Forensic Resources

Filter

Hide Filter

Othram and Partners ID Pecos Jane Doe More Than 50 Years Later
In 1966, a young woman drowned in the Ropers Motel pool in Pecos, Texas and more than 50 years later she has been identified as Jolaine Hemmy. read more
UK's Forensic Science Regulator Calls for Change in Final Report
The Forensic Science Regulator has warned that parts of the sector remain in a precarious position and there is an urgent need for fundamental change. read more
Second NIST Study Focuses on Cannabis Plant Material
This new study will be more challenging for labs because it involves plant material rather than oils. Plant-based measurements are more difficult because the compounds are bound up in plant fibers. read more
Restricting Malt Liquor Sales is Linked to Reductions in Neighborhood Crime
Researchers compared three designated areas where malt liquor sales were restricted, in parts of Spokane and Tacoma, with comparable neighborhoods that did not implement the same alcohol-related policies. read more
'No One Took Us Seriously': Black Cops Warned About Racist Capitol Police Officers for Years
Allegations of racism against the Capitol Police are nothing new: Over 250 Black cops have sued the department since 2001. Some of those former officers now say it’s no surprise white nationalists were able to storm the building. read more
Biden Taps Geneticist To Be Part of His Cabinet for First Time Ever
Eric Lander has been named Presidential Science Advisor, a position he will assume soon after Biden’s inauguration on Jan. 20. Biden intends to elevate the Presidential Science Advisor, for the first time in history, to be a member of his Cabinet. read more
Police to Use New DNA Tech on Cold Case That Inspired AMBER Alerts
Amber Hagerman’s murderer is still at large, but the Arlington Police Department (Texas) announced last week, on the 25th anniversary of her kidnapping, that they intend to submit multiple pieces of evidence for testing in hopes that new technologies can produce a DNA profile. read more
Othram, Snohomish County Sheriff's Office Seek to ID Man in 40-Year-Old Cold Case
A young man made a tragic discovery while fly-fishing on the Stillaguamish River in July 1980. The body of an unidentified man, known as "Stilly Doe," was found caught on a logjam in the river. read more
Parabon Releases 2020 Snapshot Numbers
"We helped identify 50 perpetrators and victims of violent crimes this year, primarily using tiny, decades-old DNA samples," said Ellen Greytak, Director of Bioinformatics at Parabon. read more
Houston Forensic Science Center Asks Inspector General to Investigate 'Toxic Workplace' Allegations
The Houston Forensic Science Center has asked the City of Houston’s Office of Inspector General to investigate allegations made against personnel in the crime scene unit. read more
DOJ Pushes Back Against PCAST's Dismissal of Forensic Comparison Methods
PCAST’s claim that forensic pattern examination methods can only be validated using its non-severable set of nine experimental design criteria is inconsistent with its own examples, international laboratory standards, and authorities in experimental design. read more
California Senator: Rape Survivors Must Be Able to Track Their Rape Kits
Senator Connie M. Leyva (D-Chino) has introduced legislation requiring the addition of a new online victim portal to California’s existing rape kit tracking system to allow survivors of sexual assault to anonymously and electronically track and receive updates regarding the status, location and ... read more
S.C. Crime Lab Gets Building Upgrade to Streamline Evidence Input
Berkeley County, South Carolina held a ribbon-cutting for its new Forensic Services Building earlier this week. read more
Cut the Clutter: Reimagining Evidence Collection to Improve Downstream Processing
Special Feature
All collected evidence, and every swab taken of those items, has to be sealed in a primary container that is sealed inside a secondary container. Place, seal, label, repeat. And what is the result? Swabs. read more
Public, Social Media, Genealogy Crucial in Identification of Deceased Hiker
The “friendly but reserved” man dozens of hikers spent time with while on the Appalachian Trial has been identified more than two years after his body was found on that same trail. read more