emphasis on how this standard applies to the field of forensic podiatry. The author, a forensic podiatrist, provided law enforcement with evidence tying a bloody sock-clad footprint found at the scene of a homicide to the suspect. In 2014, the author testified at a pretrial hearing, known as "a Daubert hearing," to address the admissibility of this evidence in court. This was the first instance of forensic podiatry being the primary subject of a Daubert hearing. The hearing resulted in the court ordering this evidence admissible. The expert's testimony contributed to the suspect's conviction. This article serves as a reference for forensic podiatrists and experts in similar fields that involve impression evidence, providing evidentiary standards and their impact on expert evidence and testimony. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Cross-Cultural Issues in Forensic Psychiatry Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Layde, Joseph B.

2004-01-01

Objective: Forensic psychiatry was officially recognized as a subspecialty by the American Board of Medical Specialties in the 1990's. In 1994, the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) gave its first written examination to certify forensic psychiatrists. In 1996, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) began…

Forensic medical examination of adolescent and adult victims of sexual violence.

PubMed

Ingemann-Hansen, Ole; Charles, Annie Vesterby

2013-02-01

The acute care and examination of a victim of sexual violence must be carried out by a competent forensic examiner in a setting appropriate for crisis intervention, forensic evidence collection, and medical follow up. The aim of forensic evidence and biological material collection is to document an alleged physical or sexual contact between individuals and to corroborate the victim's and the assailant's history. This is why the forensic examiner is expected to be objective and in possession of specialised technical and scientific skills. These skills are addressed and recommendations are made on how to carry out a forensic examination. This includes medical and assault history, top-to-toe examination, biological material collection, and documenting injuries while obtaining the chain of custody. Yet, consensus on time limitations for forensic evidence collection is lacking. Available forensic evidence has been shown to benefit prosecution. To meet the legal system's needs, an interpretation of the findings in a written legal report is mandatory. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Polish forensic entomology--the past, present and future perspectives].

PubMed

Skowronek, Rafał; Chowaniec, Czesław

2010-01-01

Forensic medicine increasingly more often benefits from the achievements of other biological sciences, which may be used in post mortem investigation. One of them is forensic entomology--the science based on the knowledge about biology of insects preying on cadavers. The objective of this article is to present the history of Polish forensic entomology, its present state and possibilities and directions of further development.

Use of the CO I Gene as a Species Indicator for Forensically Important Flies: A Forensic Entomology Laboratory Exercise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Honda, Jeffrey Y.

2008-01-01

Forensic entomologists utilize insects (particularly flies) to establish the time interval between death and body discovery. This important piece of information may answer questions as to the circumstances of the individual's death and insects are now routinely utilized and recognized as being important forensic indicators. Of extreme importance…

Forensic odontology education:from undergraduate to PhD - a Brazilian experience.

PubMed

Dietrichkeit Pereira, J G; Frontanilla Recalde, T S; Barreto Costa, P; Jacometti, V; Vigorito Magalhães, L; Alves Da Silva, R H

2017-12-01

Forensic Odontology is a topic present in the majority of Dental Schools in Brazil, and due to this reality, some universities develop activities related to undergraduate and graduate students, from the Dentistry course until the Ph.D. degree. To present the education experience related to Forensic Odontology at School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto (USP - University of São Paulo), showing the strategies and activities in the different degrees (Dental course, Forensic Odontology Specialization Program, Specific Professional Training, Master, and Ph.D.). To the undergraduate students, many activities are developed in order to demonstrate all the possibilities that Forensic Dentistry allow, including theoretical and practical activities; in the Forensic Odontology Specialization Program, the dentists are trained to act as Forensic Odontologists in all its amplitude; in the Specific Professional Training, some courses are available, related to specific topics as DVI, Forensic Facial Reconstruction, Auditor in Dental Care Insurance and others; and in the Master and Ph.D. Programs, the professionals receive training in skills like teaching, research, student's guidance and others. In Brazil, Forensic Odontology is a well-known field in Dentistry and universities develop an important role in training a qualified workforce.

Characteristics of the Traumatic Forensic Cases Admitted To Emergency Department and Errors in the Forensic Report Writing.

PubMed

Aktas, Nurettin; Gulacti, Umut; Lok, Ugur; Aydin, İrfan; Borta, Tayfun; Celik, Murat

2018-01-01

To identify errors in forensic reports and to describe the characteristics of traumatic medico-legal cases presenting to the emergency department (ED) at a tertiary care hospital. This study is a retrospective cross-sectional study. The study includes cases resulting in a forensic report among all traumatic patients presenting to the ED of Adiyaman University Training and Research Hospital, Adiyaman, Turkey during a 1-year period. We recorded the demographic characteristics of all the cases, time of presentation to the ED, traumatic characteristics of medico-legal cases, forms of suicide attempt, suspected poisonous substance exposure, the result of follow-up and the type of forensic report. A total of 4300 traumatic medico-legal cases were included in the study and 72% of these cases were male. Traumatic medico-legal cases occurred at the greatest frequency in July (10.1%) and 28.9% of all cases occurred in summer. The most frequent causes of traumatic medico-legal cases in the ED were traffic accidents (43.4%), violent crime (30.5%), and suicide attempt (7.2%). The most common method of attempted suicide was drug intake (86.4%). 12.3% of traumatic medico-legal cases were hospitalized and 24.2% of those hospitalized were admitted to the orthopedics service. The most common error in forensic reports was the incomplete recording of the patient's "cooperation" status (82.7%). Additionally, external traumatic lesions were not defined in 62.4% of forensic reports. The majority of traumatic medico-legal cases were male age 18-44 years, the most common source of trauma was traffic accidents and in the summer months. When writing a forensic report, emergency physicians made mistakes in noting physical examination findings and identifying external traumatic lesions. Physicians should make sure that the traumatic medico-legal patients they treat have adequate documentation for reference during legal proceedings. The legal duties and responsibilities of physicians should be

Forensic entomology and main challenges in Brazil.

PubMed

Gomes, Leonardo; Von Zuben, Cláudio J

2006-01-01

Apart from an early case report from China (13th century), the first observations on insects and other arthropods as forensic indicators were documented in Germany and France during mass exhumations in the 1880s by Reinhard, who is considered a co-founder of the discipline. After the French publication of Mégnin's popular book on the applied aspects of forensic entomology, the concept quickly spread to Canada and United States. At that time, researchers recognized that the lack of systematic observations of insects of forensic importance jeopardized their use as indicators of postmortem interval. General advances in insect taxonomy and ecology helped to fill this gap over the following decades. After World Wars, few forensic entomology cases were reported in the scientific literature. From 1960s to the 1980s, Leclercq and Nuorteva were primarily responsible for maintaining the method in Central Europe, reporting isolated cases. Since then, basic research in the USA, Russia and Canada opened the way to the routine use of Entomology in forensic investigations. Identifications of insects associated with human cadavers are relatively few in the literature of the Neotropical region and have received little attention in Brazil. This article brings an overview of historic developments in this field, the recent studies and the main problems and challenges in South America and mainly in Brazil.

Forensic services, public mental health policy, and financing: charting the course ahead.

PubMed

Pinals, Debra A

2014-01-01

High-quality forensic evaluations can be critical for criminal cases brought before the court. In addition, forensic practitioners and mental health and forensic administrators have increasingly taken a broader view of the revolving door between the mental health and criminal justice systems. More attention is now paid to why individuals with mental disorders, including co-occurring substance use, come into the criminal justice system and the challenges that they face on re-entry into the community. In particular, individuals who receive care across civil, forensic, and correctional systems are at especially increased risk of disrupted health care access and coverage. With health care reform on the horizon, it is important to understand public financing and its impact on forensic services for this crossover population. This article is a review of historical and future trends in public mental health funding focused on Medicaid and other federal resources, the movement toward community-based services, and the impact of these areas on forensic practice and forensic systems. Tensions between recovery principles and legal mandates are also addressed as community services are emphasized, even in forensic contexts. This article calls forensic practitioners to action and offers suggested areas of focus for training to increase knowledge of public mental health funding, policy, and practice from a forensic perspective.

Setting Course: The Case for the Credentialing of Forensic Interviewers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haney, Mike; Vieth, Victor I.; Campos, Hector M.

2010-01-01

The article provides a history of efforts to develop a credentialing or certification process for forensic interviewers and reviews the multitiered credentialing process offered by the National Association of Certified Child Forensic Interviewers. The authors argue the benefits of a credentialing process for forensic interviewers and respond to…

Overview of Forensic Toxicology, Yesterday, Today and in the Future.

PubMed

Chung, Heesun; Choe, Sanggil

2017-01-01

The scope of forensic toxicology has been tremendously expanded over the past 50 years. From two general sections forensic toxicology can be further classified into 8-9 sections. The most outstanding improvement in forensic toxicology is the changes brought by instrumental development. The field of forensic toxicology was revolutionized by the development of immunoassay and benchtop GC-MS in the 1980's and LC-MS-MS in 2000's. Detection of trace amounts of analytes has allowed the use of new specimens such as hair and oral fluids, along with blood and urine. Over a longer period of time, continuous efforts have been made to efficiently extract and separate drug and poison from biological fluids. International endeavors to develop high quality standards and guidelines for drugs and poisons in biological specimens and to promote them in order to increase reliability of laboratories are also part of the recent advancement of forensic toxicology. Interpretation of postmortem toxicology encompasses various factors including postmortem redistribution and stability. Considering the recent trend, the interpretation of toxicological results should account for autopsy findings, crime scene information, and related medical history. The fields of forensic toxicology will continuously develop to improve analysis of target analytes from various specimens, quality assurance program, and results interpretation. In addition, the development of analytical techniques will also contribute further advancement of forensic toxicology. The societies of forensic toxicologists, such as TIAFT, will play an important role for the advancement of forensic toxicology by collaborating and sharing ideas between toxicologists from both developed and developing countries. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

The current status of forensic science laboratory accreditation in Europe.

PubMed

Malkoc, Ekrem; Neuteboom, Wim

2007-04-11

Forensic science is gaining some solid ground in the area of effective crime prevention, especially in the areas where more sophisticated use of available technology is prevalent. All it takes is high-level cooperation among nations that can help them deal with criminality that adopts a cross-border nature more and more. It is apparent that cooperation will not be enough on its own and this development will require a network of qualified forensic laboratories spread over Europe. It is argued in this paper that forensic science laboratories play an important role in the fight against crime. Another, complimentary argument is that forensic science laboratories need to be better involved in the fight against crime. For this to be achieved, a good level of cooperation should be established and maintained. It is also noted that harmonization is required for such cooperation and seeking accreditation according to an internationally acceptable standard, such as ISO/IEC 17025, will eventually bring harmonization as an end result. Because, ISO/IEC 17025 as an international standard, has been a tool that helps forensic science laboratories in the current trend towards accreditation that can be observed not only in Europe, but also in the rest of the world of forensic science. In the introduction part, ISO/IEC 17025 states that "the acceptance of testing and calibration results between countries should be facilitated if laboratories comply with this international standard and if they obtain accreditation from bodies which have entered into mutual recognition agreements with equivalent bodies in other countries using this international standard." Furthermore, it is emphasized that the use of this international standard will assist in the harmonization of standards and procedures. The background of forensic science cooperation in Europe will be explained by using an existing European forensic science network, i.e. ENFSI, in order to understand the current status of forensic

The Clinician and Forensic Medicine

PubMed Central

Root, Irving; Scott, Wayne

1973-01-01

Although it is an intrinsic part of all medical practice forensic medicine often is either unrecognized as such or is consciously or subconsciously evaded. The failure to apply some rather basic and simple forensic principles that only the physician is capable of doing may result in problems to the patient ranging from frustration to near catastrophe. For physicians who are reasonably well equipped to understand the legal system, the successful conclusion of a legal case, including, sometimes, an appearance in court, can be stimulating and interesting. PMID:4733272

The United Kingdom and Ireland Association of Forensic Toxicologists; establishing best practice for professional training & development in forensic toxicology.

PubMed

Cosbey, Simon; Elliott, Simon; Paterson, Sue

2017-01-01

The current status of forensic toxicology in the United Kingdom is discussed with an emphasis on professional training and development. Best practice is proposed using a blend of modular foundation knowledge training, continuing professional development, academic study, research & development and ongoing analytical practice. The need for establishing a professional career structure is also discussed along with a suggested example of a suitable model. The issues discussed in this paper are intended to provoke discussion within the forensic toxicology community, industry regulators and other government bodies responsible for the administration of justice. Copyright © 2016 The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Current and future directions of DNA in wildlife forensic science.

PubMed

Johnson, Rebecca N; Wilson-Wilde, Linzi; Linacre, Adrian

2014-05-01

Wildlife forensic science may not have attained the profile of human identification, yet the scale of criminal activity related to wildlife is extensive by any measure. Service delivery in the arena of wildlife forensic science is often ad hoc, unco-ordinated and unregulated, yet many of those currently dedicated to wildlife conservation and the protection of endangered species are striving to ensure that the highest standards are met. The genetic markers and software used to evaluate data in wildlife forensic science are more varied than those in human forensic identification and are rarely standardised between species. The time and resources required to characterise and validate each genetic maker is considerable and in some cases prohibitive. Further, issues are regularly encountered in the construction of allelic databases and allelic ladders; essential in human identification studies, but also applicable to wildlife criminal investigations. Accreditation and certification are essential in human identification and are currently being strived for in the forensic wildlife community. Examples are provided as to how best practice can be demonstrated in all areas of wildlife crime analysis and ensure that this field of forensic science gains and maintains the respect it deserves. This review is aimed at those conducting human identification to illustrate how research concepts in wildlife forensic science can be used in the criminal justice system, as well as describing the real importance of this type of forensic analysis. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Effects of Forensics Training on Verbal Aggression and Argumentativeness.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colbert, Kent R.; Dorff, Todd

A study focused on the effects of forensic participation on two specific traits--argumentativeness and verbal aggression. Two hundred eighty-one high school forensic students participating at a large western forensic tournament in the beginning of the 1990 academic year completed D. A. Infante's Argumentative and Verbal Aggression Scales. Results…

Forensic fictions: science, television production, and modern storytelling.

PubMed

Kirby, David A

2013-03-01

This essay uses interviews with television creators, writers, and producers to examine how media practitioners utilise, negotiate and transform forensic science in the production of televisual stories including the creation of unique visuals, character exploration, narrative progression, plot complication, thematic development, and adding a sense of authenticity. Television as a medium has its own structures and conventions, including adherence to a show's franchise, which put constraints on how stories are told. I demonstrate how television writers find forensic science to be an ideal tool in navigating television's narrative constraints by using forensics to create conflicts, new obstacles, potential solutions, and final solutions in their stories. I show how television writers utilise forensic science to provide the scientific certainty their characters require to catch the criminal, but also how uncertainty is introduced in a story through the interpretation of the forensics by the show's characters. I also argue that televisual storytellers maintain a flexible notion of scientific realism based on the notion of possibility that puts them at odds with scientists who take a more demanding conception of scientific accuracy based on the concept of probability. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Dissociation: Defining the Concept in Criminal Forensic Psychiatry.

