Science & Justice最新文献

{"title":"3D scanning a crime scene to enhance juror understanding of Bloodstain Pattern Analysis evidence","authors":"Patrick H. Home ,&nbsp;Danielle G. Norman ,&nbsp;Kimberley Wade ,&nbsp;Emily Spearing ,&nbsp;Mark A. Williams","doi":"10.1016/j.scijus.2024.04.007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scijus.2024.04.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>There are numerous crime scene investigation applications of 3D scanning that have been previously documented. This paper documents the application of a 3D point cloud in the presentation of Bloodstain Pattern Analysis evidence to mock jurors. 150 mock jurors viewed a presentation of Bloodstain Pattern Analysis evidence from a murder trial in the UK. After viewing the evidence, the participants were tested on their knowledge of the evidence and repeated the test again 2 weeks later; to simulate criminal trial conditions; whereby there is a time lapse between the initial viewing of evidential material and deliberation. This paper found that the mock jurors who additionally viewed a 3D flythrough of a point cloud of the crime scene, better retained knowledge of the evidence over time, reported a greater ability to visualise the crime scene and had higher levels of interest in the evidence. Crucially, the 3D flythrough group did not report different levels of confidence in the accuracy of their memories of the evidence, nor different levels of emotional arousal to the group that viewed the evidence without the 3D presentation. Together, these findings suggest that 3D scanning of crime scenes, and the resultant point cloud’s presentation to jurors, could add further value to the justice system when spatial information, such as Bloodstain Pattern Analysis evidence, is presented.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49565,"journal":{"name":"Science & Justice","volume":"64 3","pages":"Pages 333-338"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1355030624000340/pdfft?md5=f2cb363813543501a1275638a299567d&pid=1-s2.0-S1355030624000340-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140645978","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"XRF identification of sharp-force trauma in fresh and dry human bone under varied experimental heat conditions","authors":"Joana Rosa ,&nbsp;Luís A.E. Batista de Carvalho ,&nbsp;Maria Paula M. Marques ,&nbsp;Maria Teresa Ferreira ,&nbsp;David Gonçalves ,&nbsp;Francisco P.S.C. Gil","doi":"10.1016/j.scijus.2024.04.005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scijus.2024.04.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Heat-induced fractures can be hard to distinguish from sharp force traumas. This challenge can negatively impact medico-legal analysis. The present study aimed to experimentally assess if X-ray fluorescence (XRF) can be used to detect chemical traces transferred from the blade of a sharp instrument onto both fresh and dry human bones. This was performed by inducing sharp force traumas with five different instruments on 20 fresh and 20 dry human clavicles. All bone samples were probed before and after experimental burning (at 500 °C, 700 °C, 900 °C and 1100 °C). Our results show that XRF is potentially useful for detecting iron traces in fresh human bone, both unburned and burned. However, we were not able to clearly detect iron traces from the blades in bones that have been previously inhumed, since exogenous iron acquired during diagenesis masks the iron traces originating from the blade.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49565,"journal":{"name":"Science & Justice","volume":"64 3","pages":"Pages 305-313"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1355030624000327/pdfft?md5=52e1dfb6f09a043abfe76d64a79090ee&pid=1-s2.0-S1355030624000327-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140638795","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Species discrimination from hair using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy: Application in wildlife forensics","authors":"Dimple Bhatia ,&nbsp;Chandra Prakash Sharma ,&nbsp;Sweety Sharma ,&nbsp;Rajinder Singh","doi":"10.1016/j.scijus.2024.04.002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scijus.2024.04.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Hair is a commonly encountered trace evidence in wildlife crimes involving mammals and can be used for species identification which is essential for subsequent judicial proceedings. This proof of concept study aims, to distinguish the black guard hair of three wild cat species belonging to the genus <em>Panthera</em> i.e. Royal Bengal Tiger (<em>Panthera tigris tigris</em>), Indian Leopard (<em>Panthera pardus fusca</em>), and Snow Leopard (<em>Panthera uncia</em>) using a rapid and non-destructive ATR-FTIR spectroscopic technique in combination with chemometrics. A training dataset including 72 black guard hair samples of three species (24 samples from each species) was used to construct chemometric models. A PLS2-DA model successfully classified these three species into distinct classes with R-Square values of 0.9985 (calibration) and 0.8989 (validation). VIP score was also computed, and a new PLS2DA-V model was constructed using variables with a VIP score ≥ 1. External validation was performed using a validation dataset including 18 black guard hair samples (6 samples per species) to validate the constructed PLS2-DA model. It was observed that PLS2-DA model provides greater accuracy and precision compared to the PLS2DA-V model during cross-validation and external validation. The developed PLS2-DA model was also successful in differentiating human and non-human hair with R-Square values of 0.99 and 0.91 for calibration and validation, respectively. Apart from this, a blind test was also carried out using 10 unknown hair samples which were correctly classified into their respective classes providing 100 % accuracy. This study highlights the advantages of ATR-FTIR spectroscopy associated with PLS-DA for differentiation and identification of the Royal Bengal Tiger, Indian Leopard, and Snow Leopard hairs in a rapid, accurate, eco-friendly, and non-destructive way.