Not Sexy Enough For Hollywood, Document Management Systems Are Still At the Core of Quality Management in Labs
By Katie Gignac
Advice from the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences on implementing a system.
Comprehensive Analysis of the Chemical Enhancement of Footwear Marks on Fabrics
By Niamh Nic Daeid
The UK Home Office Centre for Applied Science and Technology (CAST), in collaboration with the Centre for Forensic Science (CFS) at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland, worked together on a strategic research project to evaluate existing chemical enhancement techniques for their applicability to footwear enhancement for marks made in blood, urine, and soil on various fabric surfaces.
Utilization of Infrared and Raman Micro-Spectroscopy for the Chemical Analysis of Art
By Thomas J. Tague Jr, Ph.D.
While infrared and Raman microscopy have been employed for many years in the field, new capabilities, such as the employment of FPA detectors and ATR immersion optics in the infrared and confocal depth profiling, fluorescence reduction, and SERS for Raman, have dramatically improved the ability of infrared and Raman microscopes to be used in the increasingly challenging area of art analysis.
Forensic Laboratory 2030 – Investigation Activities
By Adam Denmark, Michael Mount
This second installment of the Forensic Laboratory 2030 series will focus the microscope of prognostication on laboratory investigations and the activities surrounding them.
Forensic Laboratory 2030: Scientific Environment
By Michael Mount, Steve Hackman
What will constitute a modern forensic laboratory in 2030? From its physical manifestation to its legal and scientific mandates, the vision for the ideal forensic laboratory in 2030 will likely be dramatically different from the model of today.
Easy Reporting of Hard DNA: Computer Comfort in the Courtroom
By Mark W. Perlin, Ph.D., MD, Ph.D.
How can an analyst translate uncertain DNA data into understandable testimony for a non-expert jury?
Defining AFIS Requirements
By Bob Beall
Clearly defining your workflow and specifying your system requirements will ensure you get the Automated Fingerprint Identification System your agency needs.
Case Study: India’s Criminal AFPIS Solution
By
Police departments in seven Indian states have solved more than 500 crimes with a biometric system that links fingerprint and palmprint collection at crime scenes with district databases in real-time, providing almost instantaneous biometric matching and identification results.
New chemical forensics test could help track down terrorists responsible for nerve gas attacks.
Volumizing, Lengthening, Eye-Enhancing, And Crime-Solving
By Kristen Wiley
The Forensic Potential of Mascara: When properly isolated, characterized, and analyzed, these trace particles can place a victim or perpetrator at the scene of the crime or accident.
The Power of Information
By Dr. Tom S. Witt, Dr. Paul J. Speaker
Banishing backlogs and budget cuts with “Foresight”
Forensic Science In The Information Age
By Mark W. Perlin, Ph.D., MD, Ph.D.
Reliable computer interpretation can address the scientific need for thorough, objective, and informative analysis of DNA evidence.
Computerized Skull Reconstructions
By Ernie Allen
CT scans and computer modeling allow for faster facial reconstructions to expedite missing persons cases.
High-Throughput Blood Alcohol Analysis Determination Using Headspace Gas Chromatography
By Silvia Gemme, Massimo Santoro
Combining a GC instrument with a headspace autosampler has been proven to offer a reliable tool for the analysis of alcohol in blood.
Delivering Blended Learning to Trace Evidence Examiners
By Charles A. Zona, Richard E. Bisbing
We have found that using a “blended learning” approach, one that augments classroom training with distance learning from the student’s lab, works well for our students.
Cracking Bath Salt Composition
By Frederic Prulliere
This article will provide examples of the use of Direct Deposition GC-FTIR technology in the forensics environment, including demonstration of the Direct Deposition GC-FTIR instrument’s ability to deal with large volumes of samples, while highlighting the specificity of the technology by differentiating typical street drug isomers.
GSR: How Do You Know You're Right?
By Timothy J. Drake, Ph.D.
Using integrated SEM-EDX technology to provide automatic, rapid, and validated results.
DNA Identification of the Missing After the WTC Attacks: A Cooperative Public/Private Effort
By Dr. Robert Shaler, Thomas J. Bode, Sr.
Although DNA had played a significant role in the identification of victims of other mass fatality events, the WTC DNA identification effort created unprecedented challenges. These challenges were met by public/private partnerships that enhanced and created new technology to meet the needs of this human tragedy.
Precise Confirmation and Quantitation of Cocaine and its Major Metabolites in Human Urine Using New GC-MS Methodology
By Matthew Lambing, Eric Phillips, Trisa Robarge
This article will discuss regulatory guidelines that have been developed for the analysis of cocaine and will present a new GC-MS method for the confirmation and quantitation of cocaine and its major metabolites in a human urine matrix.
Take a Look: Choosing the Right Safety Glasses
By Vince McLeod, CIH
Of all the hazards faced as a forensic specialist, the one ubiquitous danger faced almost daily is hazard to the eyes.
Identification of Synthetic Cannabinoids in Herbal Incense Blends
By Thomas J. Gluodenis Jr., Ph.D.
An effective and easy-to-replicate approach to the identification of synthetic cannabinoids in herbal incense blends by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS).
Tragedy in South Africa
By Chris Asplen
The most important factor influencing the potential effect of DNA in any criminal justice system is what the law allows you to do with it.
Case Study: Theft and Murder Unraveled by Forensic Investigation
By Mukesh Sharma, B. S. Khajja, D. R. Godara, Girish K. Mathur
A recent murder case in Rajasthan, India, involving a young married woman was unraveled by the crime scene team. The evidence and laboratory examination provided proof that the victim’s in-laws were trying to mislead the Investigating Officer by fabricating a story of burglary and murder.
Identification: Smarter Facilities Improve the Safety, Efficiency, and Security in Laboratories
By Susan Halla
Smart facilities, including laboratories, can save space and energy (and therefore money) compared to traditional facilities. One area in which facilities are becoming increasingly smart is user identification.
The Equipment Survey: Assuring A Strong Foundation For Integrated Laboratory Design
By Susan Halla, Cy Henningsen
An equipment survey of existing instrumentation in the laboratory is a valuable tool that will be referenced countless times by the project team during the planning and design of a renovation project or new forensic facility.