PubMed

Bourget, Dominique; Gagné, Pierre; Wood, Stephen Floyd

2017-06-01

Claims of amnesia and dissociative experiences in association with a violent crime are not uncommon. Research has shown that dissociation is a risk factor for violence and is seen most often in crimes of extreme violence. The subject matter is most relevant to forensic psychiatry. Peritraumatic dissociation for instance, with or without a history of dissociative disorder, is quite frequently reported by offenders presenting for a forensic psychiatric examination. Dissociation or dissociative amnesia for serious offenses can have legal repercussions stemming from their relevance to the legal constructs of fitness to stand trial, criminal responsibility, and diminished capacity. The complexity in forensic psychiatric assessments often lies in the difficulty of connecting clinical symptomatology reported by violent offenders to a specific condition included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). This article provides a review of diagnostic considerations with regard to dissociation across the DSM nomenclature, with a focus on the main clinical constructs related to dissociation. Forensic implications are discussed, along with some guides for the forensic evaluator of offenders presenting with dissociation. © 2017 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.

The Importance of International Technical Nuclear Forensics to Deter Illicit Trafficking

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, D K

2007-01-30

Illicit trafficking of nuclear materials is a transboundary problem that requires a cooperative approach involving international nuclear forensics to ensure all states understand the threat posed by nuclear smuggling as well as a means to best deter the movement of nuclear contraband. To achieve the objectives, all cases involving illicit trafficking of nuclear and radiological materials must be vigorously pursued and prosecuted when appropriate. The importance of outreach and formal government-to-government relationships with partner nations affected by nuclear trafficking cannot be under-estimated. States that are situated on smuggling routes may be well motivated to counter nuclear crimes to bolster theirmore » own border and transportation security as well as strengthen their economic and political viability. National law enforcement and atomic energy agencies in these states are aggressively pursuing a comprehensive strategy to counter nuclear smuggling through increasing reliance on technical nuclear forensics. As part of these activities, it is essential that these organizations be given adequate orientation to the best practices in this emerging discipline including the categorization of interdicted nuclear material, collection of traditional and nuclear forensic evidence, data analysis using optimized analytical protocols, and how to best fuse forensics information with reliable case input to best develop a law enforcement or national security response. The purpose of formalized USG relationship is to establish an institutional framework for collaboration in international forensics, improve standards of forensics practice, conduct joint exercises, and pursue case-work that benefits international security objectives. Just as outreach and formalized relationships are important to cultivate international nuclear forensics, linking nuclear forensics to ongoing national assistance in border and transpiration security, including port of entry of entry

Practice of clinical forensic medicine in Sri Lanka: does it need a new era?

PubMed

Kodikara, Sarathchandra

2012-07-01

Clinical forensic medicine is a sub-specialty of forensic medicine and is intimately associated with the justice system of a country. Practice of clinical forensic medicine is evolving, but deviates from one jurisdiction to another. Most English-speaking countries practice clinical forensic medicine and forensic pathology separately while most non-English-speaking countries practice forensic medicine which includes clinical forensic medicine and forensic pathology. Unlike the practice of forensic pathology, several countries have informal arrangements to deal with forensic patients and there are no international standards of practice or training in this discipline. Besides, this is rarely a topic of discussion. In the adversarial justice system in Sri Lanka, the designated Government Medical Officers practice both clinical forensic medicine and forensic pathology. Practice of clinical forensic medicine, and its teaching and training in Sri Lanka depicts unique features. However, this system has not undergone a significant revision for many decades. In this communication, the existing legal framework, current procedure of practice, examination for drunkenness, investigations, structure of referrals, reports, subsequent legal procedures, undergraduate, in-service, and postgraduate training are discussed with suggestions for reforms. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The international development of forensic science standards - A review.

PubMed

Wilson-Wilde, Linzi

2018-04-16

Standards establish specifications and procedures designed to ensure products, services and systems are safe, reliable and consistently perform as intended. Standards can be used in the accreditation of forensic laboratories or facilities and in the certification of products and services. In recent years there have been various international activities aiming at developing forensic science standards and guidelines. The most significant initiative currently underway within the global forensic community is the development of International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards. This paper reviews the main bodies working on standards for forensic science, the processes used and the implications for accreditation. This paper specifically discusses the work of ISO Technical Committee TC272, the future TC272 work program for the development of forensic science standards and associated timelines. Also discussed, are the lessons learnt to date in navigating the complex environment of multi-country stakeholder deliberations in standards development. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

First Digit Law and Its Application to Digital Forensics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Yun Q.

Digital data forensics, which gathers evidence of data composition, origin, and history, is crucial in our digital world. Although this new research field is still in its infancy stage, it has started to attract increasing attention from the multimedia-security research community. This lecture addresses the first digit law and its applications to digital forensics. First, the Benford and generalized Benford laws, referred to as first digit law, are introduced. Then, the application of first digit law to detection of JPEG compression history for a given BMP image and detection of double JPEG compressions are presented. Finally, applying first digit law to detection of double MPEG video compressions is discussed. It is expected that the first digit law may play an active role in other task of digital forensics. The lesson learned is that statistical models play an important role in digital forensics and for a specific forensic task different models may provide different performance.

Forensic aspects of DNA-based human identity testing.

PubMed

Roper, Stephen M; Tatum, Owatha L

2008-01-01

The forensic applications of DNA-based human identity laboratory testing are often underappreciated. Molecular biology has seen an exponential improvement in the accuracy and statistical power provided by identity testing in the past decade. This technology, dependent upon an individual's unique DNA sequence, has cemented the use of DNA technology in the forensic laboratory. This paper will discuss the state of modern DNA-based identity testing, describe the technology used to perform this testing, and describe its use as it relates to forensic applications. We will also compare individual technologies, including polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Southern Blotting, that are used to detect the molecular differences that make all individuals unique. An increasing reliance on DNA-based identity testing dictates that healthcare providers develop an understanding of the background, techniques, and guiding principles of this important forensic tool.

[Integrative concepts in modern forensic psychiatry].

PubMed

Dittmann, V

1996-03-01

Forensic psychiatric diagnosis and treatment should be guided by juridical goals and never be an end in itself. As a whole it is a public service concerning the interests of the perpetrators and the security of the entire population as well. Recent progress in forensic psychiatry is based on integral and comprehensive concepts. In the evaluation of criminal responsibility the new approaches of psychiatric diagnosis like operationalism, application of quantificating instruments and multiaxial diagnostic systems are of considerable importance. The ICD-10 classification of WHO can now be regarded as our reference system. To be acceptable for juridical purposes the evaluation of criminal responsibility has to be based on a systematical analysis of all important factors like actual situation of crime, environment, influence of psychotropic substances, psychosocial stressors, influences of biography and mental disorders. Assessment of prognosis is obligatory by law in many cases. These are juridical decisions, which have to be prepared by the psychiatric experts in the form of risk evaluations considering factors like development of delinquency, analysis of crime, kind of mental disturbance, insight of the perpetrator in his disorder, social competence, selfexamination of the perpetrator of his crime, possible therapies and social circumstances after discharge. Only an integral multiprofessional approach can be regarded as successful in the therapy of forensic high risk patients with paraphilas and aggressive impulse-control disorders. In Switzerland there is still a considerable lack of appropriate institutions for these patients. The vast amount of data accumulated during forensic psychiatric routine should be analysed in multicenter studies with scientific documentation systems to achieve progress in forensic risk calculation and efficiency of therapies.

Theorising sexual media and sexual violence in a forensic setting: men's talk about pornography and offending.

PubMed

Mercer, Dave; Perkins, Liz

2014-01-01

This article reports findings from a discourse analytic study which critically explored the language of mental health nurses, and detained sexual offenders, in relation to pornography in one high-security hospital. It recognised previous empirical investigation, and pro-feminist theorising, into mediated representations and male sexual violence, but situated the research process in a forensic nursing context. Decision-making about access to, or restriction of, commercial sexual literature, as a component of therapeutic intervention and offender management, reveals tensions between service-user rights and treatment goals. The aim was to access nurse and patient talk in a specific culture. Semi-structured interviews with eighteen nursing staff, and nine patients, were used to co-construct accounts of pornography, sexual offending, and treatment. Analysis and data collection were undertaken concurrently. Interviews were audio-taped and transcribed. Data was coded to identify theoretical/conceptual themes and sub-themes representing discursive repertoires. Attention was given to how textual variation positioned respondents in relation to each other and the institution. Findings suggested collective male talk textured the environment, promoted gendered inequality, marginalised female nurses, and undermined rehabilitation. Shared discourse enabled male staff and patients to relate to each other as men, while maintaining distance through constructions of otherness. Discussion focuses on discriminatory discursive-practices, where men's talk about pornography and sexual violence embodied gendered knowledge/experience and contributed to a toxic culture. Consideration is given to ways of resisting institutional impediments and promoting positive therapeutic relations. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The forensic holodeck: an immersive display for forensic crime scene reconstructions.

PubMed

Ebert, Lars C; Nguyen, Tuan T; Breitbeck, Robert; Braun, Marcel; Thali, Michael J; Ross, Steffen

2014-12-01

In forensic investigations, crime scene reconstructions are created based on a variety of three-dimensional image modalities. Although the data gathered are three-dimensional, their presentation on computer screens and paper is two-dimensional, which incurs a loss of information. By applying immersive virtual reality (VR) techniques, we propose a system that allows a crime scene to be viewed as if the investigator were present at the scene. We used a low-cost VR headset originally developed for computer gaming in our system. The headset offers a large viewing volume and tracks the user's head orientation in real-time, and an optical tracker is used for positional information. In addition, we created a crime scene reconstruction to demonstrate the system. In this article, we present a low-cost system that allows immersive, three-dimensional and interactive visualization of forensic incident scene reconstructions.

Defense Biometric and Forensic Office Research, Development, Test and Evaluation Strategy

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-06

investments in biometric and forensic RDT&E. From refining biometric modalities to exploring ‘ game changing’ forensic technologies such as rapid DNA to the... ASD (R&E)), is to identify, fund, manage and transition projects that support biometric and/or forensic requirements. In the second role, the DBFO...forensic stakeholders cannot fund, to the COIs for consideration.  Increase contacts with ASD (R&E) divisions/laboratories focused on basic research

An overview on forensic analysis devoted to analytical chemists.

PubMed

Castillo-Peinado, L S; Luque de Castro, M D

2017-05-15

The present article has as main aim to show analytical chemists interested in forensic analysis the world they will face if decision in favor of being a forensic analytical chemist is adopted. With this purpose, the most outstanding aspects of forensic analysis in dealing with sampling (involving both bodily and no bodily samples), sample preparation, and analytical equipment used in detection, identification and quantitation of key sample components are critically discussed. The role of the great omics in forensic analysis, and the growing role of the youngest of the great omics -metabolomics- are also discussed. The foreseeable role of integrative omics is also outlined. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The forensic evaluation and report: an agenda for research.

PubMed

Buchanan, Alec; Norko, Michael

2013-01-01

The written report is a central component of forensic psychiatric practice. In the report, an evaluator assembles and organizes data, interprets results of an evaluation, and offers an opinion in response to legal questions. The past 30 years have seen substantial development in principles and practice of forensic report writing. Drawing on recent advances in the psychiatric report, the authors explore topics including narrative, forensic ethics, coercion within the justice system, and implications of limitations on data in forming forensic opinions. They offer an analysis of unanswered questions in these areas, suggesting opportunities for further empirical study and theoretical development. This proposed agenda is important in training, in the development of policy, and in establishing professional guidelines.

[Forensic (flexible) assertive community treatment: client characteristics and treatment outcomes].

PubMed

Neijmeijer, L; Verwoerd, J; van Vugt, M; Place, C; Kroon, H

(Flexible) Assertive community treatment ((f)act) is applied increasingly to forensic psychiatric clients. However, evidence about the effectiveness of forensic (f)act is scanty. To investigate to what extent (subgroups of) clients receiving care from forensic (f)act teams show, after a year, changes in their social and psychological functioning and are subjected to fewer justicial outcome measures. Between 2009 and 2011, eight forensic (f)act teams collected, at two measurement moments separated by an average of 12 months, data relating to client characteristics and outcomes of care. The study involved 202 clients. After a year clients showed significant improvements in psychological and social functioning, and had fewer confrontations with the police and the law. They were detained less often and for shorter periods and were considered to be less likely to reoffend. The number of admissions to mental health care and to addiction and forensic care remained constant. Clients with a psychiatric disorder and likely to display criminal behaviour showed improvement while being treated by forensic (f)act teams. Further research is needed to prove whether forensic (f)act treatment will have the desired effects in the longer term and will enjoy the status of being regarded as evidence based practice.

Forensic Metrology: Its Importance and Evolution in the United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vosk, JD Ted

2016-11-01

Forensic measurements play a significant role in the U.S. criminal justice system. Guilt or innocence, or the severity of a sentence, may depend upon the results of such measurements. Until recently, however, forensic disciplines were largely unaware of the field of metrology. Accordingly, proper measurement practices were often, and widely, neglected. These include failure to adopt proper calibration techniques, establish the traceability of results and determine measurement uncertainty. These failures undermine confidence in verdicts based upon forensic measurements. Over the past decade, though, the forensic sciences have been introduced to metrology and its principles leading to more reliable measurement practices. The impetus for this change was driven by many forces. Pressure came initially from criminal defense lawyers challenging metrologically unsound practices and results relied upon by government prosecutions. Litigation in the State of Washington led this movement spurring action by attorneys in other jurisdictions and eventually reform in the measurement practices of forensic labs around the country. Since then, the greater scientific community, other forensic scientists and even prosecutors have joined the fight. This paper describes the fight to improve the quality of justice by the application of metrological principles and the evolution of the field of forensic metrology.

