The forensicweek.com Show – Episode 011 – Solving a Serial Murder
The forensicweek.com Show is airing Episode 011 – Solving a Serial Murder – LIVE TONIGHT, Thursday, February 14, 2013 at 7:00 PM (EST). Special guest FBI Special Agent Robert Hilland, will discuss how the FBI brought the nearly 40 year investigation of serial killer John Smith to a successful conclusion. Smith eluded law enforcement for 26 years before his arrest in 2000. Special Agent Hilland has been featured on 20/20, Cold Case Files, The New Detectives, Forensic Files and On the Case with Paula Zahn presenting the details of this case. Forensicweek.com will focus on the role forensic science played in bringing Smith to justice. So join host, Tom Mauriello, and the rest of the forensicweek.com team and learn the “real” truth about investigating a serial murder case. Watch the show LIVE or view it at your convenience after the show is aired. Remember all previous episodes are there also. Just GO TO www.forensicweek.com or directly to http://www.youtube.com/forensicweek/.
Supreme Court to Hear Fight over Taking DNA from Those Arrested
On a cold February night three years ago, police in suburban Arlington, Va., received a frantic call. A young woman said her roommate had been abducted at gunpoint by a short, clean-shaven man who sped away in a silver SUV.
At dawn, a motorist spotted the victim in a snowy field near a highway, raped and strangled, but alive. An alert officer, hearing the lookout report, recalled that he’d jotted down the license tag of a silver Dodge Durango whose driver lurked near bars at midnight, leading to the quick arrest of a short, clean-shaven Marine named Jorge Torrez.
Ten years ago, Virginia became the first state to require a mouth swab for DNA, upon arrest for a serious crime. This month, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear a privacy rights challenge to this common police practice. DNA samples are currently being taken nationwide from those convicted of serious crimes, while only the federal government and 28 states take samples from those arrested but not yet convicted. Victim’s rights groups, the Obama administration, and the top state attorneys from California and 48 other states have urged the court to rule in favor of routine DNA testing, saying that the mouth swab is at most, a minor invasion of privacy that has an extraordinary potential for solving heinous crimes.
Sourced from forensicmag.com
Citation:
Savage, D. Los Angeles Times . Fight over taking DNA samples after arrests goes to Supreme Court. Retrieved February 5, 2013, from http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-court-dna-20130203,0,4970458.story
NIJ Accepting Proposals for Research on Firearms and Violence
The National Institute of Justice’s solicitation on firearms and violence is now available. This means that NIJ is accepting proposals for research on topics, such as the effects of criminal justice interventions on reducing gun violence, improving data systems for studying gun violence, illicit gun markets, and the effects of firearm policies and legislation on public safety.
Deadline for applications is May 2, 2013.
View all current funding opportunities from NIJ.
Source: forensicmag.com
The forensicweek.com Show – Episode 009 – Hazardous Materials and Weapons of Mass Destruction
The forensicweek.com Show is airing Episode 009 this Thursday evening, January 31, 2013 at 7:00 PM (EST), discussing the identification and handling of “Hazardous Materials (HazMat) & Weapons of Mass Destruction,” with special guests – Michael Hildebrand and Gregg Noll, preeminent experts and co-authors in the field. So join host, Tom Mauriello, and the rest of the forensicweek.com team and learn the “real” truth about the forensic evidence associated with Hazardous Materials (HazMat) & Weapons of Mass Destruction. Watch the show LIVE or view it at your convenience after the show is aired. Just GO TO www.forensicweek.com or directly to http://www.youtube.com/forensicweek/.
AIEWE 2013 Expert Witness Bootcamp
The American Institute for Expert Witness Education’s (AIEWE) Expert Witness Bootcamp is hosting an intensive three-day clinic designed to develop and enhance the testifying and communication skills of professionals who serve as expert courtroom witnesses in a variety of industries including accounting, financial and valuation, marital dissolution, fraud investigation, medical, high technology, fire and others.
Attendees will work on simulated case studies that incorporate their actual work product and engagements. Members of the AIEWE faculty of seasoned experts, witness preparation consultants, strategic communications coaches, and trial attorneys who have an average of more than 25 years of experience will coach participants in a variety of real world scenarios include jury and bench trials in federal and state courts, matrimonial courts, and in arbitration.
