Legal Process | Forensic Magazine

Chain of Custody

RFID In Forensics: What is it and what will it do?
Integrated RFID solutions can provide all the software and hardware needed to develop and keep an electronic chain-of-custody from the crime scene through the courtroom.
Making the Move from Paper to Electronic
Is electronic document control as important as some say it is? For one ISO 17025 Accredited Laboratory it has become a necessity to deal with the continual increase of document volume. Accreditation Blues Southwest Louisiana (SWLA) Crime Lab is a regional crime lab located in Lake Charles, Louisiana, that serves five parishes, or counties, in its surrounding area. With over 30 years of experience, the lab specializes in controlled substances, blood alcohol, DNA, and fingerprinting.
Integrated Criminal Investigation and Identification System
In today’s world of increasing case loads and corresponding data, an inter-departmental and even inter-unit database can make investigations easier and more efficient. A medium-to-large city forensic science center processes thousands of case records annually. These records typically contain information relating to investigative, biological, trace, impression, and firearms evidence.With today’s ever-increasing case loads, the management, traceability, cross-referencing, and wide-scope accessibility of these records is imperative.

Legislation/Rulings

From The Editor: Forensics In The News
Call it the CSI effect, but forensics has been in the mainstream news a lot lately, and much of the news is not good. Labs closing due to budget cuts, investigations into the quality of forensic science, and the discovery of a slew of wrongfully accused inmates.
Injunction Denied
In the last edition of Forensic Magazine I briefly mentioned that the American Civil Liberties Union had filed its class action law suit in California challenging the implementation of that state’s arrestee DNA database legislation. Craftily selecting as its lead “plaintiffs” a woman arrested for misconduct at a peace rally and a young man arrested for receiving stolen property, the ACLU hopes for a decision that will serve to derail efforts across the country to include arrestee DNA profiles in state and national forensic DNA databases.
The Database Dilemma
The past several months have been full of contrasts and contradictions. We have seen fascinating cases solved illustrating the incredible effectiveness of forensic DNA technology. We have seen legal cases filed illustrating the fear of DNA’s expanded use. Governments have announced intentions for national expansion and for the first time a government has announced it will reduce the scope of inclusion in its database.

Expert Witness

Expert Witness: Effective Courtroom Testimony
It is important to look, sound, and act the part to be a convincing and effective Expert Witness. It’s not enough to have the right evidence: an Expert Witness must be able to present evidence persuasively without confusing the jury.
From The Editor: Forensics In The News
Call it the CSI effect, but forensics has been in the mainstream news a lot lately, and much of the news is not good. Labs closing due to budget cuts, investigations into the quality of forensic science, and the discovery of a slew of wrongfully accused inmates.
Expert Trigger Pull Uncertainty
ISO 17025 requires laboratories to document how uncertainty was calculated. Find out ways to become more comfortable with your uncertainty calculations.