Awareness of Forensic Odontology among Legal Professionals, Chennai, India

PubMed Central

Selvajothi, Packiaraj; Lavanya, Chandra; Joshua, Elizabeth; Rao, Umadevi K.; Ranganathan, Kannan

2014-01-01

Background: The forensic discipline of law is a multidisciplinary team comprising of specialists in forensic medicine, forensic odontology, security and law. Aim: The study was to find the awareness level of scope and utility of forensic odontology among lawyers in Chennai, South India. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study using a self administered structured questionnaire was conducted in 200 lawyers between August and September of 2013. The data was analyzed depending on age, gender, type and years of practice. Results: Lawyers above 40 years of experience were more aware of palatal rugae analysis (P = 0.02), and those with more than 20 years were aware of lip print (P = 0.001) and bite mark analysis (P = 0.001). Males were more aware of forensic odontology with respect to criminal identification (P = 0.001). The knowledge of bite mark analysis was higher among male lawyers (P = 0.001), civil and criminal practicing lawyers (P = 0.004). All participants were aware that loss or fracture of tooth constitutes a grievous injury under Indian Penal Code (IPC) 320 clause 7(5). Conclusion: This study highlighted the knowledge of forensic odontology among legal professionals and also identified the areas in which they need further appraisal. PMID:25535602

Forensic pharmacology: An important and evolving subspecialty needs recognition in India

PubMed Central

Malve, Harshad Onkarrao

2016-01-01

With training in pharmacology, a pharmacologist has an expert knowledge as well as working experience in the subjects of therapeutics, pharmacokinetics, and toxicology along with exposure to subjects such as forensic medicine during the medical education. All these knowledge domains can be applied and act as an interface to the forensic situations. The skills and expertise of a forensic pharmacologist can be useful in a large and diverse number of legal cases. With an ever increasing incidence of criminal and civil cases in India, the development and inclusion of forensic pharmacologist in the judicial system of India are the need of the hour. The research in pharmacology has witnessed great technological advancement that allows it to expand its scope beyond the domain of therapeutics, thus enabling Indian pharmacologists to explore the niche area of Forensic Pharmacology. Differing pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs in living and dead, drug interactions, abuse of drugs, personal injury or death due to drug exposure leading to medico-legal issues, environmental exposure to chemicals, and doping and forensic pharmacovigilance are the diverse aspects of Forensic Pharmacology. PMID:27134459

Increasing the reach of forensic genetics with massively parallel sequencing.

PubMed

Budowle, Bruce; Schmedes, Sarah E; Wendt, Frank R

2017-09-01

The field of forensic genetics has made great strides in the analysis of biological evidence related to criminal and civil matters. More so, the discipline has set a standard of performance and quality in the forensic sciences. The advent of massively parallel sequencing will allow the field to expand its capabilities substantially. This review describes the salient features of massively parallel sequencing and how it can impact forensic genetics. The features of this technology offer increased number and types of genetic markers that can be analyzed, higher throughput of samples, and the capability of targeting different organisms, all by one unifying methodology. While there are many applications, three are described where massively parallel sequencing will have immediate impact: molecular autopsy, microbial forensics and differentiation of monozygotic twins. The intent of this review is to expose the forensic science community to the potential enhancements that have or are soon to arrive and demonstrate the continued expansion the field of forensic genetics and its service in the investigation of legal matters.

Practice of forensic medicine and pathology in Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Balachandra, A Thambirajah; Vadysinghe, Amal N; William, Anita L

2011-02-01

The practice of forensic medicine and pathology in Sri Lanka is based on the British model. Medical students during their third and fourth years receive approximately 50 hours of lectures and tutorials in forensic medicine and pathology and then undergo an examination. After completing an internship, these doctors are sent to various hospitals throughout Sri Lanka where they may be asked to perform medicolegal examinations on victims and suspects in rape cases, persons suspected of being under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol, and, injured live patients. As well, they may be asked to perform medicolegal autopsies. Depending upon their experience, some medical officers may be designated as judicial medical officers and appointed full time to do medicolegal work. Up until 1980, judicial medical officers with at least 2 years of work experience were allowed to obtain their postgraduate qualifications in the United Kingdom. However, since 1981 and the establishment of its own Postgraduate Institute of Medicine in Colombo, Sri Lanka, medical officers are offered 2 postgraduate programs in forensic medicine and pathology, a diploma in legal medicine and a doctorate in medicine (forensic medicine). After completing the doctorate in forensic medicine, doctors are allowed to train abroad for a further year in an approved center. Upon return they can then be appointed as consultant judicial medical officers. The practice of forensic medicine and pathology in Sri Lanka is unique and vibrant. However, due to the country's prevailing civil war, the practice of forensic medicine and pathology is suboptimal.

A Perspective on Veterinary Forensic Pathology and Medicine in the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Newbery, S G; Cooke, S W; Martineau, H M

2016-09-01

Internationally, forensic medicine and pathology are increasingly recognized as an important aspect of work done by veterinary clinicians and veterinary pathologists. In this article, a forensic veterinary clinician, a forensic veterinary pathologist in private practice, and a forensic veterinary pathologist at a veterinary school discuss the interactions among veterinary clinicians, veterinary pathologists, and law enforcement agencies and how future interactions can be improved. The focus is on the United Kingdom, but many of the principles, challenges, and suggestions are applicable to other jurisdictions. Clinicians and pathologists require forensic training to enable them to apply their veterinary knowledge to suspected cases of animal abuse and to subsequently present their findings and conclusions to a court of law in a concise, professional, and unbiased manner, and some opportunities for such advanced training in the United Kingdom are indicated. It is important that forensic veterinary clinicians and pathologists interact in an unbiased and collegial manner to answer the questions posed by courts of law. Opportunities for improved training, communication, and interaction among forensic veterinarians, forensic scientists, and law enforcement are discussed. © The Author(s) 2016.

The relationship of forensic odontology with various dental specialties in the articles published in the Journal of Forensic odonto-stomatology from 2005 to 2012

PubMed Central

Shamim, Thorakkal

2015-01-01

Background: There is a paucity of information about the relationship of forensic odontology with various dental specialties in the articles published in the Journal of Forensic Odonto-Stomatology. This study aimed to find the relationship of forensic odontology with various dental specialties in the articles published in the Journal of Forensic Odonto-Stomatology from 2005 to 2012 over an 8-year period. Methods: Bibliometric analysis was performed using web-based search during December 2013. Results: Out of the total 97 published articles, the maximum number of published articles were related to oral medicine and radiology (20) and community dentistry (20), followed by orthodontics (18), prosthodontics (15), and oral pathology and microbiology (8), pedodontics (7), oral and maxillofacial surgery (4) and conservative dentistry and endodontics (3). Among the articles published in Journal of Forensic Odonto-Stomatology, mass disasters (10) and bite mark analysis (10), followed by sexual dimorphism (8) and dental fraud and malpractice (8), followed by craniofacial superimposition (6) and identification (6) form the major attraction of the contributors. Conclusion: This paper has tried to evaluate the new working classification proposed for forensic odontology based on its relationship with other dental specialties. PMID:26097336

The relationship of forensic odontology with various dental specialties in the articles published in the Journal of Forensic odonto-stomatology from 2005 to 2012.

PubMed

Shamim, Thorakkal

2015-01-01

There is a paucity of information about the relationship of forensic odontology with various dental specialties in the articles published in the Journal of Forensic Odonto-Stomatology. This study aimed to find the relationship of forensic odontology with various dental specialties in the articles published in the Journal of Forensic Odonto-Stomatology from 2005 to 2012 over an 8-year period. Bibliometric analysis was performed using web-based search during December 2013. Out of the total 97 published articles, the maximum number of published articles were related to oral medicine and radiology (20) and community dentistry (20), followed by orthodontics (18), prosthodontics (15), and oral pathology and microbiology (8), pedodontics (7), oral and maxillofacial surgery (4) and conservative dentistry and endodontics (3). Among the articles published in Journal of Forensic Odonto-Stomatology, mass disasters (10) and bite mark analysis (10), followed by sexual dimorphism (8) and dental fraud and malpractice (8), followed by craniofacial superimposition (6) and identification (6) form the major attraction of the contributors. This paper has tried to evaluate the new working classification proposed for forensic odontology based on its relationship with other dental specialties.

[What Surgeons Need to Know About Forensic Medicine].

PubMed

Beck, N; Meyer, F

2017-02-01

Background: Forensic medicine finds more and more resonance due to requests and queries from clinicians and acts as a mediator between the individual medical disciplines, in particular with regard to legal issues, and as an interface between the fields of medicine, police and judiciary. The aim of this short narrative overview is to make surgeons aware of the forensic aspects of their work, which is usually focused on clinical and curative aspects. Crucial points: Traditionally, the basic work in forensic medicine comprises sudden and unexpected deaths, for which it is important to definitely clarify the mode of death based on the detected cause of death. In addition to violent and unnatural deaths, there are sudden natural deaths, which are natural, but also unsolved. Clinical forensic medicine basically concentrates on the examination of victims of violence, which may comprise various types of bodily harm including sexual crime, child maltreatment and traffic accidents. The investigational results (autopsy findings, injury patterns, results from the investigation of traces) need to be presented and interpreted in public procedures at court by forensic medicine specialists, who act as experts answering questions while retaining a neutral position. Conclusion: Specialists in forensic medicine should not only be consulted for issues related to the inspection of corpses and to issue a death certification. Much rather, they should also be consulted as specialised partners of surgeons and other clinicians, e.g. for the documentation of specific findings and the description of injury patterns in injured persons who are still alive. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Building bridges between clinical and forensic toxicology laboratories.

PubMed

Martin, Bernardino Barcelo; Gomila, Isabel; Noce, Valeria

2018-05-09

Clinical and forensic toxicology can be defined as the two disciplines involved the detection, identification and measurement of xenobiotics in biological and non-biological specimens to help in the diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, prevention of poisonings and to disclose causes and contributory causes of fatal intoxications, respectively. This article explores the close connections between clinical and forensic toxicology in overlapping areas of interest. An update has been carried out of the following seven areas of interest in analytical toxicology: doping control, sudden cardiac death (SCD), brain death, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSBP), prenatal exposure to drugs and fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), drug-facilitated crimes (DFC) and intoxications by new psychoactive substances (NPS). While issues such as SCD, SIDS or doping control are investigated mainly in forensic laboratories, other as prenatal exposure to drugs or FAS are mainly treated in clinical laboratories. On the other hand, areas such MSBP, DFC or the intoxications by NPS are of interest in both laboratories. Some of these topics are initially treated in hospital emergency departments, involving clinical laboratories and sometimes lately derived to forensic laboratories. Conversely, cases with initial medical-legal implications and fatalities are directly handled by forensic toxicology, but may trigger further studies in the clinical setting. Many areas of common interest between clinical and forensic laboratories are building bridges between them. The increasing relationships are improving the growth, the reliability and the robustness of both kind of laboratories. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Forensic experts and miscarriages of justice: the inquiry into pediatric forensic pathology in Ontario.

PubMed

Ranson, David

2009-08-01

The care and protection of children in our community is usually given one of the highest priorities by governments and service providers. Similarly, we respond severely to those proven to have abused or caused deliberate harm to children. Acceptance of these high standards is predicated on our ability to correctly identify and appropriately investigate alleged crimes against children. When concerns regarding expertise in the correct detection of child abuse arise, they can significantly impair the justice system and lead to considerable social harm, as evidenced by the results of the inquiry into paediatric forensic pathology in Ontario. The inquiry found that the failures of the paediatric forensic pathology service in that Province did not occur in isolation but were allowed to be perpetuated over time by the action and inaction of a range of individuals and agencies. Deficiencies in governance, accreditation, training, supervision, audit and review were all highlighted in the findings of the commission. These are relevant not only to Ontario but to many jurisdictions where forensic medical and legal services continue to struggle with the special scientific and legal issues that are raised by child abuse.

DNA Barcodes for Forensically Important Fly Species in Brazil.

PubMed

Koroiva, Ricardo; de Souza, Mirian S; Roque, Fabio de Oliveira; Pepinelli, Mateus

2018-04-07

Here, we analyze 248 DNA barcode sequences of 35 fly species of forensic importance in Brazil. DNA barcoding can be effectively used for specimen identification of these species, allowing the unambiguous identification of 31 species, an overall success rate of 88%. Our results show a high rate of success for molecular identification using DNA barcoding sequences and open new perspectives for immature species identification, a subject on which limited forensic investigations exist in Tropical regions. We also address the implications of building a robust forensic DNA barcode database. A geographic bias is recognized for the COI dataset available for forensically important fly species in Brazil, with concentration of sequences from specimens collected mainly in sites located in the Cerrado, Mata Atlântica, and Pampa biomes.

[Possibilities of use of digital imaging in forensic medicine].

PubMed

Gaval'a, P; Ivicsics, I; Mlynár, J; Novomeský, F

2005-07-01

Based on the daily practice with digital photography and documentation, the authors point out the achievements of the computer technologies implementation to the practice of forensic medicine. The modern methods of imaging, especially the digital photography, offer a wide spectrum of use in forensic medicine--the digital documentation and archivation of autopsy findings, the possibility of immediate consultation of findings with another experts via Internet, and many others. Another possibility is a creation of digital photographic atlas of forensic medicine as a useful aid in pre- and postgradual study. Thus the application of the state-of-the-art computer technologies to the forensic medicine discloses the unknown before possibilities for further development of such a discipline of human medical sciences.

Modern Instrumental Methods in Forensic Toxicology*

PubMed Central

Smith, Michael L.; Vorce, Shawn P.; Holler, Justin M.; Shimomura, Eric; Magluilo, Joe; Jacobs, Aaron J.; Huestis, Marilyn A.

2009-01-01

This article reviews modern analytical instrumentation in forensic toxicology for identification and quantification of drugs and toxins in biological fluids and tissues. A brief description of the theory and inherent strengths and limitations of each methodology is included. The focus is on new technologies that address current analytical limitations. A goal of this review is to encourage innovations to improve our technological capabilities and to encourage use of these analytical techniques in forensic toxicology practice. PMID:17579968

A psychosocial approach in humanitarian forensic action: The Latin American perspective.

PubMed

Hofmeister, Ute; Navarro, Susana

2017-11-01

Forensic humanitarian action is aimed at alleviating suffering and maintaining human dignity, with the victims and their families at the core. International recommendations emphasize the importance of psychological support and psychosocial work as an integral part of forensic investigations into missing persons. Psychosocial action does not simply refer to emotional support but is based on the idea of the individual being the holder of rights, encouraging decision taking, affirming actions, and elaborating personal and collective histories. In this framework, forensics and psychosocial sciences need to work in complementary and coordinated interaction for the benefit of the families and communities. For forensic investigations to be restorative - their ultimate humanitarian objective - there are certain additional conditions apart from those of scientific quality and ethics: respect, information and coordination are among the main pillars for forensic action with a psychosocial approach, taking into account the need to treat on an individual and collective level the continuous psychological affectations caused by the disappearance of a loved one. On this basis, psychological and psychosocial accompaniment of the victims can contribute to the victims' healing process and also improve the forensic investigations themselves. This article, which is based on the experience of two decades of practical forensic and psychosocial work in the field, explains the main psychological effects of disappearances and the resulting needs. It gives a short historical overview of the origins and developments in psychosocial support and a perspective in relation to the search for missing persons and forensic interventions in Latin America. It goes on to demonstrate how coordinated interaction among the forensic and psychosocial fields strengthens both of them to the benefit of the affected families, groups and communities. Finally, it takes up some of the international recommendations

Multifarious applications of atomic force microscopy in forensic science investigations.

