SWGFAST on "a decision to reach a conclusion" of individualization for latent fingerprints

Before SWGFAST (the Scientific Working Group on Friction Ridge Analysis, Study, and Technology) dissolved to make way for OSAC (the Organiza...

Is "Reasonable Scientific Certainty" Unreasonable?

Next month, the National Commission on Forensic Science is expected to vote on a proposal to make three recommendations about the testimon...

"Remarkably Accurate": The Miami-Dade Police Study of Latent Fingerprint Identification (Pt. 3)

The Department of Justice continues to communicate the sweeping view that fingerprint examiners make extremely few errors in their work. A f...

Latent Fingerprint Identification in Flux?

Two recent articles suggest that seeds of change are taking root in the field of latent fingerprint identification. I. The Emerging Paradigm...

Marching Toward Improved Latent Fingerprint Testimony at the Army's Defense Forensic Science Center

The U.S. Army’s Defense Forensic Science Center (DFSC) has announced a change in its practice of reporting a positive association between a...

Can Forensic Pattern Matching Be Validated?

An article in the latest issue of the International Statistical Review raises (once again) fundamental questions for forensic scientists: ...

"Remarkably Accurate": The Miami-Dade Police Study of Latent Fingerprint Identification (Pt. 2)

A week ago, I noted the Justice Department’s view that a “study of ... latent print examiners ... found that examiners make extremely few er...

"Remarkably Accurate": The Miami-Dade Police Study of Latent Fingerprint Identification (Pt. 1)

A week ago (Feb. 2, 2015), the Justice Department issued a press release entitled " Fingerprint Examiners Found to Have Very Low Error ...