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]

  • National Strategy Aligns Indian Country and FBI on Missing, Murder Cases

    November 26, 2019
    Last week, Attorney General William Barr announced the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Initiative, a national strategy to help address the disproportionally high levels of violence that American Indian and Alaska Native people suffer. The Department of Justice is investing an initial $1.5 million to hire 11 MMIP coordinators to serve with U.S. Attorney’s offices in 11 states, as well as others that request assistance. read more

  • Bill Would Abolish NYC DNA Database

    November 25, 2019
    A handful of Democratic New York State Senators have introduced a bill to end New York City’s DNA database, calling it “rogue” and “unlawful”. Sponsored by Brad Hoylman (D, WF), the bill seeks to end the city’s DNA database, as well as prohibit any other municipality from maintaining such a database. The major sticking point between the state senators and the NYPD is the collection of DNA from arrestees and suspects not yet convinced or never convicted of a crime. read more

  • Cannabis and the Science of ‘Breathalomics’

    November 22, 2019
    It’s pretty easy to single out a driver that is driving under the influence of alcohol. Swerving between lanes, running red lights and inconsistent speed are signs easily identifiable to passersby and police alike. Additionally, police can conduct a test using a breathalyzer to estimate the amount of blood alcohol content in said driver—providing unequivocal confirmation of the presence of alcohol. But how do you spot a driver that is driving “high,” or under the influence of marijuana? read more

  • Gunshot Survivors Report Long-term Physical, Mental Consequences

    November 21, 2019
    First responders, doctors, and hospital staff do everything they can to save the lives of gunshot wound (GSW) victims. At times, they succeed, resulting in about 70,000 survivors of firearm injuries annually in the United States. But once survivors walk out the hospital doors and away from attentive eyes, it’s a different story. A new study from researchers at Penn Medicine reveals survivors of GSWs have negative physical, mental and emotional outcomes for years after injury. read more

  • NIST Researchers Solve Hair Sample Limitation

    November 19, 2019
    The analysis of hair has been a “hairy” situation for forensic science over the years. Traditionally, scientists examined hair under a microscope and then testified that it either matched or did not match hair found at a crime scene. However, this type of analysis is no longer considered scientifically valid and has been put to rest as part of a forensic science overhaul that began in 2009 with the now-famous National Academy of Sciences report. read more
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