PubMed

Pandey, Gaurav; Tharmavaram, Maithri; Rawtani, Deepak; Kumar, Sumit; Agrawal, Y

2017-04-01

Forensic science is a wide field comprising of several subspecialties and uses methods derived from natural sciences for finding criminals and other evidence valid in a legal court. A relatively new area; Nano-forensics brings a new era of investigation in forensic science in which instantaneous results can be produced that determine various agents such as explosive gasses, biological agents and residues in different crime scenes and terrorist activity investigations. This can be achieved by applying Nanotechnology and its associated characterization techniques in forensic sciences. Several characterization techniques exist in Nanotechnology and nano-analysis is one such technique that is used in forensic science which includes Electron microscopes (EM) like Transmission (TEM) and Scanning (SEM), Raman microscopy (Micro -Raman) and Scanning Probe Microscopes (SPMs) like Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). Atomic force microscopy enables surface characterization of different materials by examining their morphology and mechanical properties. Materials that are immeasurable such as hair, body fluids, textile fibers, documents, polymers, pressure sensitive adhesives (PSAs), etc. are often encountered during forensic investigations. This review article will mainly focus on the use of AFM in the examination of different evidence such as blood stains, forged documents, human hair samples, ammunitions, explosives, and other such applications in the field of Forensic Science. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Forensic botany: using plant evidence to aid in forensic death investigation.

PubMed

Miller Coyle, Heather; Lee, Cheng-Lung; Lin, Wen-Yu; Lee, Henry C; Palmbach, Timothy M

2005-08-01

Forensic botany is still an under-utilized resource in forensic casework, although it has been used on occasion. It is an area of specialty science that could include traditional botanical classification of species, DNA, or materials evidence (trace and transfer evidence), crime mapping or geo-sourcing, all dependent on the specific case application under consideration. Critical to the evaluation of plant evidence is careful collection, documentation, and preservation for later scientific analysis. This article reviews proper procedures and recent cases where botanical evidence played a role in establishing either manner or time of death. Plant evidence can be useful for determining if a death was due to an accident, suicide, or homicide, or what time of year burial may have taken place. In addition, plant evidence can be used to determine if a crime scene is a primary or secondary scene and to locate missing bodies.

Application of forensic DNA testing in the legal system.

PubMed

Primorac, D; Schanfield, M S

2000-03-01

DNA technology has taken an irreplaceable position in the field of the forensic sciences. Since 1985, when Peter Gill and Alex Jeffreys first applied DNA technology to forensic problems, to the present, more than 50,000 cases worldwide have been solved through the use of DNA based technology. Although the development of DNA typing in forensic science has been extremely rapid, today we are witnessing a new era of DNA technology including automation and miniaturization. In forensic science, DNA analysis has become "the new form of scientific evidence" and has come under public scrutiny and the demand to show competence. More and more courts admit the DNA based evidence. We believe that in the near future this technology will be generally accepted in the legal system. There are two main applications of DNA analysis in forensic medicine: criminal investigation and paternity testing. In this article we present background information on DNA, human genetics, and the application of DNA analysis to legal problems, as well as the commonly applied respective mathematics.

Neglect of the elderly: forensic entomology cases and considerations.

PubMed

Benecke, Mark; Josephi, Eberhard; Zweihoff, Ralf

2004-12-02

Wounds of living persons are a potential target for the same flies that live, or feed early on corpses. This can lead to complications in estimation of PMI but also allows to determine additional information that might be valuable in a trial, or during the investigations [e.g., M. Benecke, R. Lessig, Child neglect and forensic entomology, Forensic Sci. Int. 120 (2001) 155-159]. With forensic entomology, and forensic entomologists being more and more present, even lower profile cases like the neglect of elderly people (without violence being used against them; i.e., natural death) comes to our attention. Furthermore, much more people grow older than in the past years which leads to increased awareness of malpractice of caregivers in the professional, and personal environment [DPA (German Press Agency), Studie an 17000 Leichen: Jeder Siebte vor Tod falsch gepflegt (Every seventh elderly person not cared for sufficiently), German Press Agency dpa # 051402, Jan 3, Jan 5, 2003] . We briefly sketch three cases in which forensic entomology helped to better understand the circumstances of death, and the type and intensity of neglect before death.

Forensic geoscience: applications of geology, geomorphology and geophysics to criminal investigations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruffell, Alastair; McKinley, Jennifer

2005-03-01

One hundred years ago Georg Popp became the first scientist to present in court a case where the geological makeup of soils was used to secure a criminal conviction. Subsequently there have been significant advances in the theory and practice of forensic geoscience: many of them subsequent to the seminal publication of "Forensic Geology" by Murray and Tedrow [Murray, R., Tedrow, J.C.F. 1975 (republished 1986). Forensic Geology: Earth Sciences and Criminal Investigation. Rutgers University Press, New York, 240 pp.]. Our review places historical development in the modern context of how the allied disciplines of geology (mineralogy, sedimentology, microscopy), geophysics, soil science, microbiology, anthropology and geomorphology have been used as tool to aid forensic (domestic, serious, terrorist and international) crime investigations. The latter half of this paper uses the concept of scales of investigation, from large-scale landforms through to microscopic particles as a method of categorising the large number of geoscience applications to criminal investigation. Forensic geoscience has traditionally used established non-forensic techniques: 100 years after Popp's seminal work, research into forensic geoscience is beginning to lead, as opposed to follow other scientific disciplines.

THE ROLE OF FORENSIC DENTIST FOLLOWING MASS DISASTER

PubMed Central

Kolude, B.; Adeyemi, B.F.; Taiwo, J.O.; Sigbeku, O.F.; Eze, U.O.

2010-01-01

This review article focuses on mass disaster situations that may arise from natural or manmade circumstances and the significant role of forensic dental personnel in human identification following such occurrences. The various forensic dental modalities of identification that include matching techniques, postmortem profiling, genetic fingerprinting, dental fossil assessment and dental biometrics with digital subtraction were considered. The varying extent of use of forensic dental techniques and the resulting positive impact on human identification were considered. The importance of preparation by way of special training for forensic dental personnel, mock disaster rehearsal, and use of modern day technology was stressed. The need for international standardization of identification through the use of Interpol Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) for ms was further emphasized. Recommendations for improved human identification in Nigerian situation include reform of the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA), incorporation of dental care in primary health care to facilitate proper ante mortem database of the populace and commencement of identification at site of disaster. PMID:25161478

Advanced framework for digital forensic technologies and procedures.

PubMed

Trček, Denis; Abie, Habtamu; Skomedal, Asmund; Starc, Iztok

2010-11-01

Recent trends in global networks are leading toward service-oriented architectures and sensor networks. On one hand of the spectrum, this means deployment of services from numerous providers to form new service composites, and on the other hand this means emergence of Internet of things. Both these kinds belong to a plethora of realms and can be deployed in many ways, which will pose serious problems in cases of abuse. Consequently, both trends increase the need for new approaches to digital forensics that would furnish admissible evidence for litigation. Because technology alone is clearly not sufficient, it has to be adequately supported by appropriate investigative procedures, which have yet become a subject of an international consensus. This paper therefore provides appropriate a holistic framework to foster an internationally agreed upon approach in digital forensics along with necessary improvements. It is based on a top-down approach, starting with legal, continuing with organizational, and ending with technical issues. More precisely, the paper presents a new architectural technological solution that addresses the core forensic principles at its roots. It deploys so-called leveled message authentication codes and digital signatures to provide data integrity in a way that significantly eases forensic investigations into attacked systems in their operational state. Further, using a top-down approach a conceptual framework for forensics readiness is given, which provides levels of abstraction and procedural guides embellished with a process model that allow investigators perform routine investigations, without becoming overwhelmed by low-level details. As low-level details should not be left out, the framework is further evaluated to include these details to allow organizations to configure their systems for proactive collection and preservation of potential digital evidence in a structured manner. The main reason behind this approach is to stimulate efforts

Forensic psychiatry, one subspecialty with two ethics? A systematic review.

PubMed

Niveau, Gérard; Welle, Ida

2018-04-10

Forensic psychiatry is a particular subspecialty within psychiatry, dedicated in applying psychiatric knowledge and psychiatric training for particular legal purposes. Given that within the scope of forensic psychiatry, a third party usually intervenes in the patient-doctor relationship, an amendment of the traditional ethical principles seems justified. Thus, 47 articles, two book chapters and the guidelines produced by the World Psychiatric Association, the American Association of Psychiatry and the Law, as well as by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of psychiatrists, were analyzed. The review revealed that the ethics of correctional forensic psychiatry and those of legal forensic psychiatry do not markedly differ from each other, but they are incongruent in terms of implementation. In an effort to better understand which ethical principles apply to forensic psychiatry, a chronological review of the literature published from 1950 to 2015 was carried out. The ethics of correctional forensic psychiatry are primarily deontological. The principle of justice translates into the principle of health care equivalence, the principle of beneficence into providing the best possible care to patients, and the principle of respect of autonomy into ensuring confidentiality and informed consent. The ethics of legal forensic psychiatry are rather consequentialist. In this latter setting, the principle of justice is mainly characterized by professionalism, the principle of beneficence by objectivity and impartiality, and the principle of respect of autonomy by informed consent. However, these two distinct fields of forensic psychiatry share in common the principle of non maleficence, defined as the non collaboration of the psychiatrist in any activity leading to inhuman and degrading treatment or to the death penalty.

Implant bone integration importance in forensic identification.

PubMed

De Angelis, Danilo; Cattaneo, Cristina

2015-03-01

Odontological identification consists of the comparison of antemortem dental information regarding a missing person with postmortem data from an unidentified corpse or human remains. Usually, the comparison concerns morphologic features that the operator chooses among all the visible characteristics because of inter-individual uniqueness; for this reason, implants can be of enormous assistance. A case concerning the recovery of a burnt oral implant, connected to a bone fragment, among 2780 charred bone fragments, suspected to have belonged to a victim of homicide, is presented to demonstrate that dental implants and their site of bone integration represent a very precious element for personal forensic identification. Because of their morphological invariability in time and because of their morphologic uniqueness, they were used as evidence to associate unidentified human charred remains to a missing person where DNA analysis failed to do so. The case illustrates the fundamental contribution, not yet described in literature, given by the clinical aspects of tooth replacement with dental implants to a forensic discipline. Clinical practitioners should therefore be aware of the great importance of their work and of dental records in a forensic identification scenario. © 2014 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Automatic forensic face recognition from digital images.

PubMed

Peacock, C; Goode, A; Brett, A

2004-01-01

Digital image evidence is now widely available from criminal investigations and surveillance operations, often captured by security and surveillance CCTV. This has resulted in a growing demand from law enforcement agencies for automatic person-recognition based on image data. In forensic science, a fundamental requirement for such automatic face recognition is to evaluate the weight that can justifiably be attached to this recognition evidence in a scientific framework. This paper describes a pilot study carried out by the Forensic Science Service (UK) which explores the use of digital facial images in forensic investigation. For the purpose of the experiment a specific software package was chosen (Image Metrics Optasia). The paper does not describe the techniques used by the software to reach its decision of probabilistic matches to facial images, but accepts the output of the software as though it were a 'black box'. In this way, the paper lays a foundation for how face recognition systems can be compared in a forensic framework. The aim of the paper is to explore how reliably and under what conditions digital facial images can be presented in evidence.

Quantitative filter forensics for indoor particle sampling.

PubMed

Haaland, D; Siegel, J A

2017-03-01

Filter forensics is a promising indoor air investigation technique involving the analysis of dust which has collected on filters in central forced-air heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) or portable systems to determine the presence of indoor particle-bound contaminants. In this study, we summarize past filter forensics research to explore what it reveals about the sampling technique and the indoor environment. There are 60 investigations in the literature that have used this sampling technique for a variety of biotic and abiotic contaminants. Many studies identified differences between contaminant concentrations in different buildings using this technique. Based on this literature review, we identified a lack of quantification as a gap in the past literature. Accordingly, we propose an approach to quantitatively link contaminants extracted from HVAC filter dust to time-averaged integrated air concentrations. This quantitative filter forensics approach has great potential to measure indoor air concentrations of a wide variety of particle-bound contaminants. Future studies directly comparing quantitative filter forensics to alternative sampling techniques are required to fully assess this approach, but analysis of past research suggests the enormous possibility of this approach. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Forensic applications of ambient ionization mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Ifa, Demian R; Jackson, Ayanna U; Paglia, Giuseppe; Cooks, R Graham

2009-08-01

This review highlights and critically assesses forensic applications in the developing field of ambient ionization mass spectrometry. Ambient ionization methods permit the ionization of samples outside the mass spectrometer in the ordinary atmosphere, with minimal sample preparation. Several ambient ionization methods have been created since 2004 and they utilize different mechanisms to create ions for mass-spectrometric analysis. Forensic applications of these techniques--to the analysis of toxic industrial compounds, chemical warfare agents, illicit drugs and formulations, explosives, foodstuff, inks, fingerprints, and skin--are reviewed. The minimal sample pretreatment needed is illustrated with examples of analysis from complex matrices (e.g., food) on various substrates (e.g., paper). The low limits of detection achieved by most of the ambient ionization methods for compounds of forensic interest readily offer qualitative confirmation of chemical identity; in some cases quantitative data are also available. The forensic applications of ambient ionization methods are a growing research field and there are still many types of applications which remain to be explored, particularly those involving on-site analysis. Aspects of ambient ionization currently undergoing rapid development include molecular imaging and increased detection specificity through simultaneous chemical reaction and ionization by addition of appropriate chemical reagents.

Service audit of a forensic rehabilitation ward.

PubMed

Young, Susan; Gudjonsson, Gisli H; Needham-Bennett, Humphrey; Chick, Kay

2009-10-01

An open forensic rehabilitation ward provides an important link bridging the gap between secure and community provisions. This paper provides an audit of such a service by examining the records of an open forensic rehabilitation ward over a five-year period from 1 June 2000 until 31 May 2005. During the audit period there were 51 admissions, involving 45 different patients, and 50 discharges. The majority of the patients came from secure unit facilities, acute psychiatric wards or home. Thirty-nine patients were discharged either into hostels (66%) or their home (12%). The majority of patients (80%) had on admission a primary diagnosis of either schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Most had an extensive forensic history. The focus of their admission was to assess and treat their mental illness/disorder and offending behaviour and this was successful as the majority of patients were transferred to a community placement after a mean of 15 months. It is essential that there is a well-integrated care pathway for forensic patients, involving constructive liaison with generic services and a well-structured treatment programme which integrates the key principles of the 'recovery model' approach to care.