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49565,"journal":{"name":"Science & Justice","volume":"64 3","pages":"Pages 314-321"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-04-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140638481","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The importance of assessing the ghosting phenomenon in dynamic footprints when estimating stature – Forensic implications","authors":"Petra Švábová ,&nbsp;Katarína Hanzelyová ,&nbsp;Mária Chovancová ,&nbsp;Soňa Masnicová ,&nbsp;Radoslav Beňuš","doi":"10.1016/j.scijus.2024.04.004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scijus.2024.04.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In cases where multiple footprints are found at a crime scene, it is unusual that all are static, and some are likely dynamic. Depending on how the footprint was made, we distinguish between dynamic and static footprints. A distinguishing feature that has only recently been associated with dynamic footprints is the fact that dynamic footprints differ from static footprints by the presence of additional markings around the back of the heel and the tops of the toe prints, the so-called ghosting phenomenon. The present study aims to analyse the ghosting phenomenon on dynamic footprints – its occurrence in relation to sex, laterality, and different areas of footprints as well as length features. Additionally, it aims to investigate the assessment of the ghosting phenomenon on dynamic footprints when estimating stature for biological profiling in the forensic field. The study sample comprised of 170 young adults aged 18 – 30 years of both biological sexes. Stature was measured and dynamic footprints were obtained where the ghosting phenomenon was analysed together with length measurements of the same footprint with and without ghosting. In the first and second toes of footprints, the ghosting phenomenon occurred most frequently in both sexes and in the sex-mixed group. Sex differences were not significant in ghosting occurrence on right and left footprints (p &gt; 0.05), except for the area of the left fifth toe (p = 0.045). All the footprints’ lengths with ghosting were significantly higher (p &lt; 0.001) than those without ghosting. Statures calculated from footprint length measurements with ghosting predicted stature more accurately than statures calculated from the same footprint length measurements without ghosting. In the case of finding dynamic footprints at crime scenes, it is necessary to correctly identify and evaluate ghosting of the footprint. This comparison can be helpful in interpreting how ghosting should be taken into account when estimating a person's stature.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49565,"journal":{"name":"Science & Justice","volume":"64 3","pages":"Pages 322-332"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-04-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1355030624000315/pdfft?md5=3a25e18bcc914767abe821c519dc2cab&pid=1-s2.0-S1355030624000315-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140645979","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Micro-CT in a forensic examination of a fatal child abuse case: A case report","authors":"Charlotte Primeau ,&nbsp;Danielle G. Norman ,&nbsp;Waltraud Baier ,&nbsp;Sofia Goia ,&nbsp;Stuart Blaik ,&nbsp;Mark A. Williams","doi":"10.1016/j.scijus.2024.04.001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scijus.2024.04.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Child abuse is a serious concern that can cause the death of a child. In such cases the medico-legal evidence is often pivotal but complex, drawing across multiple medical disciplines and techniques. One key specialism is histopathology, which is considered the gold standard for estimating the age of individual fractures. Another is micro-CT imaging, which can visualise the location of trauma across the body. This case report demonstrates how micro-CT was used to contextualise the histological evidence in the Criminal Justice Proceedings of a fatal child abuse case. This was achieved by overlaying the aged fracture evidence from histopathology onto the visuals rendered from micro-CT imaging. The case was a suspected child abuse of a deceased 1-month old infant who was reported unresponsive by their parents. The child was taken to hospital where they were pronounced dead. Suspicion was raised and post-mortem imaging confirmed head trauma and rib fractures, and the case was escalated for a forensic investigation. This case report details how the micro-CT imaging was merged with the gold standard of histopathology for visualisation of trauma, and how the court presentation was planned alongside Senior Investigating Officers and various medical experts. The presentation was used in court by the histopathologist to present the evidence. The resulting presentation provided additional clarity to jury members regarding the location, severity, frequency, and timings of the injuries. From the perspective of the investigating police force, the resulting presentation was crucial in ensuring understanding of the medico-legal evidence of how the infant died. The prosecuting lawyer noted that combining the histological and micro-CT evidence in this way allowed the evidence to be presented in a sensitive, clear, and impactful manner.