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Forensic Science is a Scam

A groundbreaking report by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) last year recognized that much of forensic science is not rooted in solid science. Many forensic disciplines ? such as hair microscopy, bite-mark comparisons, fingerprint analysis, firearm testing and tool-mark analysis ? were developed solely to solve crimes. They evolved mainly in the context of individual cases, which often had significant variation in resources and expertise. They have not been subjected to rigorous experimental scrutiny, and there are no standards or oversight in the United States or elsewhere to ensure that validated, reliable forensic methods are used consistently. With the exception of DNA analysis, no forensic method has been proved to reliably and accurately demonstrate a connection between evidence and a specific source...continue to full post

Full post as published by Crime & Federalism on March 20, 2010 (boomark / email).