Impaired verbal learning in forensic inpatients with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder.

PubMed

Corbett, Lasha; Karyadi, Kenny A; Kinney, Dominique; Nitch, Stephen R; Bayan, Stacey Marie; Williams, Mark

2018-01-01

The present study aimed to: (a) examine verbal learning performances among forensic inpatients diagnosed with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder (SSD); and (b) compare verbal learning performances among forensic SSD inpatients, SSD outpatients, and a small control sample. Participants included forensic SSD inpatients (n = 71), SSD outpatients (n = 305; see Stone et al.), and a control sample from the California Verbal Learning Test-II (CVLT-II) manual (n = 78; see Delis, Kramer, Kaplan, & Ober). Five verbal learning outcomes were measured using the CVLT-II. The average forensic SSD inpatients performed 1 to 1.5 standard deviations below the mean across the five verbal learning outcomes, many of whom (26.8% to 36.6%) performed in the impaired range across the five outcomes. Forensic SSD inpatients performed significantly lower than the SSD outpatients on three verbal learning outcomes and significantly lower than healthy controls on all five verbal learning outcomes. Results indicated forensically committed SSD inpatients have diminished verbal learning performances. Study findings could help define normative verbal learning performances in different types of SSD patients, may guide the development of compensatory strategies for verbal learning deficits, and could subsequently lead to more successful clinical outcomes in this population.

The work of forensic physicians with police detainees in the Canberra City Watchhouse.

PubMed

Sturgiss, Elizabeth Ann; Parekh, Vanita

2011-02-01

Forensic physicians provide both medical care and forensic consultations to detainees in police custody. There is a paucity of Australian data regarding characteristics of detainees and the type of work provided by forensic physicians in this setting. This retrospective audit of a clinical forensic service in Canberra, Australia will assist with service planning, future data collection and the training of forensic physicians. Crown Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Forensic Analysis of Windows Hosts Using UNIX-based Tools

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cory Altheide

2004-07-19

Many forensic examiners are introduced to UNIX-based forensic utilities when faced with investigating a UNIX-like operating system for the first time. They will use these utilities for this very specific task, because in many cases these tools are the only ones for the given job. For example, at the time of this writing, given a FreeBSD 5.x file system, the author's only choice is to use The Coroner's Toolkit running on FreeBSD 5.x. However, many of the same tools examiners use for the occasional UNIX-like system investigation are extremely capable when a Windows system is the target. Indeed, the Linuxmore » operating system itself can prove to be an extremely useful forensics platform with very little use of specialized forensics utilities at all.« less

Origin and development of forensic medicine in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Al Madani, Osama Mohamed; Kharoshah, Magdy Abdel Azim; Zaki, Mamdouh Kamal; Galeb, Sherien Salah; Al Moghannam, Salah Ali; Moulana, Ashraf Abdul Raheem

2012-06-01

The medicolegal death investigation system in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is unique in the world. It is exclusively derived from Islamic judiciary based on Shari'ah law, which is the definitive Islamic law or doctrine. This law is applied on Saudi citizens as well as foreigners. This is different from other Islamic countries, which have a combination of Islamic and other judiciary systems.The forensic medicine centers in KSA are related administratively to the Ministry of Health (MOH) and its subdivisions in the different governorates. They are concerned with forensic medical examination and autopsy, as well as the clinical forensic medical examination of sexual assault cases, and those injured in civil and criminal cases. The assisting laboratories (forensic histopathology, microbiology, serology, forensic chemistry) are working independently under the funding of MOH, whereas the DNA laboratory and other departments of forensic sciences, for example, counterfeiting and forgery unit are related administratively to the Ministry of Interior represented by the Administration of Criminal Evidences. Efforts concerning crime scene investigations are shared with Administration of Criminal Evidences' crime scene investigators.Forensic medicine education in KSA developed in the past few years after the foundation of Saudi specialty certificate in forensic medicine. The certificate is a postgraduation qualification equivalent to a doctorate degree in forensic medicine and requires completion of a 4-year training program in both MOH- and Ministry of Interior-related departments, as well as passing annual evaluation and examination.This review is aimed at providing in the next decade the medicolegal centers with national forensic specialists throughout the kingdom and granting skillful headships for the next generations. Moreover, this review suggests more scientific associations with the academic universities in the various fields of forensic sciences through academic

Bridging the gap: from biometrics to forensics

PubMed Central

Jain, Anil K.; Ross, Arun

2015-01-01

Biometric recognition, or simply biometrics, refers to automated recognition of individuals based on their behavioural and biological characteristics. The success of fingerprints in forensic science and law enforcement applications, coupled with growing concerns related to border control, financial fraud and cyber security, has generated a huge interest in using fingerprints, as well as other biological traits, for automated person recognition. It is, therefore, not surprising to see biometrics permeating various segments of our society. Applications include smartphone security, mobile payment, border crossing, national civil registry and access to restricted facilities. Despite these successful deployments in various fields, there are several existing challenges and new opportunities for person recognition using biometrics. In particular, when biometric data is acquired in an unconstrained environment or if the subject is uncooperative, the quality of the ensuing biometric data may not be amenable for automated person recognition. This is particularly true in crime-scene investigations, where the biological evidence gleaned from a scene may be of poor quality. In this article, we first discuss how biometrics evolved from forensic science and how its focus is shifting back to its origin in order to address some challenging problems. Next, we enumerate the similarities and differences between biometrics and forensics. We then present some applications where the principles of biometrics are being successfully leveraged into forensics in order to solve critical problems in the law enforcement domain. Finally, we discuss new collaborative opportunities for researchers in biometrics and forensics, in order to address hitherto unsolved problems that can benefit society at large. PMID:26101280

Forensic science in the context of Islamic law: A review.

PubMed

Alkahtani, Theeb; Aljerian, Khaldoon; Golding, Bartholomew; Alqahtani, Sakher

2015-08-01

Even though it is still in its nascent phase, forensic science has already encountered strong resistance in Saudi Arabia due to its incompatibility with their present legal system. What follow is a review on the status of forensic medicine and its future in terms of acceptance and use in legal action. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Facial soft biometric features for forensic face recognition.

PubMed

Tome, Pedro; Vera-Rodriguez, Ruben; Fierrez, Julian; Ortega-Garcia, Javier

2015-12-01

This paper proposes a functional feature-based approach useful for real forensic caseworks, based on the shape, orientation and size of facial traits, which can be considered as a soft biometric approach. The motivation of this work is to provide a set of facial features, which can be understood by non-experts such as judges and support the work of forensic examiners who, in practice, carry out a thorough manual comparison of face images paying special attention to the similarities and differences in shape and size of various facial traits. This new approach constitutes a tool that automatically converts a set of facial landmarks to a set of features (shape and size) corresponding to facial regions of forensic value. These features are furthermore evaluated in a population to generate statistics to support forensic examiners. The proposed features can also be used as additional information that can improve the performance of traditional face recognition systems. These features follow the forensic methodology and are obtained in a continuous and discrete manner from raw images. A statistical analysis is also carried out to study the stability, discrimination power and correlation of the proposed facial features on two realistic databases: MORPH and ATVS Forensic DB. Finally, the performance of both continuous and discrete features is analyzed using different similarity measures. Experimental results show high discrimination power and good recognition performance, especially for continuous features. A final fusion of the best systems configurations achieves rank 10 match results of 100% for ATVS database and 75% for MORPH database demonstrating the benefits of using this information in practice. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Biochemical indicators of anaphylactic shock and the application in forensic medicine].

PubMed

Mi, Li; Chen, Jie; Gao, Wei-Min; Du, Zhong-Bo; Cao, Zhi-Peng; Zhang, Yuan; Zhu, Bao-Li

2014-04-01

Fatal anaphylactic shock is common in forensic practice. However, it is difficult to diagnose for lacking specific pathological and morphologic changes in forensic autopsy. The application of some biochemical indicators is of great significance. This paper reviews the biological characteristics of some biochemical indicators and detection methods. The forensic application, problems and prospects of these indicators are also introduced in details. The stable biochemical indicators, IgE, tryptase and chymase, show great potential and advantages in the identification of fatal anaphylactic shock in forensic medicine.

Extracting forensic evidence from biometric devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geradts, Zeno J.; Ruifrok, Arnout C.

2003-08-01

Over the past few years, both large multinationals and governments have begun to contribute to even larger projects on biometric devices. Terrorist attacks in America and in other countries have highlighted the need for better identification systems for people as well as improved systems for controlling access to buildings. Another reason for investment in Research and Development in Biometric Devices, is the massive growth in internet-based systems -- whether for e-commerce, e-government or internal processes within organizations. The interface between the system and the user is routinely abused, as people have to remember many complex passwords and handle tokens of various types. In this paper an overview is given of the information that is important to know before an examination of such is systems can be done in a forensic proper way. In forensic evidence with biometric devices the forensic examiner should consider the possibilities of tampering with the biometric systems or the possibilities of unauthorized access before drawing conclusions.

[Forensic analysis of injuries in dentistry].

PubMed

Heltai, Nóra; Baráth, Zoltán; Kereszty, Éva M

2016-03-13

Documentation and evaluation of dental injuries in forensic medicine are rather problematic. It needs a professional work up why dental injuries are out of focus, and how the diagnosis, pattern and treatment are influenced by novel approaches of dentistry. The aims of the authors were to characterize dental injuries, to compare their own findings to literature data concerning the type and characteristics of injuries, and propose a diagnostic workflow. Expert's reports between 2009 and 2013 at the Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Szeged were reviewed. Review of about 7000 reports revealed only 20 cases with dental injury, which is in contrast with literature data indicating a significantly higher frequency of dental injuries. Although the number of "dental cases" was low, there were several additional cases where the trauma probably affected the teeth but the injury was not documented. In future more attention is needed in forensic evaluation of the mechanism, therapeutic strategy and prognosis of dental injuries.

Nuclear Forensics for High School Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mader, Catherine; Doss, Heide; Plisch, Monica; Isola, Drew; Mirakovitz, Kathy

2011-04-01

We developed an education module on nuclear forensics, designed for high school science classrooms. The lessons include a mix of hands-on activities, computer simulations, and written exercises. Students are presented with realistic scenarios designed to develop their knowledge of nuclear science and its application to nuclear forensics. A two-day teacher workshop offered at Hope College attracted 20 teachers. They were loaned kits to implement activities with their students, and each teacher spent 3--7 days on the lessons. All who reported back said they would do it again and would share the lessons with colleagues. Many said that access to equipment and ready-made lessons enabled them to expand what they taught about nuclear science and introduce nuclear forensics. A few teachers invited guest speakers to their classroom, which provided an excellent opportunity to share career information with students. We acknowledge generous support from the Department of Homeland Security and the AIP Meggars Award.

Forensic Facial Reconstruction: The Final Frontier.

PubMed

Gupta, Sonia; Gupta, Vineeta; Vij, Hitesh; Vij, Ruchieka; Tyagi, Nutan

2015-09-01

Forensic facial reconstruction can be used to identify unknown human remains when other techniques fail. Through this article, we attempt to review the different methods of facial reconstruction reported in literature. There are several techniques of doing facial reconstruction, which vary from two dimensional drawings to three dimensional clay models. With the advancement in 3D technology, a rapid, efficient and cost effective computerized 3D forensic facial reconstruction method has been developed which has brought down the degree of error previously encountered. There are several methods of manual facial reconstruction but the combination Manchester method has been reported to be the best and most accurate method for the positive recognition of an individual. Recognition allows the involved government agencies to make a list of suspected victims'. This list can then be narrowed down and a positive identification may be given by the more conventional method of forensic medicine. Facial reconstruction allows visual identification by the individual's family and associates to become easy and more definite.

The future of forensic DNA analysis

PubMed Central

Butler, John M.

2015-01-01

The author's thoughts and opinions on where the field of forensic DNA testing is headed for the next decade are provided in the context of where the field has come over the past 30 years. Similar to the Olympic motto of ‘faster, higher, stronger’, forensic DNA protocols can be expected to become more rapid and sensitive and provide stronger investigative potential. New short tandem repeat (STR) loci have expanded the core set of genetic markers used for human identification in Europe and the USA. Rapid DNA testing is on the verge of enabling new applications. Next-generation sequencing has the potential to provide greater depth of coverage for information on STR alleles. Familial DNA searching has expanded capabilities of DNA databases in parts of the world where it is allowed. Challenges and opportunities that will impact the future of forensic DNA are explored including the need for education and training to improve interpretation of complex DNA profiles. PMID:26101278

Unifying Research and Teaching: Pedagogy for the Transition from Forensics Competition to Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jensen, Scott

At a minimum, tomorrow's forensic educators need formal training that orients the professional to the responsibilities central to forensic education. While a number of opportunities, as well as applications of those opportunities, are available to forensics students, the rooting of forensics in the speech communication discipline is paramount.…

Forensic entomology: applications and limitations.

PubMed

Amendt, J; Richards, C S; Campobasso, C P; Zehner, R; Hall, M J R

2011-12-01

Forensic entomology is the science of collecting and analysing insect evidence to aid in forensic investigations. Its main application is in the determination of the minimum time since death in cases of suspicious death, either by estimating the age of the oldest necrophagous insects that developed on the corpse, or by analysing the insect species composition on the corpse. In addition, toxicological and molecular examinations of these insects may help reveal the cause of death or even the identity of a victim, by associating a larva with its last meal, for example, in cases where insect evidence is left at a scene after human remains have been deliberately removed. Some fly species can develop not only on corpses but on living bodies too, causing myiasis. Analysis of larvae in such cases can demonstrate the period of neglect of humans or animals. Without the appropriate professional collection of insect evidence, an accurate and convincing presentation of such evidence in court will be hampered or even impossible. The present paper describes the principles and methods of forensic entomology and the optimal techniques for collecting insect evidence.

Cost-effective forensic image enhancement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dalrymple, Brian E.

1998-12-01

In 1977, a paper was presented at the SPIE conference in Reston, Virginia, detailing the computer enhancement of the Zapruder film. The forensic value of this examination in a major homicide investigation was apparent to the viewer. Equally clear was the potential for extracting evidence which is beyond the reach of conventional detection techniques. The cost of this technology in 1976, however, was prohibitive, and well beyond the means of most police agencies. Twenty-two years later, a highly efficient means of image enhancement is easily within the grasp of most police agencies, not only for homicides but for any case application. A PC workstation combined with an enhancement software package allows a forensic investigator to fully exploit digital technology. The goal of this approach is the optimization of the signal to noise ratio in images. Obstructive backgrounds may be diminished or eliminated while weak signals are optimized by the use of algorithms including Fast Fourier Transform, Histogram Equalization and Image Subtraction. An added benefit is the speed with which these processes are completed and the results known. The efficacy of forensic image enhancement is illustrated through case applications.

