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In a criminal court, forensic evidence can be decisive. A fingerprint match or positive hair analysis can turn a questionable case into a slam-dunk conviction. Jurors often see forensics as infallible, and popular TV shows like CSI have added to the mystique. But how good is the science behind forensics? And how well do our crime labs operate? A joint investigation conducted by CNN Presents and the Center for Investigative Reporting reveals serious flaws in bullet evidence, hair analysis, DNA testing, and even fingerprinting. In some cases, those flaws have put innocent people in prison.
OK, People, Sound Off. Let’s have a McLaughlin Group topic here. So, do you think that forensic evidence & Crime Labs Be Trusted?
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Any evidence that they present must be cross-checked multiple times and verified – after all people’s lives are hanging in the balance
I think it would be difficult for me to jump in on this topic. My opinions are certainly biased since I work in a forensic lab, and have 24 years of full time experience as a forensic scientist.
Forensic science in general is much too broad a topic. There are so many sub disciplines that should be addressed individually. Examples are DNA/Serology, latent prints, Toolmarks/Firearms, trace chemistry, drug chemistry, toxicology, forensic documents analysis, crime scene reconstruction, blood spatter interpretation, etc.
Marshall
I am the Technical Unit Leader (Senior/Advanced Forensic Analyst) in the Questioned Documents Unit. This is just a fancy way of saying that I am the lead worker in the unit. In addition to identifying the maker of questioned handwriting and handprinting, I also handle items of physical evidence that need answers to questions involving ink and paper chemistry.
My unit also does the analysis of office machines and their products such as fax machines, photocopiers, computer printers, and back in the day, typewriters and typewritten documents.
Marshall
Quote:I am the Technical Unit Leader (Senior/Advanced Forensic Analyst) in the Questioned Documents Unit. This is just a fancy way of saying that I am the lead worker in the unit. In addition to identifying the maker of questioned handwriting and handprinting, I also handle items of physical evidence that need answers to questions involving ink and paper chemistry.My unit also does the analysis of office machines and their products such as fax machines, photocopiers, computer printers, and back in the day, typewriters and typewritten documents.
Marshall
Sounds interesting. How many years have you been in this specific field and have you always worked here in Madison?
I have been doing this work full-time since 1984, so I have about 22 years of experience. No, I have not always worked at the state level – here in Wisconsin. I retired from a federal laboratory in 1993 and moved here to Wisconsin because I was too young to simply retire and quit at that time.
Marshall
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