The 2013 training schedule coming to three locations:
- March 21-23 Chicago, IL
- September 19-21 Atlanta, GA
- December 12-14 Las Vegas, NV
- Customized in-house training also available. Please inquire.
Price for attending the Bootcamp is $1,755 for members and $1,950 for non-members. Early registration discounts are available. In addition, the AIEWE is offering a limited-time discount of $250 off any Bootcamp if registered and paid by February 28, 2013. To register, call Member Services at (800) 677-2009. Dates and locations are subject to change.
Date of Article: January 28th, 2013
Citation:
Forensic Magazine. AIEWE 2013 Expert Witness Bootcamp Schedule . Retrieved January 28, 2013, from http://www.forensicmag.com/news/aiewe-2013-expert-witness-bootcamp-schedule?et_cid=3061739&et_rid=515363537&linkid=http%3a%2f%2fwww.forensicmag.com%2fnews%2faiewe-2013-expert-witness-bootcamp-schedule
Open up DNA Databases to All
In most states, prosecutors have exclusive access to over 11 million DNA samples in the CODIS national database to match known and unknown suspects to crimes. Over the last decade, there have been dozens of cases where an attorney for a convict has dug into the case file and found untested DNA that could exonerate their client. However, when they ask the court to test the new evidence, judges say they do not have the power to force prosecutors to retest. If the CODIS system was open, government and judicial watchdog groups maintain that hundreds and maybe thousands of prisoners could substantiate their innocence. These massive DNA databases have been built by American taxpayer funds ever since the DNA Identification Act was passed in 1994, but if we find ourselves in trouble and our lawyer discovers DNA evidence that needs to be checked out, we are not allowed access. Currently only nine states (including Colorado, Ohio, and Maryland) grant defense attorneys access to DNA databases, but if suspects are innocent until proven guilty, why not level the playing field and give the defense a chance to prove their innocence?
Date of article: January 27, 2013
[Abstract by ForensIQ intern, Mark Lombard]
Citation:
Dimond, D. Rockland County Times Newspaper. Open up DNA Databases . Retrieved January 28, 2013, from http://www.rocklandtimes.com/2013/01/27/open-up-dna-databases-to-all/
Fighting crime with fiber research
A new chemical process developed by researchers from N.C. State University will help forensic analysts identify and match the dyes used on small fiber samples. Investigators can use this process to conclusively prove if two fibers share specific dyes or impurities, therefore matching trace evidence samples of fibers in criminal court cases. Trace evidence is “anything involved in a crime that can be transferred between people, objects or the environment, such as hair or dirt,” and is a big part in major investigations. Thomas A. Dow, a professor in mechanical engineering, is also involved with furthering the project and is working on creating a small machine that will allow investigators to use this process to perform chemical analysis of fibers in the field.
[Abstract by ForensIQ intern, Mark Lombard]
Source: Forensicmag.com
Citation:
Cabaniss, J. Technician Online. Fighting Crime with Fiber Research . Retrieved January 29, 2013, from http://www.technicianonline.com/features/article_3a69c174-66ae-11e2-8fc0-0019bb30f31a.html
Knobbly Knee Identification
Forget digital fingerprints, iris recognition, and voice identification, the next big thing in biometrics could be your knobbly knees. New research has shown that our kneecaps are just as unique to identifying us as individuals, as fingerprints and other body parts are. Computer scientist of Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, MI, Lior Shamir has now demonstrated that a knee scan based on an MRI could be used to quickly register and identify people in a moving queue, such as an airport checkpoint. This approach has been tested and achieved an accuracy of around 93 percent. According to Shamir, “deceptive manipulation [of kneecaps] requires an invasive and complicated medical procedure,” which is more “resistant to spoofing” when compared with methods for altering a face, fingerprints, or an iris.