Benchmarking forensic mental health organizations.

PubMed

Coombs, Tim; Taylor, Monica; Pirkis, Jane

2011-04-01

This paper describes the forensic mental health forums that were conducted as part of the National Mental Health Benchmarking Project (NMHBP). These forums encouraged participating organizations to compare their performance on a range of key performance indicators (KPIs) with that of their peers. Four forensic mental health organizations took part in the NMHBP. Representatives from these organizations attended eight benchmarking forums at which they documented their performance against previously agreed KPIs. They also undertook three special projects which explored some of the factors that might explain inter-organizational variation in performance. The inter-organizational range for many of the indicators was substantial. Observing this led participants to conduct the special projects to explore three factors which might help explain the variability - seclusion practices, delivery of community mental health services, and provision of court liaison services. The process of conducting the special projects gave participants insights into the practices and structures employed by their counterparts, and provided them with some important lessons for quality improvement. The forensic mental health benchmarking forums have demonstrated that benchmarking is feasible and likely to be useful in improving service performance and quality.

Importance of electromyography and the electrophysiological severity scale in forensic reports.

PubMed

Bilgin, Nursel Gamsiz; Ozge, Aynur; Mert, Ertan; Yalçinkaya, Deniz E; Kar, Hakan

2007-05-01

Forensic reports on traumatic peripheral nerve injuries include dysfunction degrees of extremities, which are arranged according to the Turkish Penalty Code. The aim of this study is to discuss the role and importance of electromyography while preparing forensic reports in the cases of traumatic peripheral nerve injuries and the usefulness of scoring systems. A modified global scale, recommended by Mondelli et al., was used to assess the electrophysiological impairment of each peripheral nerve. Forensic reports of 106 patients, reported between 2002 and 2004, were evaluated. Thirty-four percent of the cases were reported as "total loss of function," 41.5% were reported as "functional disability," and there were no dysfunctions in the other cases in forensic reports that were prepared based on Council of Social Insurance Regulations of Health Processes and Guide prepared by the Council of Forensic Medicine and profession associations of forensic medicine. When we rearranged these forensic reports based on the electrophysiological severity scale (ESS), it was clearly found that all of the score 2 cases and 86.7% of the score 3 cases corresponded to "functional disability" and 91.4% of the score 4 cases correspond to "total loss of function." We found a significant correlation between the ESS and functional evaluation in peripheral nerve injury cases. Evaluation of functional disabilities in peripheral nerve injuries with the ESS represents a standardized and objective method used for forensic reports.

A Survey of Graduate Training Programs and Coursework in Forensic Psychology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burl, Jeffrey; Shah, Sanjay; Filone, Sarah; Foster, Elizabeth; DeMatteo, David

2012-01-01

An increasing number of graduate programs are available to students interested in the study of forensic psychology. The growth of forensic training opportunities is reflective of the wider development of forensic psychology as a discrete specialty area. An Internet-based survey was conducted to provide descriptive information to academic advisors…

Utilizing Forensics Skills to Enrich Schools and Communities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fryar, Maridell

In an era in which the credibility of public schools is falling with the general public, community forensics performances by students have the potential for cultivating public awareness of the effectiveness of the schools. Forensics is intrinsically related to basic speaking and listening skills, and since there is great potential for…

Plants & Perpetrators: Forensic Investigation in the Botany Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyd, Amy E.

2006-01-01

Applying botanical knowledge to a simulated forensic investigation provides inquiry-based and problem-based learning in the botany classroom. This paper details one such forensic investigation in which students use what they have learned about plant morphology and anatomy to analyze evidence and solve a murder mystery. (Contains 1 table.)

Microbiome Tools for Forensic Science.

PubMed

Metcalf, Jessica L; Xu, Zhenjiang Z; Bouslimani, Amina; Dorrestein, Pieter; Carter, David O; Knight, Rob

2017-09-01

Microbes are present at every crime scene and have been used as physical evidence for over a century. Advances in DNA sequencing and computational approaches have led to recent breakthroughs in the use of microbiome approaches for forensic science, particularly in the areas of estimating postmortem intervals (PMIs), locating clandestine graves, and obtaining soil and skin trace evidence. Low-cost, high-throughput technologies allow us to accumulate molecular data quickly and to apply sophisticated machine-learning algorithms, building generalizable predictive models that will be useful in the criminal justice system. In particular, integrating microbiome and metabolomic data has excellent potential to advance microbial forensics. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

New psychoactive substances: catalysing a shift in forensic science practice?

PubMed

Tettey, Justice; Crean, Conor

2015-08-05

The analysis of substances of abuse remains one of the most matured areas in forensic science with a strong scientific basis, namely analytical chemistry. The current evolving drug markets, characterized by the global emergence of new psychoactive substances (NPS) and the need for forensic scientists to identify an unprecedented and ever-increasing number of NPS, presents a unique challenge to this discipline. This article looks at the current situation with NPS at the global level, and the challenges posed to the otherwise technically robust forensic science discipline of analysis of substances of abuse. It discusses the preparedness of forensic science to deal with the current situation and identifies the need for a shift in forensic science practice, especially one which embraces research and looks beyond normal casework in order to provide the much needed data for developing effective policy responses to the NPS problem. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Civil and forensic patients in secure psychiatric settings: a comparison.

PubMed

Galappathie, Nuwan; Khan, Sobia Tamim; Hussain, Amina

2017-06-01

Aims and method To evaluate differences between male patients in secure psychiatric settings in the UK based on whether they are detained under civil or forensic sections of the Mental Health Act 1983. A cohort of patients discharged from a secure psychiatric hospital were evaluated for length of stay and frequency of risk-related incidents. Results Overall, 84 patients were included in the study: 52 in the forensic group and 32 in the civil group. Civil patients had more frequent incidents of aggression, sex offending, fire-setting and vulnerability, whereas forensic patients had more frequent episodes of self-harm. Clinical implications Secure hospitals should ensure treatment programmes are tailored to each patient's needs. Civil patients require greater emphasis on treatment of their mental illness, whereas forensic patients have additional offence-related treatment needs. Regular liaison between forensic and general adult services is essential to help ensure patients can return to appropriate settings at the earliest opportunity in their recovery.

Automating Disk Forensic Processing with SleuthKit, XML and Python

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-05-01

1 Automating Disk Forensic Processing with SleuthKit, XML and Python Simson L. Garfinkel Abstract We have developed a program called fiwalk which...files themselves. We show how it is relatively simple to create automated disk forensic applications using a Python module we have written that reads...software that the portable device may contain. Keywords: Computer Forensics; XML; Sleuth Kit; Python I. INTRODUCTION In recent years we have found many

Forensic medicine evaluation of Alzheimer patients: a series from Ankara, Turkey.

PubMed

Cavlak, Mehmet; Akçan, Ramazan; Tümer, Ali Riza; Balseven Odabaşi, Aysun; Lale, Aykut; Yildirim, Mahmut Serif; Heybet, Eyüp Ruşen

2015-01-01

Pathophysiological changes due to Alzheimer disease and increasing age might result in situations requiring forensic evaluation in the elderly. Judicial bodies might need forensic evaluation of trauma and the decision-making capacity of Alzheimer patients. This study aimed to determine the demographic and clinical characteristics of Alzheimer patients seen for forensic evaluation. Forensic records issued by the Department of Forensic Medicine of Hacettepe University in 2012 and 2013 were investigated. Patients with Alzheimer disease were included in the study and were analyzed in terms of age, sex, reason for application, comorbid medical conditions, occupation, and place and status of living. There were 30 Alzheimer patients examined in the study period. Of these, 17 (56.6%) were male and 13 (43.3%) were female. The patients' ages ranged between 51 and 90 years, and the mean age was 78.7 years. The majority of cases (25, 83.3%) were transferred for evaluation of decision-making capacity, while only 5 (17.7%) were referred to our department for forensic reporting of bodily damage. Forensic reporting of bodily damage in Alzheimer patients is similar to common injury cases. However, in conditions requiring evaluation of decision-making capacity in Alzheimer patients, all records should be carefully examined and a complete neuropsychiatric evaluation should be performed.

Validation of high throughput sequencing and microbial forensics applications

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

High throughput sequencing (HTS) generates large amounts of high quality sequence data for microbial genomics. The value of HTS for microbial forensics is the speed at which evidence can be collected and the power to characterize microbial-related evidence to solve biocrimes and bioterrorist events. As HTS technologies continue to improve, they provide increasingly powerful sets of tools to support the entire field of microbial forensics. Accurate, credible results allow analysis and interpretation, significantly influencing the course and/or focus of an investigation, and can impact the response of the government to an attack having individual, political, economic or military consequences. Interpretation of the results of microbial forensic analyses relies on understanding the performance and limitations of HTS methods, including analytical processes, assays and data interpretation. The utility of HTS must be defined carefully within established operating conditions and tolerances. Validation is essential in the development and implementation of microbial forensics methods used for formulating investigative leads attribution. HTS strategies vary, requiring guiding principles for HTS system validation. Three initial aspects of HTS, irrespective of chemistry, instrumentation or software are: 1) sample preparation, 2) sequencing, and 3) data analysis. Criteria that should be considered for HTS validation for microbial forensics are presented here. Validation should be defined in terms of specific application and the criteria described here comprise a foundation for investigators to establish, validate and implement HTS as a tool in microbial forensics, enhancing public safety and national security. PMID:25101166

Validation of high throughput sequencing and microbial forensics applications.

PubMed

Budowle, Bruce; Connell, Nancy D; Bielecka-Oder, Anna; Colwell, Rita R; Corbett, Cindi R; Fletcher, Jacqueline; Forsman, Mats; Kadavy, Dana R; Markotic, Alemka; Morse, Stephen A; Murch, Randall S; Sajantila, Antti; Schmedes, Sarah E; Ternus, Krista L; Turner, Stephen D; Minot, Samuel

2014-01-01

High throughput sequencing (HTS) generates large amounts of high quality sequence data for microbial genomics. The value of HTS for microbial forensics is the speed at which evidence can be collected and the power to characterize microbial-related evidence to solve biocrimes and bioterrorist events. As HTS technologies continue to improve, they provide increasingly powerful sets of tools to support the entire field of microbial forensics. Accurate, credible results allow analysis and interpretation, significantly influencing the course and/or focus of an investigation, and can impact the response of the government to an attack having individual, political, economic or military consequences. Interpretation of the results of microbial forensic analyses relies on understanding the performance and limitations of HTS methods, including analytical processes, assays and data interpretation. The utility of HTS must be defined carefully within established operating conditions and tolerances. Validation is essential in the development and implementation of microbial forensics methods used for formulating investigative leads attribution. HTS strategies vary, requiring guiding principles for HTS system validation. Three initial aspects of HTS, irrespective of chemistry, instrumentation or software are: 1) sample preparation, 2) sequencing, and 3) data analysis. Criteria that should be considered for HTS validation for microbial forensics are presented here. Validation should be defined in terms of specific application and the criteria described here comprise a foundation for investigators to establish, validate and implement HTS as a tool in microbial forensics, enhancing public safety and national security.

Age Estimation with DNA: From Forensic DNA Fingerprinting to Forensic (Epi)Genomics: A Mini-Review.

PubMed

Parson, Walther

2018-01-01

Forensic genetics developed from protein-based techniques a quarter of a century ago and became famous as "DNA fingerprinting," this being based on restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) of high-molecular-weight DNA. The amplification of much smaller short tandem repeat (STR) sequences using the polymerase chain reaction soon replaced RFLP analysis and advanced to become the gold standard in genetic identification. Meanwhile, STR multiplexes have been developed and made commercially available which simultaneously amplify up to 30 STR loci from as little as 15 cells or fewer. The enormous information content that comes with the large variety of observed STR genotypes allows for genetic individualisation (with the exception of identical twins). Carefully selected core STR loci form the basis of intelligence-led DNA databases that provide investigative leads by linking unsolved crime scenes and criminals through their matched STR profiles. Nevertheless, the success of modern DNA fingerprinting depends on the availability of reference material from suspects. In order to provide new investigative leads in cases where such reference samples are absent, forensic scientists started to explore the prediction of phenotypic traits from the DNA of the evidentiary sample. This paradigm change now uses DNA and epigenetic markers to forecast characteristics that are useful to triage further investigative work. So far, the best investigated externally visible characteristics are eye, hair and skin colour, as well as geographic ancestry and age. Information on the chronological age of a stain donor (or any sample donor) is elemental for forensic investigations in a number of aspects and has, therefore, been explored by researchers in some detail. Among different methodological approaches tested to date, the methylation-sensitive analysis of carefully selected DNA markers (CpG sites) has brought the most promising results by providing prediction accuracies of ±3-4 years

A review of bioinformatic methods for forensic DNA analyses.

PubMed

Liu, Yao-Yuan; Harbison, SallyAnn

2018-03-01

Short tandem repeats, single nucleotide polymorphisms, and whole mitochondrial analyses are three classes of markers which will play an important role in the future of forensic DNA typing. The arrival of massively parallel sequencing platforms in forensic science reveals new information such as insights into the complexity and variability of the markers that were previously unseen, along with amounts of data too immense for analyses by manual means. Along with the sequencing chemistries employed, bioinformatic methods are required to process and interpret this new and extensive data. As more is learnt about the use of these new technologies for forensic applications, development and standardization of efficient, favourable tools for each stage of data processing is being carried out, and faster, more accurate methods that improve on the original approaches have been developed. As forensic laboratories search for the optimal pipeline of tools, sequencer manufacturers have incorporated pipelines into sequencer software to make analyses convenient. This review explores the current state of bioinformatic methods and tools used for the analyses of forensic markers sequenced on the massively parallel sequencing (MPS) platforms currently most widely used. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Firesetting, arson, pyromania, and the forensic mental health expert.

PubMed

Burton, Paul R S; McNiel, Dale E; Binder, Renée L

2012-01-01

Firesetting is a common behavior that is frequently encountered by forensic mental health experts when consulting on criminal and civil legal cases. Despite its prevalence, minimal attention has been paid in the literature to conducting firesetting-related forensic evaluations. In this article, we discuss the differences in the behavior of firesetting, the crime of arson, and the diagnosis of pyromania. The literature on adult firesetter characteristics, classification systems, recidivism, and treatment is reviewed. Several types of common criminal and civil firesetting-related evaluations referred to forensic mental health experts are discussed, along with case examples illustrating how the courts have approached such assessments. To our knowledge, this article is the first in 20 years to address firesetting-related forensic evaluations within the psychiatry literature. It also represents the first comprehensive discussion of civil evaluations related to firesetting.

