An Open Letter from ASCLD Regarding the NAS Report
By Dean Gialamas , Beth Greene
An open letter from ASCLD to Senator Patrick Leahy regarding the National Academy of Sciences report “Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward.”
The NAS Study: We should Begin at the Beginning
By Chris Asplen
Several articles back, I said that it was about time that an independent research report confirmed that forensic DNA technology is particularly well suited for the investigation and prosecution of property crimes. The recently released study by the National Academy of Sciences is cause for a similar reaction.
Mitochondrial DNA Examination of Cold Case Crime Scene Hairs
By Terry Melton
Forensic mitochondrial DNA analysis of hair shafts and naturally shed hairs is a tool to enhance the investigation of cold cases; this form of evidence historically has had severely limited utility.
STR Screening: A New Tool for Forensic Labs
By Erin McCombs
The purpose of a screening system is to quickly and cost-effectively determine which biological samples provide the most probative information in a large population of DNA samples.
The Case Against PI Licensing for Digital Forensic Examiners
Over the past year or so, many private sector digital forensic examiners have expressed concern regarding whether or not his or her state requires them to obtain a PI license.
Don't Get Burned: UV Exposure in the Workplace
By Vince McLeod, CIH, Glenn Ketcham, CIH
Hazards of UV do not distinguish between work and home, and the exposure guidelines for the general public for sun exposure are certainly applicable to the workplace as well.
DNA Collection and Packaging
In order to make the most of evidence, you need to know where to look for it, how to collect it, and how to package it. If you put in the effort to do the job right, you will be rewarded with an even stronger case.
Answers to Facility Issues: The Three-Legged Stool of DNA
By Ken Mohr, Susan Halla
If we use the idea of a stool as a model of what is needed to support DNA analysis then there are three legs that should be equal—staff, equipment, and space.