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49565,"journal":{"name":"Science & Justice","volume":"64 3","pages":"Pages 297-304"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-04-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1355030624000285/pdfft?md5=1a59a41e0dca899213473668a77f5dd6&pid=1-s2.0-S1355030624000285-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140620919","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhancing the student learning experience through memes","authors":"Helen Tidy ,&nbsp;Rachel S. Bolton-King ,&nbsp;Ruth Croxton ,&nbsp;Carrie Mullen ,&nbsp;Leisa Nichols-Drew ,&nbsp;Felicity Carlysle-Davies ,&nbsp;Kimberlee S. Moran ,&nbsp;Joanne Irving-Walton","doi":"10.1016/j.scijus.2024.03.004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scijus.2024.03.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Meme-making is an effective method for engaging students and enhancing the learning environment. Memes are a social media cultural phenomenon that the majority of those in Higher Education are exposed to on an almost daily occurrence. This research examined the use of meme-making within the forensic sciences to allow students to reflect on their knowledge. Students studying modules in forensic science across six universities in the UK and USA participated in the study. At the end of a teaching session, students produced a meme (using Meme Generator) to reflect on what they had learned; memes were then shared with the class anonymously via Padlet. This allowed all class members to see and engage with the memes created. At the end of the activity students were anonymously surveyed on their experience using Microsoft Forms and analysis of the results were undertaken using SPSS software.</p><p>Meme-making was found to be an inclusive learning activity with no limitations, including age (part-time, distance learning and visually impaired students were not part of the study parameters). Results showed that not only did students find the practice fun, but it also helped with the retention of the class content suggesting that the meme-making process is an effective way to enhance the learning environment while engaging students.</p><p>Student feedback suggests that to maximise participation the educator should stress reflection and learning as the key purpose of generating a meme, rather than being witty or entertaining. The forensic science educator should be mindful of selecting appropriate subject matter for this often-humorous activity.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49565,"journal":{"name":"Science & Justice","volume":"64 3","pages":"Pages 280-288"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1355030624000261/pdfft?md5=7f5b512252b5c6d1bc7f4c5ed57a3dd6&pid=1-s2.0-S1355030624000261-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140345341","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Application of augmented reality for crime scene investigation training and education","authors":"Holly Vanessa Wilkins,&nbsp;Val Spikmans,&nbsp;Robert Ebeyan,&nbsp;Brenden Riley","doi":"10.1016/j.scijus.2024.03.005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scijus.2024.03.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The role of the crime scene investigator is complex, and investigators need to be able to conduct multiple frequently performed tasks. Appropriate training and education are critical to impart the crime scene investigator with the necessary capabilities. For a range of reasons, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for multi-disciplinary capabilities, training and education requirements have evolved in recent times to be more flexible and accessible.</p><p>The skills of a crime scene investigator can be broadly categorised into two types of fundamental skills: decision-making and psychomotor skills. Both these skills need to be taught and assessed within training and education programs. The most common approach to impart these skills is by incorporating a crime scene simulation facility; however, not everyone has access to these facilities. Furthermore, crime scene staff often undertake refresher courses and are required to complete proficiency assessments. Conducting these activities in a dedicated crime scene simulation facility is time consuming and costly. Virtual tools have been developed in recent years to address this, but these tools only assess decision-making skills and not psychomotor skills.</p><p>This paper argues that the implementation of augmented reality (AR) technology should be considered in crime scene investigator training and university education, because it can provide significant advantages when paired with conventional methods of training and education. When appropriately managed, AR can provide an avenue of training where both decision-making and psychomotor skills can be addressed simultaneously, while providing a more flexible and accessible approach. The implementation of AR has the potential to significantly improve the standards of teaching, resulting in better equipped crime scene investigators.