Catching the end of #NationalForensicScienceWeek by shedding light on our work the general public often doesn’t see. Shout-out to colleagues throughout the forensic sciences who put in an unimaginable amount of mental work and endure psychological trauma to get the job done.
#death #autopsy
Our 2024 report on the use of error-prone colorimetric #FieldDrugTests found that these tests are used in more than 773,000 arrests each year, and that 30,000 people are arrested each year based on false positives.
#NationalForensicScienceWeek
Can pets transfer human DNA? Could these transfers lead to false implications, or help to identify suspects? A new paper in Science & Justice suggests the answer is YES. Our dog-loving Executive Director @tcita.bsky.social takes a look.
#NationalForensicScienceWeek
This week, we celebrate #NationalForensicScienceWeek!
We recognize the dedicated men & women in our BPD Forensic Science & Evidence Services Division whose work behind the scenes helps solve crimes and keep Baltimore safe. Thank you for your commitment, dedication & service.
Ballistics: Prone to overstating the certainty of "matches" because toolmarks on bullets are susceptible to examiner bias.
Hair comparison: Hair characteristics are not unique and interpretations are subjective. DNA testing has overturned many wrongful convictions based on this method.
Bitemarks: Highly error prone because bite impressions are unreliable. Courts increasingly reject its validity.
Arson: Vulnerable to error and prone to relying on disproven indicators instead of modern fire science
Advances in forensic science are essential to a more fair and accurate criminal legal system. As we add new tools, we must also revisit the use of outdated & error-prone methods. Countless Americans are still incarcerated based on convictions rooted in faulty methods. #NationalForensicScienceWeek
29% of wrongful convictions in the National Registry of Exonerations involved false or misleading forensic science. Source: National Registry of Exonerations
🧪 It's #NationalForensicScienceWeek. We'll be sharing stories all week about the role of #forensics in creating a more fair and more just criminal legal system. Stay tuned!
Source: @exonerationlist.bsky.social
