Painstaking Veterinary Forensics Work Helps Combat Animal Abuse
Written by: Kendra Coulter, Brock University Many people have seen dramatizations of forensics on shows likes Bones and CSI. Forensics is the application of scientific principles and methods to criminal investigations at crimes scenes and in labs. In real life, forensic science is being applied to different victims: animals. Front-line officers undertake […]
Forensic Scientist of Note: Robin Cotton
It was Alec Jeffrey’s paper on RFLP analysis that proved the catalyst for Robin Cotton to alter her career path from research on the Y chromosome to the applied science of DNA typing. A biochemist by training, Cotton had a PhD in molecular biology and biochemistry from UC Irvine and two post-docs under her […]
Clearing the Sexual Assault Backlog in Murdertown, USA
Clearing the sexual assault backlog in the US has become a top priority over the past couple of years, because each rape kit that sits on a shelf untested represents a victim whose case has not yet been investigated. In Flint, Michigan, the backlog stood at 1,047 untested kits when Jen Janetsky became an […]
This Week in Forensic Science
No one has hours to scour the papers to keep up with the latest news, so we’ve curated the top news stories in the field of Forensic Science for this week. Here’s what you need to know to get out the door! DNA Database Helps Identify Missing Persons (NBCDFW5 – 5/18/2019) NamUs holds […]
Exploring the Value of Biogeographic Ancestry in the Absence of a DNA Database
There are many scenarios encountered in forensic casework in which bone may be the only viable sample type for DNA testing, including fires, terrorist attacks, natural disasters, war conflicts, airline crashes, homicides, human trafficking, and mass graves. In these cases, the condition of recovered human remains can range from relatively intact to highly degraded and/or […]
Forensic Genealogy: What Your Second Cousin’s DNA May Say about You
“The DNA people said, ‘That was him. You got him.’ And the whole room just exploded. Some detectives were crying. Some detectives were sitting there with their mouths open, staring into space.” Thanks to Colleen Fitzpatrick, a cold case that had baffled investigators for over two decades finally reached a breakthrough in 2014. She […]
This Week in Forensic Science
No one has hours to scour the papers to keep up with the latest news, so we’ve curated the top news stories in the field of Forensic Science for this week. Here’s what you need to know to get out the door! DNA to the Rescue: How Researchers are Finding Illegal Shark Fins […]
This Week in Forensic Science
No one has hours to scour the papers to keep up with the latest news, so we’ve curated the top news stories in the field of Forensic Science for this week. Here’s what you need to know to get out the door! Baltimore Brothers Set Free After 24 Years in Prison for Wrongful […]
Don’t Believe Your Ears: ‘Enhancing’ Forensic Audio can Mislead Juries in Criminal Trials
Audio used as evidence in criminal trials can often be unreliable. David Z Cheng/Shutterstock Helen Fraser, University of New England Many criminal trials feature forensic evidence in the form of audio recordings, typically from bugging houses or cars, or intercepting phone calls. Unfortunately, the audio is often of very poor quality, making it […]