Forensic Science in Support of Wildlife Conservation Efforts - Genetic Approaches (Global Trends).

PubMed

Linacre, A

2011-01-01

Wildlife forensic science is a relatively recent development to meet the increasing need of the criminal justice system where there are investigations in alleged transgressions of either international or national legislation. This application of science draws on conservation genetics and forensic geneticists from mainstream forensic science. This review is a broad overview of the history of forensic wildlife science and some of the recent developments in forensic wildlife genetics with the application of DNA developments to nonhuman samples encountered in a forensic science investigation. The review will move from methods to look at the entire genome, when there is no previous knowledge of the species studied, through methods of species identification, using DNA to determine a possible geographic origin, through to assigning samples to a particular individual or a close genetic relative of this individual. The transfer of research methods into the criminal justice system for the investigation of wildlife crimes has been largely successful as is illustrated in the review. The review concludes with comments on the need for standardization and regulation in wildlife forensic science. Copyright © 2011 Central Police University.

Forensic Science--A Proposal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geesaman, Donald P.; Abrahamson, Dean E.

1973-01-01

Forensic science is an approach to study desirability of specific technologies in the context of value objectives and biological imperatives of society. Such groups should be formed with people from various physical and social sciences. (PS)

Forensic dentistry in human identification: A review of the literature.

PubMed

Ata-Ali, Javier; Ata-Ali, Fadi

2014-04-01

An update is provided of the literature on the role of odontology in human identification, based on a PubMed-Medline search of the last 5 years and using the terms: "forensic dentistry" (n = 464 articles), "forensic odontology" (n = 141 articles) and "forensic dentistry identification" (n = 169 articles). Apart from these initial 774 articles, others considered to be important and which were generated by a manual search and cited as references in review articles were also included. Forensic dentistry requires interdisciplinary knowledge, since the data obtained from the oral cavity can contribute to identify an individual or provide information needed in a legal process. Furthermore, the data obtained from the oral cavity can narrow the search range of an individual and play a key role in the victim identification process following mass disasters or catastrophes. This literature search covering the last 5 years describes the novelties referred to buccodental studies in comparative identification, buccodental evaluation in reconstructive identification, human bites as a method for identifying the aggressor, and the role of DNA in dental identification. The oral cavity is a rich and noninvasive source of DNA, and can be used to solve problems of a social, economic or legal nature. Key words:Forensic identification, DNA, forensic dentistry, rugoscopy, cheiloscopy, saliva.

Forensic dentistry in human identification: A review of the literature

PubMed Central

Ata-Ali, Fadi

2014-01-01

An update is provided of the literature on the role of odontology in human identification, based on a PubMed-Medline search of the last 5 years and using the terms: “forensic dentistry” (n = 464 articles), “forensic odontology” (n = 141 articles) and “forensic dentistry identification” (n = 169 articles). Apart from these initial 774 articles, others considered to be important and which were generated by a manual search and cited as references in review articles were also included. Forensic dentistry requires interdisciplinary knowledge, since the data obtained from the oral cavity can contribute to identify an individual or provide information needed in a legal process. Furthermore, the data obtained from the oral cavity can narrow the search range of an individual and play a key role in the victim identification process following mass disasters or catastrophes. This literature search covering the last 5 years describes the novelties referred to buccodental studies in comparative identification, buccodental evaluation in reconstructive identification, human bites as a method for identifying the aggressor, and the role of DNA in dental identification. The oral cavity is a rich and noninvasive source of DNA, and can be used to solve problems of a social, economic or legal nature. Key words:Forensic identification, DNA, forensic dentistry, rugoscopy, cheiloscopy, saliva. PMID:24790717

An Architecture for SCADA Network Forensics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kilpatrick, Tim; Gonzalez, Jesus; Chandia, Rodrigo; Papa, Mauricio; Shenoi, Sujeet

Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems are widely used in industrial control and automation. Modern SCADA protocols often employ TCP/IP to transport sensor data and control signals. Meanwhile, corporate IT infrastructures are interconnecting with previously isolated SCADA networks. The use of TCP/IP as a carrier protocol and the interconnection of IT and SCADA networks raise serious security issues. This paper describes an architecture for SCADA network forensics. In addition to supporting forensic investigations of SCADA network incidents, the architecture incorporates mechanisms for monitoring process behavior, analyzing trends and optimizing plant performance.

Visual Color Comparisons in Forensic Science.

PubMed

Thornton, J I

1997-06-01

Color is used extensively in forensic science for the characterization and comparison of physical evidence, and should thus be well understood. Fundamental elements of color perception and color comparison systems are first reviewed. The second portion of this article discusses instances in which defects in color perception may occur, and the recognition of opportunities by means of which color perception and color discrimination may be expressed and enhanced. Application and limitations of color comparisons in forensic science, including soil, paint, and fibers comparisons and color tests, are reviewed. Copyright © 1997 Central Police University.

[Forensic toxicology, a growing scientific discipline].

PubMed

Augsburger, Marc; Staub, Christian

2008-07-02

Forensic toxicology has to bring evidence of substances that could have been involved directly or indirectly in the cause of death or that could influence the behaviour of somebody. The increase of the consumption of illegal and legal drugs in modern societies during last decades gave a boost to forensic toxicology. Moreover, improvement with analytical technology gave tools with high degrees of sensitivity and specificity for the screening and quantification of a large amount of substances in various biological specimens, even with very low concentration resulting of a single dose of medication.

Bridging the gap: from biometrics to forensics.

PubMed

Jain, Anil K; Ross, Arun

2015-08-05

Biometric recognition, or simply biometrics, refers to automated recognition of individuals based on their behavioural and biological characteristics. The success of fingerprints in forensic science and law enforcement applications, coupled with growing concerns related to border control, financial fraud and cyber security, has generated a huge interest in using fingerprints, as well as other biological traits, for automated person recognition. It is, therefore, not surprising to see biometrics permeating various segments of our society. Applications include smartphone security, mobile payment, border crossing, national civil registry and access to restricted facilities. Despite these successful deployments in various fields, there are several existing challenges and new opportunities for person recognition using biometrics. In particular, when biometric data is acquired in an unconstrained environment or if the subject is uncooperative, the quality of the ensuing biometric data may not be amenable for automated person recognition. This is particularly true in crime-scene investigations, where the biological evidence gleaned from a scene may be of poor quality. In this article, we first discuss how biometrics evolved from forensic science and how its focus is shifting back to its origin in order to address some challenging problems. Next, we enumerate the similarities and differences between biometrics and forensics. We then present some applications where the principles of biometrics are being successfully leveraged into forensics in order to solve critical problems in the law enforcement domain. Finally, we discuss new collaborative opportunities for researchers in biometrics and forensics, in order to address hitherto unsolved problems that can benefit society at large. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Perceptual expertise in forensic facial image comparison

PubMed Central

White, David; Phillips, P. Jonathon; Hahn, Carina A.; Hill, Matthew; O'Toole, Alice J.

2015-01-01

Forensic facial identification examiners are required to match the identity of faces in images that vary substantially, owing to changes in viewing conditions and in a person's appearance. These identifications affect the course and outcome of criminal investigations and convictions. Despite calls for research on sources of human error in forensic examination, existing scientific knowledge of face matching accuracy is based, almost exclusively, on people without formal training. Here, we administered three challenging face matching tests to a group of forensic examiners with many years' experience of comparing face images for law enforcement and government agencies. Examiners outperformed untrained participants and computer algorithms, thereby providing the first evidence that these examiners are experts at this task. Notably, computationally fusing responses of multiple experts produced near-perfect performance. Results also revealed qualitative differences between expert and non-expert performance. First, examiners' superiority was greatest at longer exposure durations, suggestive of more entailed comparison in forensic examiners. Second, experts were less impaired by image inversion than non-expert students, contrasting with face memory studies that show larger face inversion effects in high performers. We conclude that expertise in matching identity across unfamiliar face images is supported by processes that differ qualitatively from those supporting memory for individual faces. PMID:26336174

Perceptual expertise in forensic facial image comparison.

PubMed

White, David; Phillips, P Jonathon; Hahn, Carina A; Hill, Matthew; O'Toole, Alice J

2015-09-07

Forensic facial identification examiners are required to match the identity of faces in images that vary substantially, owing to changes in viewing conditions and in a person's appearance. These identifications affect the course and outcome of criminal investigations and convictions. Despite calls for research on sources of human error in forensic examination, existing scientific knowledge of face matching accuracy is based, almost exclusively, on people without formal training. Here, we administered three challenging face matching tests to a group of forensic examiners with many years' experience of comparing face images for law enforcement and government agencies. Examiners outperformed untrained participants and computer algorithms, thereby providing the first evidence that these examiners are experts at this task. Notably, computationally fusing responses of multiple experts produced near-perfect performance. Results also revealed qualitative differences between expert and non-expert performance. First, examiners' superiority was greatest at longer exposure durations, suggestive of more entailed comparison in forensic examiners. Second, experts were less impaired by image inversion than non-expert students, contrasting with face memory studies that show larger face inversion effects in high performers. We conclude that expertise in matching identity across unfamiliar face images is supported by processes that differ qualitatively from those supporting memory for individual faces. © 2015 The Author(s).

Image counter-forensics based on feature injection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iuliani, M.; Rossetto, S.; Bianchi, T.; De Rosa, Alessia; Piva, A.; Barni, M.

2014-02-01

Starting from the concept that many image forensic tools are based on the detection of some features revealing a particular aspect of the history of an image, in this work we model the counter-forensic attack as the injection of a specific fake feature pointing to the same history of an authentic reference image. We propose a general attack strategy that does not rely on a specific detector structure. Given a source image x and a target image y, the adversary processes x in the pixel domain producing an attacked image ~x, perceptually similar to x, whose feature f(~x) is as close as possible to f(y) computed on y. Our proposed counter-forensic attack consists in the constrained minimization of the feature distance Φ(z) =│ f(z) - f(y)│ through iterative methods based on gradient descent. To solve the intrinsic limit due to the numerical estimation of the gradient on large images, we propose the application of a feature decomposition process, that allows the problem to be reduced into many subproblems on the blocks the image is partitioned into. The proposed strategy has been tested by attacking three different features and its performance has been compared to state-of-the-art counter-forensic methods.

Forensic Science and the Internet - Current Utilization and Future Potential.

PubMed

Chamakura, R P

1997-12-01

The Internet has become a very powerful and inexpensive tool for the free distribution of knowledge and information. It is a learning and research tool, a virtual library without borders and membership requirements, a help desk, and a publication house providing newspapers with current information and journals with instant publication. Very soon, when live audio and video transmission is perfected, the Internet (popularly referred to as the Net) also will be a live classroom and everyday conference site. This article provides a brief overview of the basic structure and essential components of the Internet. A limited number of home pages/Web sites that are already made available on the Net by scientists, laboratories, and colleges in the forensic science community are presented in table forms. Home pages/Web sites containing useful information pertinent to different disciplines of forensic science are also categorized in various tables. The ease and benefits of the Internet use are exemplified by the author's personal experience. Currently, only a few forensic scientists and institutions have made their presence felt. More participation and active contribution and the creation of on-line searchable databases in all specialties of forensic science are urgently needed. Leading forensic journals should take the lead and create on-line searchable indexes with abstracts. Creating Internet repositories of unpublished papers is an idea worth looking into. Leading forensic science institutions should also develop use of the Net to provide training and retraining opportunities for forensic scientists. Copyright © 1997 Central Police University.

Nuclear forensics of a non-traditional sample: Neptunium

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Doyle, Jamie L.; Schwartz, Daniel; Tandon, Lav

Recent nuclear forensics cases have focused primarily on plutonium (Pu) and uranium (U) materials. By definition however, nuclear forensics can apply to any diverted nuclear material. This includes neptunium (Np), an internationally safeguarded material like Pu and U, that could offer a nuclear security concern if significant quantities were found outside of regulatory control. This case study couples scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with quantitative analysis using newly developed specialized software, to evaluate a non-traditional nuclear forensic sample of Np. Here, the results of the morphological analyses were compared with another Np sample of known pedigree, as well as other traditionalmore » actinide materials in order to determine potential processing and point-of-origin.« less

Nuclear forensics of a non-traditional sample: Neptunium

DOE PAGES

Doyle, Jamie L.; Schwartz, Daniel; Tandon, Lav

2016-05-16

Recent nuclear forensics cases have focused primarily on plutonium (Pu) and uranium (U) materials. By definition however, nuclear forensics can apply to any diverted nuclear material. This includes neptunium (Np), an internationally safeguarded material like Pu and U, that could offer a nuclear security concern if significant quantities were found outside of regulatory control. This case study couples scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with quantitative analysis using newly developed specialized software, to evaluate a non-traditional nuclear forensic sample of Np. Here, the results of the morphological analyses were compared with another Np sample of known pedigree, as well as other traditionalmore » actinide materials in order to determine potential processing and point-of-origin.« less

The ethics of forensic practice: reclaiming the wasteland.

PubMed

Morse, Stephen J

2008-01-01

After beginning with a warm appreciation of Alan Stone's scholarship and character, this article argues that Stone's woeful characterization of forensic practice as a wasteland that has no genuine ethical guide to practice and little to contribute is vastly overstated. It claims that the basis for useful ethical practice is rooted in a proper understanding of the law's folk psychological model of behavior and criteria. Then it suggests the proper bounds of forensic practice, including an aspirational list of do's and don'ts. The view presented is deflationary and cautious compared to what the law permits and most practitioners do, but it still leaves forensic practitioners with a wide and important role in the legal system.

Combination of Face Regions in Forensic Scenarios.

PubMed

Tome, Pedro; Fierrez, Julian; Vera-Rodriguez, Ruben; Ortega-Garcia, Javier

2015-07-01

This article presents an experimental analysis of the combination of different regions of the human face on various forensic scenarios to generate scientific knowledge useful for the forensic experts. Three scenarios of interest at different distances are considered comparing mugshot and CCTV face images using MORPH and SC face databases. One of the main findings is that inner facial regions combine better in mugshot and close CCTV scenarios and outer facial regions combine better in far CCTV scenarios. This means, that depending of the acquisition distance, the discriminative power of the facial regions change, having in some cases better performance than the full face. This effect can be exploited by considering the fusion of facial regions which results in a very significant improvement of the discriminative performance compared to just using the full face. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Forensic entomology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amendt, Jens; Krettek, Roman; Zehner, Richard

Necrophagous insects are important in the decomposition of cadavers. The close association between insects and corpses and the use of insects in medicocriminal investigations is the subject of forensic entomology. The present paper reviews the historical background of this discipline, important postmortem processes, and discusses the scientific basis underlying attempts to determine the time interval since death. Using medical techniques, such as the measurement of body temperature or analysing livor and rigor mortis, time since death can only be accurately measured for the first two or three days after death. In contrast, by calculating the age of immature insect stages feeding on a corpse and analysing the necrophagous species present, postmortem intervals from the first day to several weeks can be estimated. These entomological methods may be hampered by difficulties associated with species identification, but modern DNA techniques are contributing to the rapid and authoritative identification of necrophagous insects. Other uses of entomological data include the toxicological examination of necrophagous larvae from a corpse to identify and estimate drugs and toxicants ingested by the person when alive and the proof of possible postmortem manipulations. Forensic entomology may even help in investigations dealing with people who are alive but in need of care, by revealing information about cases of neglect.

