NCJ Number
216051
Journal
Forensic Magazine Volume: 3 Issue: 5 Dated: October/November 2006 Pages: 16-17,19,21
Date Published
October 2006
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article suggests ways to improve the collection, processing, and analysis of evidence.
Abstract
This article describes new technologies for collecting and documenting evidence at the crime scene. Innovative technologies, coupled with new collection tools, are helping to ensure that microscopic DNA evidence is not lost, contaminated, or compromised before analysis, during analysis, or after the trial. The article advises that the Nation needs significantly more support for forensic training and professional development programs that will ensure a sufficient number of forensic scientists and criminalists are trained to be knowledgeable and proficient in the collection, processing, and analysis of evidence. Collecting all potential evidence at a crime scene and protecting it from contamination and tampering are critical for giving forensic labs the kinds of evidence that, if thoroughly and accurately analyzed, can produce evidence that is sufficient in quantity and quality to withstand defense attacks and produce convictions. For this to happen, this article recommends compliance with the business concepts promoted in the newly adopted ISO/IEC 17025:2005 standard, which provides a sound framework for establishing a laboratory quality management system. This standard is designed to guide laboratories in verifying their competency through tests and calibrations that promote quality, productivity, and efficiency. The development and expanded use of three major database technologies have helped to improve the rate and speed with which suspects can be identified from crime-scene evidence. These are the automated fingerprint identification System (AFIS), which matches crime-scene fingerprints to those of persons contained in the automated database; the National Integrated Ballistic Imaging Network (NIBIN), which matches bullets and bullet casings for firearm identification across cases; and the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), which can match DNA evidence obtained at a crime scene with DNA profiles contained in an automated database.