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County Officials in Texas Settle Lawsuit Alleging Mishandling of Sexual Assault Cases
Local agencies reform how they handle sexual assault allegations and pay compensation to survivors following a lawsuit and a 2018 investigation. read more
Student Spotlight: Forensic Science as a Pre-med Path
Andrew Chapman saw an opportunity to stand out from other medical school applicants by entering the Forensic and Investigative Sciences program, FIVS, in the Department of Entomology. read more
Tool May Help Understand the Inaccuracies of Eyewitness Testimony
The new tool, referred to as a "scene wheel," will help researchers study how accurately we construct mental representations of visual experiences for later retrieval—for example, how well an eyewitness recalls details of a crime or accident. read more
DNA Hit of the Year: A Look Back at Some of the Most Influential Cases
DNA Hit of the Year: A Look Back at Some of the Most Influential Cases read more
With Only 120 Picograms of DNA, 32-year-old Homicide Case is Solved
This sets a new lower limit on the quantity of DNA required to build a genealogical profile for a suspect of a crime. read more
Cold Case Arrest Leads to Change in Evidence Storage
The arrest of a man tied to at least two sexual assaults in the Orlando area 19 years ago has led the Orlando Police Department to change the policy on how long it storages evidence from sexual assault kits. read more
Study Examines Feasibility of Recovering DNA from Water-logged Duct Tape
A new study evaluates the recovery of DNA from folded duct tape that has been submerged in ocean water for up to 2 weeks. The study is published in the peer-reviewed journal Forensic Genomics. read more
OSAC to Draft Standards for Sexual Assault Examinations
The Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science (OSAC) will launch a new subcommittee that will draft standards for collecting physical evidence from victims of sexual assault. read more
$1.4 M Grant Funds Forensic College Program for New Jersey High School Students
Federal funding supporting New Jersey’s “Opportunity Meets Innovation” higher education challenge will introduce Newark high school students to forensic science as a pathway to college—and a STEM education—under a new program from New Jersey Institute of Technology. read more
Tree DNA Helps Convict Washington Timber Thief After Fire
A federal jury has convicted a timber thief who authorities said started a large forest fire in Washington state, a case that prosecutors said marked the first time tree DNA had been introduced in a federal trial. read more
Watchdog Report Says Algorithms Strengthen Forensic Analysis
A new report from the Government Accountability Office, the audit institution of the U.S. federal government, has found that—despite internal and external challenges—algorithms strengthen forensic analysis, overall. read more
New Information Jolts Case in Mollie Tibbetts' Slaying
Prosecutors in May dismissed a defendant’s testimony that he was framed by two masked men for the kidnapping and killing of an Iowa college student. But to two listeners outside the courtroom, Bahena Rivera’s shocking story rang at least partially true. read more
Forensic Scientist Gets $140 K Grant To Study Time of Death
One of Alabama State University's most acclaimed scientists has again been awarded a substantial grant to further the study earlier begun by her and her research partners that creates a cause-of-death model to assist in death and homicide investigations. read more
Journalists, Activists Among Spyware Targets of Israel-based NSO Group
An investigation by a global media consortium based on leaked targeting data provides further evidence that military-grade malware from Israel-based NSO Group, the world’s most infamous hacker-for-hire outfit, is being used to spy on journalists, human rights activists and political dissidents. read more
Microsoft Exchange Hack Caused by China, U.S. and Allies Say
The Biden administration and Western allies formally blamed China on Monday for a massive hack of Microsoft Exchange email server software and accused Beijing of working with criminal hackers in ransomware attacks and other cyber operations. read more