Michelle Taylor

Editor-in-Chief

Forensic

Michelle Taylor has worked on the Forensic brand since 2016. Well established in the industry, Michelle has attended dozens of scientific conferences and conducted interviews with key opinion leaders, including multiple Nobel Prize winners and award-winning forensic scientists. Michelle enjoys writing about investigative forensic genetic genealogy, novel psychoactive substances, next-generation sequencing, sexual assault kits and more. Michelle received her BA in journalism from Elon University in North Carolina. Michelle can be reached at [email protected] Michelle can be reached at [email protected]

2020 Report Reveals Top Digital Trends Redefining Law Enforcement
March 25, 2020
“Detectives have told me they will step over a dead body to get to the computer, the mobile phone, the Fitbit, the Alexa,” Louis Quijas, former Assistant Director of the FBI, told Forensic. read more
3D Visualizations Improve Jurors’ Understanding of Technical Language
March 23, 2020
Researchers found that 94 percent of jurors understood the technical language of an expert when presented with a 3D-printed model of skull trauma. read more
Forensic Anthropologist Kathy Reichs Discusses her Latest Bones Book, DNA Advances and ‘Experts’
March 19, 2020
Brain lesion. Faceless corpse. Exile. Conspiracy. Exploitation of the vulnerable. If that sounds like a good story, you may want to purchase a copy of Kathy Reichs’ brand-new book. read more
Science Debunks Cultural Medicine Myth: Pangolin Scales are Useless
March 17, 2020
Whether spread because of a bad journal article, ancient cultural traditions or simply rumor, scientists have a responsibility to relay correct, impartial data whenever possible. read more
Mobile Forensic Lab Brings New Dimension to Outdoor Crime Scenes
March 13, 2020
The stocked van was designed by and purpose-built from the ground up for forensic scientists in a project that took more than two years to complete. read more
Florida House Passes Forensic Reform Bill for Felons
March 11, 2020
On Tuesday, the Florida House unanimously advanced to Senate a bill featuring forensic analysis reforms that gives convicted felons more post-conviction options. read more
Forensic Analysis of 3D-printed Firearms: Beyond Traditional Traceology
March 10, 2020
Forensic scientists and crime science investigators need to recognize that the traditional traceology approach must be adapted when investigating a scene where a 3D-printed firearm is suspected. read more
Time-of-Flight Method Helps Forensic Analysts Halt Trafficking of Rhino Horns
March 09, 2020
Forensic lab analysts examine, identify and compare evidence using traditional instrumentation to link suspect, victim and crime scene with physical evidence. The only caveat here is that the victim is an animal, not a human. read more
Research Program Seeks to Validate Unique Hand Identification
March 06, 2020
Are our hands as unique as our fingerprints? If so, can that be proven beyond a reasonable doubt? A new program led by forensic anthropologist Dame Sue Black is asking 5,000 citizen scientists to help answer that question by uploading photos of their hands. read more
2020’s Best Colleges for Criminal Justice, Criminology
March 04, 2020
Based on more than 100,000 college degree programs and the starting salary data of over 5 million graduates, GradReports has ranked 2020’s best colleges by major, including criminology and criminal justice. read more
Police Warn of Heroin Cut with Research-only Cannabinoid
March 02, 2020
Police in Massachusetts have issued a warning about heroin cut with a synthetic cannabinoid—intended only for research purposes—that may not respond to Narcan. read more
Mass Senator Proposes Bill to Expand Familial DNA Searching
February 26, 2020
The Massachusetts Judiciary Committee took up a bill proposed by a state senator that would explicitly allow law enforcement to use familial DNA searching in the investigation of violent cold cases. read more
Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team Nominated for 2020 Nobel Peace Prize
February 25, 2020
The non-profit, world-renowned Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team (EAAF) has been nominated for the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize for its commitment to the applied sciences and victim justice. read more
New Podcast Seeks to Dispel Forensic Pathology Myths
February 24, 2020
Doing its part to fight against the CSI Effect, “Detroit’s Daily Docket” is a weekly podcast dedicated to educating the lay public and armchair detectives about forensic pathology. read more
Half of Americans Okay With DNA Testing Companies Sharing their Data
February 21, 2020
The market for at-home DNA testing services has skyrocketed in the past 5 years. At first, privacy concerns were largely swept under the rug but mainstream crime cases, like the apprehension of the Golden State Killer, have brought the issue to light. read more
Illinois State Police Launch Interactive Forensic Stats Dashboard
February 19, 2020
The dashboard shows the number of assignments completed by each department, the average turnaround time and the current case backlog. read more
DNA Doe Project IDs 2004 Jane Doe in 48 Hours
February 18, 2020
Fifteen years later, DNA Doe Project produced a lead on the woman within 48 hours and has now positively identified the remains as Ginger Lynn Bibb. read more
Med Student Kickstarts School’s Human Trafficking Curriculum
February 14, 2020
Thanks to a medical student, the Mayo Clinic and other medical schools are beginning to integrate the topic of human trafficking into their curriculum. read more
2021 Federal Budget Proposal Focuses on Violent Crime
February 13, 2020
The 2021 budget focuses on violent crime and mass violence, the opioid crisis, cybersecurity, and state, local and tribal assistance. read more
Two States Endorse Bills for Mental Care for First Responders
February 12, 2020
Spurred by the health of their constituents, representatives from Nebraska and New Mexico are shining light on the mental health risks of first responders, specifically firefighters and police officers. read more