Forensic medicine: a forgotten world of opportunities and challenges for research.

PubMed

Magalhães, Teresa; Santos, Agostinho; Dinis-Oliveira, Ricardo Jorge

2013-08-01

Forensic medicine deals with a wide variety of cases. To accomplish the main objectives, this professional field needs to adopt and apply findings from other sciences, namely, different medical specialties and other forensic sciences. The opposite is not yet entirely true due to the fact that forensic medicine deals with cases that are very far away from other medical and scientific interests. It is obvious that this forgotten world of forensic medicine … is also a new world of opportunities and challenges to research in all scientific areas. Copyright © 2013 IMSS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

National Center for Nuclear Security: The Nuclear Forensics Project (F2012)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Klingensmith, A. L.

These presentation visuals introduce the National Center for Nuclear Security. Its chartered mission is to enhance the Nation’s verification and detection capabilities in support of nuclear arms control and nonproliferation through R&D activities at the NNSS. It has three focus areas: Treaty Verification Technologies, Nonproliferation Technologies, and Technical Nuclear Forensics. The objectives of nuclear forensics are to reduce uncertainty in the nuclear forensics process & improve the scientific defensibility of nuclear forensics conclusions when applied to nearsurface nuclear detonations. Research is in four key areas: Nuclear Physics, Debris collection and analysis, Prompt diagnostics, and Radiochemistry.

Partners in Crime: Integrating Forensic Science and Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hein, Erik

2006-01-01

Forensic science lends itself to many academic areas. Aside from the science itself, writing plays a major role in the investigation process as well as in the courtroom. It is paramount that students learn how to write proficiently when recording results or writing evaluations and reports, just as forensic scientists do. This can also be done…

Forensic psychiatry in India current status and future development.

PubMed

Shah, L P

1999-07-01

Forensic psychiatry is a developing superspeciality in India and other SAARC countries. After a brief historical review, the paper describes the current status of forensic psychiatry in India and compares it with the development in this field in Europe and America. It takes the stock of current scenario in three different areas viz., i) legal and clinical ii) teaching and training and Hi) research. It deliberates on need for teaching this subject at the undergraduate and the postgraduate medical and legal courses and necessity of full time consultants devoted to the practice of forensic psychiatry. It focuses on the recent developments in the field of forensic psychiatry like enactment of Narcotic and Psychotropic Substance Act (1985), Mental Health Act (1987), Juvenile Justice Act (1989), Act for the Disabled (1994) and the Consumer Protection Act (1986). The paper also recommends some strategies for teaching, training, research and future developments in this field.

Hyperspectral imaging for non-contact analysis of forensic traces.

PubMed

Edelman, G J; Gaston, E; van Leeuwen, T G; Cullen, P J; Aalders, M C G

2012-11-30

Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) integrates conventional imaging and spectroscopy, to obtain both spatial and spectral information from a specimen. This technique enables investigators to analyze the chemical composition of traces and simultaneously visualize their spatial distribution. HSI offers significant potential for the detection, visualization, identification and age estimation of forensic traces. The rapid, non-destructive and non-contact features of HSI mark its suitability as an analytical tool for forensic science. This paper provides an overview of the principles, instrumentation and analytical techniques involved in hyperspectral imaging. We describe recent advances in HSI technology motivating forensic science applications, e.g. the development of portable and fast image acquisition systems. Reported forensic science applications are reviewed. Challenges are addressed, such as the analysis of traces on backgrounds encountered in casework, concluded by a summary of possible future applications. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bodies of science and law: forensic DNA profiling, biological bodies, and biopower.

PubMed

Toom, Victor

2012-01-01

How is jurisdiction transferred from an individual's biological body to agents of power such as the police, public prosecutors, and the judiciary, and what happens to these biological bodies when transformed from private into public objects? These questions are examined by analysing bodies situated at the intersection of science and law. More specifically, the transformation of ‘private bodies’ into ‘public bodies’ is analysed by going into the details of forensic DNA profiling in the Dutch jurisdiction. It will be argued that various ‘forensic genetic practices’ enact different forensic genetic bodies'. These enacted forensic genetic bodies are connected with various infringements of civil rights, which become articulated in exploring these forensic genetic bodies’‘normative registers’.

An Evidence-based Forensic Taxonomy of Windows Phone Dating Apps.

PubMed

Cahyani, Niken Dwi Wahyu; Choo, Kim-Kwang Raymond; Ab Rahman, Nurul Hidayah; Ashman, Helen

2018-05-21

Advances in technologies including development of smartphone features have contributed to the growth of mobile applications, including dating apps. However, online dating services can be misused. To support law enforcement investigations, a forensic taxonomy that provides a systematic classification of forensic artifacts from Windows Phone 8 (WP8) dating apps is presented in this study. The taxonomy has three categories, namely: Apps Categories, Artifacts Categories, and Data Partition Categories. This taxonomy is built based on the findings from a case study of 28 mobile dating apps, using mobile forensic tools. The dating app taxonomy can be used to inform future studies of dating and related apps, such as those from Android and iOS platforms. © 2018 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Conception of a course for professional training and education in the field of computer and mobile forensics, part III: network forensics and penetration testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kröger, Knut; Creutzburg, Reiner

2014-02-01

IT security and computer forensics are important components in the information technology. From year to year, incidents and crimes increase that target IT systems or were done with their help. More and more companies and authorities have security problems in their own IT infrastructure. To respond to these incidents professionally, it is important to have well trained staff. The fact that many agencies and companies work with very sensitive data make it necessary to further train the own employees in the field of network forensics and penetration testing. Motivated by these facts, this paper - a continuation of a paper of January 2012 [1], which showed the conception of a course for professional training and education in the field of computer and mobile forensics - addresses the practical implementation important relationships of network forensic and penetration testing.

Weight Gain and Its Correlates Among Forensic Inpatients

PubMed Central

Hilton, N Zoe; Ham, Elke; Lang, Carol; Harris, Grant T

2015-01-01

Objective: We investigated changes in weight, body mass index (BMI), and other indices of the metabolic syndrome in forensic inpatients. Weight gain associated with newer antipsychotics (APs) is well established in the general psychiatric population. Methods: We examined the medical records of 291 men admitted to a forensic hospital at admission and again at discharge or 365 days later if still in hospital. We also recorded diagnosis and smoker status on admission and quantified psychotropic treatment and adherence, physical activity, and daytime occupation during the hospitalization. Results: On admission, 33% were obese and 22% of the 106 patients for whom sufficient data were available met criteria for metabolic syndrome. Among patients staying at least 30 days, 60% were weighed again before discharge but repeated blood pressure and waist circumference measures were uncommon, even among those at greatest risk. The 122 forensic inpatients with sufficient information gained an average of 12% of their body weight and 40% increased by at least 1 BMI category, gaining an average of 3.67 kg per month. Weight gain was associated with duration of time and was not attributable to being underweight on admission, diagnosis of schizophrenia, atypical AP treatment, medication adherence, or having been a smoker. Conclusions: Patients gained weight during forensic hospitalization independent of medication use. We recommend further research using consistent measurement and wider sampling of both metabolic syndrome indicators and its individual and systemic causes in forensic populations. PMID:26174527

Training forensic staff.

PubMed

Hall-McGee, P

1997-01-01

The author provides a training package for forensic staff on how to handle prisoner patients who are being treated at a healthcare facility. She covers such topics as fire and evacuation plans, interim life safety measures, blood and bloodborne pathogens exposure, universal precautions, respiratory protection and TB, and voluntary medical immobilization and protection devices.

Mitochondria in anthropology and forensic medicine.

PubMed

Grzybowski, Tomasz; Rogalla, Urszula

2012-01-01

Mitochondria's role in crucial metabolic pathways is probably the first answer which comes to our minds for the question: what do these tiny organelles serve for? However, specific features of their DNA made them extremely useful also in the field of anthropology and forensics. MtDNA analyses became a milestone in the complex task of unraveling earliest human migrations. Evidence provided by these experiments left no doubts on modern humans origins pointing to Africa being our cradle. It also contributed to interpretation of putative ways of our dispersal around Asia and Americas thousands years ago. On the other hand, analysis of mtDNA is well established and valuable tool in forensic genetics. When other definitely more popular markers give no answer on identity, it is the time to employ information carried by mitochondria. This chapter summarizes not only current reports on the role of mitochondria in forensics and reconstruction of modern humans phylogeny, but also calls one's attention to a broad range of difficulties and constraints associated with mtDNA analyses.

The future of forensic DNA analysis.

PubMed

Butler, John M

2015-08-05

The author's thoughts and opinions on where the field of forensic DNA testing is headed for the next decade are provided in the context of where the field has come over the past 30 years. Similar to the Olympic motto of 'faster, higher, stronger', forensic DNA protocols can be expected to become more rapid and sensitive and provide stronger investigative potential. New short tandem repeat (STR) loci have expanded the core set of genetic markers used for human identification in Europe and the USA. Rapid DNA testing is on the verge of enabling new applications. Next-generation sequencing has the potential to provide greater depth of coverage for information on STR alleles. Familial DNA searching has expanded capabilities of DNA databases in parts of the world where it is allowed. Challenges and opportunities that will impact the future of forensic DNA are explored including the need for education and training to improve interpretation of complex DNA profiles. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Factors influencing post-traumatic stress in Korean forensic science investigators.

PubMed

Yoo, Yang-Sook; Cho, Ok-Hee; Cha, Kyeong-Sook; Boo, Yun-Jeong

2013-09-01

The aim of this study was to understand factors that influence post-traumatic stress (PTS) in Korean forensic science investigators. A total of 111 forensic science investigators were recruited in Korea. PTS was measured using the tool modified by Choi (2001) from the original developed by Foa, Riggs, Dancu, and Rothbaum (1993) based on DSM-IV. Factors influencing PTS included demographic and job-related characteristics, emotional intelligence, and death anxiety. PTS scores were positively correlated with personality type, fatigue from work, and death anxiety. PTS scores were negatively correlated with length of career as a forensic science investigator and emotional intelligence. The factors that had the greatest influence on PTS were death anxiety, years spent as a forensic science investigator, personality type, emotional intelligence, fatigue, and homicide experience. The explanatory power of these six factors was 44.0%. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly evaluate the mental health of those who are vulnerable to PTS. Based on these results, various interventions could be implemented for promoting overall health of the forensic science investigators. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Statistical Evaluation of Biometric Evidence in Forensic Automatic Speaker Recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drygajlo, Andrzej

Forensic speaker recognition is the process of determining if a specific individual (suspected speaker) is the source of a questioned voice recording (trace). This paper aims at presenting forensic automatic speaker recognition (FASR) methods that provide a coherent way of quantifying and presenting recorded voice as biometric evidence. In such methods, the biometric evidence consists of the quantified degree of similarity between speaker-dependent features extracted from the trace and speaker-dependent features extracted from recorded speech of a suspect. The interpretation of recorded voice as evidence in the forensic context presents particular challenges, including within-speaker (within-source) variability and between-speakers (between-sources) variability. Consequently, FASR methods must provide a statistical evaluation which gives the court an indication of the strength of the evidence given the estimated within-source and between-sources variabilities. This paper reports on the first ENFSI evaluation campaign through a fake case, organized by the Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI), as an example, where an automatic method using the Gaussian mixture models (GMMs) and the Bayesian interpretation (BI) framework were implemented for the forensic speaker recognition task.

[Research Progress of Sudden Cardiac Death in Forensic Medicine].

PubMed

Zheng, D; Yin, K; Zheng, J J; Zhou, N; Liu, Y; Fu, X; Cheng, J D

2017-10-01

Sudden death （SD） is a special kind of death owing to disease, which severely threatening the lives of community population. As the most common type of SD, sudden cardiac death （SCD） has always been a crucial content of identification and research in forensic pathology. This article reviews the research progress from the aspects of epidemiology, morphology, molecular pathology and virtual anatomy of SCD in forensic medicine, so as to provide a reference for the morphological identification, determination of cause of death, and integrated control of this kind of SD. Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Forensic Medicine.

On the Contribution of Raman Spectroscopy to Forensic Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buzzini, Patrick; Massonnet, Genevieve

2010-08-01

Raman spectroscopy has only recently sparked interest from forensic laboratories. The Raman technique has demonstrated important advantages such as its nondestructive nature, its fast analysis time, and especially the possibility of performing microscopical in situ analyses. In forensic applications, it is a versatile technique that covers a wide spectrum of substances such as trace evidence, illicit drugs and inks. An overview of the recent developments of Raman spectroscopy in forensic science will be discussed. Also, the requirements for an analytical technique for the examination of physical evidence will be described. Examples of casework will be depicted.

Dataset for forensic analysis of B-tree file system.

PubMed

Wani, Mohamad Ahtisham; Bhat, Wasim Ahmad

2018-06-01

Since B-tree file system (Btrfs) is set to become de facto standard file system on Linux (and Linux based) operating systems, Btrfs dataset for forensic analysis is of great interest and immense value to forensic community. This article presents a novel dataset for forensic analysis of Btrfs that was collected using a proposed data-recovery procedure. The dataset identifies various generalized and common file system layouts and operations, specific node-balancing mechanisms triggered, logical addresses of various data structures, on-disk records, recovered-data as directory entries and extent data from leaf and internal nodes, and percentage of data recovered.

Students' Physical and Psychological Reactions to Forensic Dissection: Are There Risk Factors?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sergentanis, Theodoros N.; Papadodima, Stavroula A.; Evaggelakos, Christos I.; Mytilinaios, Dimitrios G.; Goutas, Nikolaos D.; Spiliopoulou, Chara A.

2010-01-01

The reactions of students to forensic dissection encompass psychologico-emotional and physical components. This exploratory study aimed to determine risk factors for students' adverse physical and psychological reactions to forensic dissection. All sixth-year medical students (n = 304) attending the compulsory practical course in forensic medicine…