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CRIME LAB REPORT Media and public policy analysis for the forensic science community
Wed. January 20, 2010	Crime Lab Report is an independent organization that analyzes media coverage, public policy trends, and current issues affecting the profession of forensic science and its stakeholders.		Research our Library
	Recent Reports Innocence activism 'contaminates' forensic evidence, study warns "A comprehensive look at post-conviction litigation practices written by Crime Lab Report’s managing editors was recently published in the 2009 Journal of the Institute for the Advancement of Criminal Justice. IACJ is a nonprofit research organization based in Sacramento, California." From Detroit to Boston - A tale of two cities "On September 25, 2008, the city of Detroit made the decision to shut down the police lab, citing concern that the problems of the firearms unit likely indicated a systemic problem that potentially affected the other forensic disciplines as well. The lab's sworn police officers were reassigned to other positions in the Detroit Police Department. The civilian employees were either shifted to other jobs within city government or given the opportunity to apply for forensic science positions within the State Police laboratory system." 12/16/09 Stochastics - The real science behind forensic pattern ID "The patterns observed in latent fingerprints, on bullets, in a person’s handwriting or on the bottom surface of their shoes are also the results of stochastic processes that cannot be controlled. Patterns that result from these processes are judged to be unique mainly because decades of observation and research have only validated the formulation of such judgments." 11/24/09 Another helping of forensic politics - Texas style "It just may be that the tactics of many post-conviction litigators are now creating a demand for new professional oversight, continuing education, and codes of conduct for attorneys who present forensic evidence in post-conviction proceedings. The situation has gotten so out-of-hand, and there are now so many instances where forensic evidence appears to have been misinterpreted during the post-conviction process, that leaders in the legal and judicial communities should step forward immediately." 10/23/09 Post-conviction activists 'contaminate' evidence in Texas "Crime Lab Report has no opinion about Willingham’s guilt or innocence in this case. We do, however, have a strong opinion about the willingness of post-conviction activists to mischaracterize forensic evidence for the purpose of achieving desired political and judicial outcomes." 9/16/09 The National Academy of Sciences Identifying the Needs of the Forensic Science Community Washington, D.C. - A special National Academies committee convened in 2005 to examine current practices and conditions in the forensic sciences releases its much anticipated report on February 18, 2009. For more information about this historic report, please click the following link: Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States	Managing Editors John M. Collins Chief Managing Editor (866) 674-9194 x 101 Email Jay Jarvis Associate Managing Editor (866) 674-9194 x 102 Email Crime Lab Report's managing editors. Jay Jarvis (left) and John Collins (right). Major Publications by Crime Lab Report The Wrongful Conviction of Forensic Science 2009 - By John Collins & Jay Jarvis The final and definitive form of this publication was published by Taylor & Francis in Forensic Science Policy & Management - An International Journal. Click here to read the authors' prepublication draft New!! Contextual Contamination of Forensic Evidence by Post-Conviction Litigators 2009 - By John Collins & Jay Jarvis The final and definitive form of this publication was published by the Institute for the Advancement of Criminal Justice in its 2009 annual journal. Click here to read the article.
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This website contains opinions expressed by CRIME LAB REPORT, which is an independent organization. These opinions may not necessarily represent those of our sponsors or other organizations affiliated with CRIME LAB REPORT and its editors. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy and contextual honesty, all opinions should be corroborated with independent research before being construed as factual. Crime Lab Report will quickly correct and/or retract any information demonstrated to be erroneous. We welcome opposing viewpoints and will publish responses from our readers, which may be edited for economy and clarity.