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Casenote: LCN DNA analysis and opinion on transfer: R v Reed and Reed
Allan Jamieson

International Journal of Evidence & Proof

15 Number 2 (2011) p161
DOI: doi:10.1350/ijep.2011.15.2.375

Letter to Nature on reform of Forensic Science in UK>>

The Philosophy of Forensic Scientific
Identification by Prof Jamieson (pdf) >>

Sequential unmasking and DNA >>

The National Academy of Sciences Review »

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News and information

The nature of the casework conducted by The Forensic Institute means that we are often examining issues and techniques at the cutting edge of forensic science, as well as assessing “standard techniques” that have been used in prosecutions for some time. The links on this page are intended to highlight items of scientific and legal interest which have featured recently in the courts, the media, academic publications and other sources.

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You are welcome to subscribe to our free regular e-newsletter here. The November 2011 Newsletter is now available.

NOTE ON LINKING TO THIS PAGE: Being on current matters, the content of this page may change, although the URL of the linked documents will not (insofar as we control them).

FORREST 2012 Announced

The Forensic Institute Research Network's 8th annual academic conference, Forensic Research and Teaching (FORREST) is at Abertay University. More information is now available.

Good science, bad science. Does the Court know the difference?

The use and abuse of expert testimony in the legal system and the assessment of expert testimony has been a source of much publicity, debate, opinion, and proposed remedies. The most recent proposals for the UK emanate from the Law Commission and contained specific proposals regarding the admissibility of expert opinion. These proposals come close on the heels of a widening concern that both novel and apparently established forensic practices may not be as reliable as their disciples suggest; and indeed may not qualify, despite previous claims, as science.

This article from Professor Jamieson and Dr Bader discuss the increasing concern about the judicial understanding of science.

Data disclosure (and the Scottish Fingerprint Inquiry)

The recent report from the Fingerprint Inquiry looking at the case of Shirley McKie will have far-reaching implications not only for the practice of fingerprint identification, but for other forensic science practices. Our first comment welcomes the reviews key recomendations. Professor Jamieson is quoted in a newspaper article on this.

Our article in the Journal of the Law Society of Scotland on disclosure of forensic files in Scotland sets out why we believe in full disclosure, now supported by the recommendations of the Fingerprint Inquiry.

An article in the Scotsman newspaper in July 2011 (the link to which has subsequently vanished) highlighted our campaign for complete disclosure of data in casework. For clarity we are making public our correspondence to Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Mr MacAskill, and his response. We have published an article setting out what we believe should be disclosed and why.

In the same vein, we believe that the proper adminstration of justice, as well as the requirements of science, make disclosure of details of scientific experiments claimed to support expert opinions should be released to the scientific community for proper scrutiny. Professor Jamieson's letter to Nature mentions Low Copy Number DNA techniques, we now publish an open letter to Forensic Science International Genetics.

Casework

Professor Jamieson was involved in the far-reaching case of R v T at the Appeal Court of England & Wales challenging the basis of opinions on footwear mark evidence. The Appeal Court quashed T's conviction and concluded,

"It is, we hope, highly unlikely that the process by which expert evidence was formulated and adduced in this case will ever be repeated"

Whilst The Forensic Institute endeavours to provide links only to websites of integrity, the inclusion of a website on this page does not constitute endorsement of the website by The Forensic Institute.

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