[Abstract by ForensIQ intern, Mark Lombard]
Source: Inderscience Publishers
Citation:
Forensic Magazine. Knobbly Knee Identification . Retrieved January 29, 2013, from http://www.forensicmag.com/news/knobbly-knee-identification?et_cid=3057073&et_rid=515363537&linkid=http%3a%2f%2fwww.forensicmag.com%2fnews%2fknobbly-knee-identification
Biometrics for National Security and Law Enforcement: Training Summit 2013
As technology continues to advance and national security remains at the forefront of discussion, it comes as no surprise that biometrics is a hot topic. The ability for scientists to determine ways to accurately identify people based upon physical and behavioral characteristics has been achieved; however, improvements in equipment, interoperability and database accuracy are essential. Biometrics is key to our nation’s intelligence and security efforts in the fight against terrorism. Establishing an individual’s identity with certainty provides our military personnel an immediate edge and aids our national security capabilities.
Key Areas of Discussion Will Include:
- An In-depth Workshop Day Focusing on Secure Interagency Information Sharing
- Exploring Biometrics strategies and Acquisition Efforts
- Examining I.D. Verification Through Diverse Tracked Sessions on DNA, Fingerprint, and Facial/Iris Recognition Analysis
- Uncovering Requirements for Cost Effective Biometric Solutions
- Discussing Biometric Capabilities on a National and Local Law Enforcement Scale
At IDGA’s Biometrics for National Security and Law Enforcement you will have the exclusive opportunity to interact, network, and learn from leading representatives from military, government agencies, and private industry
The forensicweek.com Show – Episode 008 – 012413 – The Polygraph Process
The forensicweek.com Show is airing Episode 008 this Thursday evening, January 24, 2013 at 7:00 PM (EST), discussing the “Truth and Lies of the Polygraph.” This show is Part II of the series of episodes where we will discuss the polygraph (commonly incorrectly referred to as a lie detector) and focus on the polygraph process that includes the physiology, psychology, and instrumentation of the polygraph. So join host, Tom Mauriello, former federal polygraph examiner, and the rest of the forensicweek.com team and learn the “real” truth about this investigative technique for seeking the truth. Watch the show LIVE or view it at your convenience after the show is aired. Just GO TO www.forensicweek.com or directly to http://www.youtube.com/forensicweek/.
NFSTC launches YouTube channel
The National Forensic Science Technology Center has just launched a new YouTube channel that contains recorded conferences, lectures, and technology transition workshops for forensic science practitioners. With over 380 videos ranging from one minute to over an hour, this new “treasure trove of information” provides access to presentations from some of the world’s leading forensic science experts. Viewers can subscribe to the channel to get notified each time a new video is uploaded and it’s all available for free.
Link to NFSTC YouTube channel.
Date of Article: January 10th, 2013
[Abstract by Mark Lombard, ForensIQ Intern, January 15th, 2013]
Citation
National Forensic Science Technology Center . NFSTC launches YouTube channel. Retrieved January 15, 2013, from http://www.nfstc.org/nfstc-launches-youtube-channel/
Houston ahead of curve in forensic science
Crime Scene Machine: New Vehicle Helps Gather Evidence
The inside of the new crime scene investigation vehicle has storage for all the equipment the Decatur Police Department might need at a crime scene.
ATF Firearm Serial Number Restoration Training
The National Institute of Justice and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms are offering a free course in serial number restoration for those currently working as a firearms/toolmark examiner or trainee in a forensic laboratory. This is an advanced and technical 3-day class offered throughout the country that supports the identification and tracing of firearms recovered in criminal investigations. Also, the course will provide students with hands-on training, utilizing various methods to raise severely damaged or obliterated serial numbers from firearms. (NOTE: Prospective students must provide documentation verifying that they perform restorations for their department.)
Three sessions are scheduled at:
- Scottsdale Police Department, Scottsdale, Ariz., February 26-28, 2013
- Illinois State Police, Chicago, Ill., March 12-14, 2013
- National Laboratory Center, Ammendale, Md., July 16-18, 2013
More information about this course.
NIJ Forensic Toxicology Training
RTI International, with funding from NIJ, is offering new online forensic toxicology courses.
All three courses are free and a variety of continuing education credits are available for each:
- Fundamentals of Sample Preparation Used in Forensic Toxicology
- Fundamentals of Chromatography used in Forensic Toxicology
- Fundamentals of Mass Spectrometry Used in Forensic Toxicology
More information on RTI forensic toxicology courses.
For a list of all NIJ funded courses click here.
