Author Profile

FBI Names Darrin Jones Executive Assistant Director of the Science and Technology Branch
April 23, 2020
Director Christopher Wray has named Darrin E. Jones as the executive assistant director of the Science and Technology Branch at FBI Headquarters in Washington. read more
Missouri Ships Untested Sexual Assault Kits Amid COVID-19
April 23, 2020
The sixth batch of untested sexual assault kits identified in the SAFE Kit Initiative inventory were shipped off to the lab. Precautions were taken to ensure that the kits could be safely dropped off while maintaining social distancing requirements. read more
Cynet Issues Incident Response Challenge to IR Professionals
April 23, 2020
While Capture the Flag challenges that test hacking capabilities are common, there has never been a publicly available test for IR related forensic investigation. read more
In Glowing Colors: Seeing the Spread of Drug Particles in a Forensic Lab
April 22, 2020
A new study addresses safety concerns in an age of super-potent synthetic drugs like fentanyl, which can potentially be hazardous to chemists who handle them frequently. read more
DNA Identifies Two Cold Case Victims in Florida
April 22, 2020
Decades after they were killed, two victims of two separate homicides in Volusia County have been identified thanks to DNA matches. read more
Texas State Forensic Association Names Educator of the Year
April 22, 2020
Julie Welker, chair of Howard Payne University’s Department of Communication and coach of the speech and debate team, was recently named the Texas Intercollegiate Forensics Association Educator of the Year. read more
New Study Shows Sharp Decrease of Intimate Partner Violence in Nicaragua
April 22, 2020
The percentage of women and girls in Nicaragua's second-largest city who reported experiencing physical violence by their partners during their lifetimes decreased from 55% in 1995 to 28% in 2016. read more
Baltimore Police Lawyers: Surveillance Planes Should Fly
April 22, 2020
Lawyers for the Baltimore Police Department told a federal judge that plans for camera-equipped planes to conduct aerial surveillance of the city should proceed, despite the objections of civil liberties advocates. read more
The Women Behind DNA Doe Project Inspire New Drama Series
April 20, 2020
“No, you can’t have the touch DNA results in time for the next commercial. It really does take time.” That’s one of the phrases Colleen Fitzpatrick has found herself saying to television writers and producers as she consults on a new crime drama inspired by her life and work. read more
Artifact of the Month: April 2020
April 20, 2020
The FBI's artifact of the month for April 2020 is Special Agent Barry Black's Hard Hat, which he wore responding to the "Oklahoma City bombing" on April 19, 1995. read more
Would You Give Up Personal Data to Return to Work?
April 20, 2020
As countries around the world edge toward ending lockdowns and restarting their economies and societies, citizens are being more closely monitored, in nations rich and poor, authoritarian and free. read more
Study: Visitor’s Garden is Improving Prison Visitation Experience for All
April 20, 2020
New research shows that a visitor’s garden at the Iowa Correctional Institution for Women is helping to strengthen connections between the women and their children. read more
Forensic Lab Profile: Microtrace Looks Toward ‘Nanotrace’ Evidence
April 17, 2020
Using a combination of state-of-the-art instrumentation and techniques, Microtrace, specializes in the characterization and identification of small quantities and single small particles of unknown substances. read more
New Law in Virginia Removes Barrier to Proving Innocence
April 17, 2020
Governor Ralph Northam signed legislation to strengthen Virginia’s writ of actual innocence law, representing the most significant improvements for overturning wrongful convictions in over a decade. read more
Some California Sex Assault Victims Collect Own Evidence Amid COVID-19
April 17, 2020
Fears of getting infected with the coronavirus have prompted authorities in Northern California to allow some sexual assault victims to collect evidence with a nurse directing them in the hours-long process through a video call. read more
23andMe to Launch Genome-wide Association Study of COVID-19 Patients
April 16, 2020
The testing company will conduct a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in an effort to identify genetic variants that contribute to COVID-19 severity levels. read more
Policies that Target Crime Reduction Around Parks Can Directly Benefit Communities
April 15, 2020
Crime directly affects the use that people get from their local parks. If crime is reduced, the environmental value can be unlocked. read more
COVID-19 Creates New Dangers for Police, But Opportunity Awaits for Police Reform
April 15, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic presents a unique opportunity for police reform that could break the chains of outdated, and perhaps ineffective, approaches to policing. read more
New Approach to Combat Opioid Crisis in Rural Tennessee
April 15, 2020
PROMPT TN will combine the expertise of multiple institutions to develop opioid-specific resources designed to increase understanding of underlying causes of opioid misuse. read more
Evidence Preservation Key to Arrest Made in 42-Year-Old Murder Case
April 15, 2020
DNA testing and a fingerprint identification database that were not available in 1978 has led the Phoenix Police Department to arrest a man wanted for murder and sexual assault that occurred more than four decades ago. read more