</p><p>The paper will explore how AR has the potential to improve accessibility of training, increase safety, enhance the student experience, enhance collaboration and feedback through connectivity and potentially reduce cost. This paper will also provide an insight into what would need to be considered before implementing AR technology into crime scene investigation training and education alongside current approaches. It is argued that the inclusion of AR into the current training and education arsenal provides significant benefits that are worthy of exploration.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49565,"journal":{"name":"Science & Justice","volume":"64 3","pages":"Pages 289-296"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1355030624000273/pdfft?md5=f84c45425bd7b16f2d9cd2b692b4e494&pid=1-s2.0-S1355030624000273-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140349707","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Introduction to the Special Issue of work presented at the 8th meeting of the Forensic Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (FIRMS) Network (2022)","authors":"Helen Salouros,&nbsp;Jim Carter","doi":"10.1016/j.scijus.2024.03.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scijus.2024.03.003","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":49565,"journal":{"name":"Science & Justice","volume":"64 3","pages":"Page 279"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140149620","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Inkjet printer prediction under complicated printing conditions based on microscopic image features","authors":"Yan-ling Liu ,&nbsp;Zi-feng Jiang ,&nbsp;Guang-lei Zhou ,&nbsp;Ya-wen Zhao ,&nbsp;Yu-yu Hao ,&nbsp;Jing-yuan Xu ,&nbsp;Xu Yang ,&nbsp;Xiao-hong Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.scijus.2024.03.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scijus.2024.03.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>A novel technique is introduced to predict the printer model used to produce a given document. Samples containing only a few letters printed under varying conditions (i.e., different printing modes, letter types, fonts) were collected to establish a dataset of 41 inkjet printer models from common manufacturers, such as HP, Canon, and Epson. Morphological features were analyzed by extraction of image features using several algorithms in a series of microscopic images and a Wilcoxon test was used to measure the significance of variations between printed samples. Significant differences between various printing conditions might post potential challenge to questioned document examination. Discriminant analysis and the k-nearest neighbor (KNN) algorithm were also employed for source printer prediction under varying printing condition on 30% images with the rest images as training dataset. The results of a validation experiment demonstrated that while quadratic discriminant analysis (QDA) achieved an accuracy of 96.3%, a combination of KNN and QDA reached 98.6%. As such, this technique could aid in the forensic examination of printed documents.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49565,"journal":{"name":"Science & Justice","volume":"64 3","pages":"Pages 269-278"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140082921","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Forensic measurement comparison of foot insole impressions","authors":"Michael S. Nirenberg ,&nbsp;Elizabeth Ansert ,&nbsp;T.J. Minetola ,&nbsp;Abbey Marie Esbenson ,&nbsp;Annie L. Samuel ,&nbsp;Jackie Campbell","doi":"10.1016/j.scijus.2024.03.002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scijus.2024.03.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In forensic podiatry, footprints have been shown to provide a valuable source of discriminatory information. Footprints may be found in various forms, such as bare footprints, sock-clad footprints, or as impressions on insoles within footwear. This study utilized quantitative measures of foot impressions on pairs of insoles from shoes worn by the same person from a population of 31 adults. The measurements were determined by using the Reel method and comprised measurements from the heel to the tips of the toes and width of the ball. The purpose of the study was to assess the margin of error for these measurements to determine whether they were sufficiently accurate for forensic use.</p><p>A secondary purpose of this study was to determine whether the analyst’s experience or lack thereof in forensic podiatry had an impact on the precision of measurement data. The insole foot impressions were assessed by two podiatrists with forensic podiatry experience in footprint analysis, footprint research, and in using the Reel method of footprint measurement, as well as by three students of podiatric medicine without any such experience. A statistical analysis of the data from the study was performed using SPSS v28 (IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 28.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp). The most reliable measurements were of forefoot width, heel to first toe, heel to second toe, and heel to fourth toe. The greatest variation occurred in the measurements of the heel to the third and fifth toes. The measurements of the forensic podiatrist analysts showed less variability than those of the podiatry students, suggesting that measurement precision is related to the experience of the analyst.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49565,"journal":{"name":"Science & Justice","volume":"64 3","pages":"Pages 264-268"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140095783","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}