Science & Justice最新文献

{"title":"Latent fingermark recovery in a simulated café setting: an exploratory study of cyanoacrylate fuming on disposable nonporous plastic and semiporous paper cups","authors":"Minhwan Jang","doi":"10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101311","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101311","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Latent fingermark recovery from beverage containers is an important aspect of forensic investigations, yet the influence of substrate properties and beverage temperatures on fingermark development remains understudied. This exploratory study assessed the development and quality of latent fingermarks on disposable beverage cups made of nonporous plastic and semiporous paper using cyanoacrylate (CA) fuming, under conditions approximating a typical café environment. A total of 255 cups (107 plastic, 148 paper) were collected after participants consumed hot and iced beverages in a controlled classroom setting. CA fuming was performed under standardized laboratory conditions, and developed prints were evaluated on a five-grade scale (Grade 1 = poor quality, Grade 5 = very good quality). Analyses revealed significantly more and higher-quality latent fingermarks on plastic cups compared with paper cups, with Grade 5 prints observed exclusively on plastic surfaces. Among plastic cups, transparent cups yielded more identifiable prints than translucent ones. These findings highlight the potential impact of porosity, surface texture, and handling behaviors on fingermark residue preservation and polymerization during CA fuming. This study underscores the effectiveness of plastic beverage cups as substrates for latent fingermark recovery with CA fuming, whereas semiporous paper cups may require different or enhanced development techniques. Repetitive gripping of hot beverage cups—intended to avoid burns—may mechanically disrupt residues or shorten handling times, thus reducing overall residue deposition. Limitations such as the relatively homogeneous participant pool, reliance on a single examiner for grading, and controlled environmental conditions should be addressed in future research. Nonetheless, this work offers insight into the forensic viability of common beverage containers and provides a foundation for further investigations in real café settings. Future studies are encouraged to expand participant diversity, explore varied environmental conditions, and compare alternative fingermark development methods to optimize practical applications and casework outcomes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49565,"journal":{"name":"Science & Justice","volume":"65 5","pages":"Article 101311"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145018599","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":"Fingermark development on silver mirror surfaces: A comparative study between mirror chemical delamination assessment and established techniques","authors":"R.J. Accioly ,&nbsp;E.G. Silva ,&nbsp;K.C. Mariotti ,&nbsp;C. Fridman","doi":"10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101307","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101307","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Human identification and its involved science are present in the daily context of legal medicine, criminal justice, and humanitarian issues. The development of a mirror delamination method for fingermark enhancement on silver mirror substrates has resulted in an affordable and efficient alternative to obtain good-quality fingermark images for forensic investigations. However, efficiency and sensitivity comparisons between the novel method and established techniques are necessary to understand the limiting factors and practical applications. This study used a fingermark depletion series for comparative analysis of chemical delamination processes and 1) powder, followed by lift process; 2) superglue, followed by powder and lift process; and 3) polarized light techniques. The results demonstrated that the mirror delamination method detected more minutiae than powder and superglue treatments, increasing 227% and 23%, respectively. Polarized light system illumination detected 6% more minutiae than chemical delamination. The evaluation of the magnitude of these differences revealed that the silver mirror chemical delamination method could be an effective and noncontact alternative for the fingermark enhancement procedures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49565,"journal":{"name":"Science & Justice","volume":"65 5","pages":"Article 101307"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144605224","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":"Corrigendum to “Contacting surfaces are rarely DNA Free: Another look at transfer when both surfaces have DNA” [Sci. Justice 65(3) (2025) 101248]","authors":"Georga Sallows ,&nbsp;Duncan Taylor ,&nbsp;Roland A.H. van Oorschot ,&nbsp;Mariya Goray","doi":"10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101284","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101284","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":49565,"journal":{"name":"Science & Justice","volume":"65 5","pages":"Article 101284"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145018612","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":"From digital trace to evidence: Challenges and insights from a trial case study","authors":"Maxime Bérubé ,&nbsp;Laurie-Anne Beaulieu ,&nbsp;Sophie Allard ,&nbsp;Vincent Denault","doi":"10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101306","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101306","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Technology’s rapid evolution has made digital traces a common part of our lives, holding significant value for investigations and legal cases across various national jurisdictions. However, law enforcement and judicial systems often struggle to adapt to these changes, resulting in possible misinterpretations of digital evidence in criminal trials. Drawing on insights from a qualitative analysis of a terrorism-related court case, this research aims to gain a deeper understanding of the fundamental challenges of decision-making in digital forensics and how they can impact a criminal case. Our findings show that operational, technical, and management constraints hinder the accurate processing of digital traces. They highlight the need for standardized forensic practices and rigorous validation procedures to ensure clarity and reliability. A more structured approach can support law enforcement in adapting to the rapidly changing technological landscape and, subsequently, help legal teams to better comprehend the complexities of digital evidence. While recognizing that each investigation is unique, this highly detailed examination allowed us to identify ways to help practitioners improve their investigative practices and to foster a clearer understanding of digital evidence in the justice system.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49565,"journal":{"name":"Science & Justice","volume":"65 5","pages":"Article 101306"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144557206","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":"A simple protocol to improve touch DNA analysis using direct STR amplification","authors":"Jill Snyder,&nbsp;Hannah Varner,&nbsp;Jamie Fredericks","doi":"10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101309","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101309","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Traditionally, when processing DNA samples, a multiple-step procedure is followed; after a sample has been collected, DNA is then extracted and quantified before a profile is generated. During the process, valuable DNA can be lost and/or consumed. When processing reference samples, where DNA is usually in abundance, DNA loss may not be a concern for the analysts. However, DNA loss from samples that have minimal amounts of DNA could be detrimental to successful analysis. Touch or contact DNA samples are collected when an individual has handled an object, leaving behind genetic material. Genetic and environmental factors can affect the amount of touch DNA deposited; thus, it is important that as much DNA is retrieved from the surface being sampled and made available for analysis. A new collection method, using Promega’s SwabSolution™ as a swab wetting agent, is proposed. In comparison to traditional methods, the new procedure significantly increased both the amount of amplifiable DNA retrieved and the number of alleles amplified and maintained with acceptable peak height ratios of heterozygote loci. The proposed method coupled with direct PCR protocols has shown to be a reliable and effective procedure for the analysis of touch DNA samples across a variety of different surfaces.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49565,"journal":{"name":"Science & Justice","volume":"65 5","pages":"Article 101309"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144662066","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":"Prioritizing patterns in evidence: Applying the analysis of competing hypotheses framework to criminal investigations and cold cases","authors":"David A. Keatley","doi":"10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101308","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101308","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Police investigations often give rise to multiple hypothetical pathways for how the crime was conducted. Investigators may develop several hypotheses, often based on different pieces of evidence. It is often the case that investigators have too many potential hypotheses rather than too few. The current research shows a method of prioritizing hypotheses based on all evidence available and how this may help highlight and reduce bias in investigations. A real-world case of a homicide, that was originally misclassified as a death by natural causes is provided to show how Analysis of Competing Hypothesis (ACH) can be effectively used. Findings show support for the use of ACH in major crimes and cold case reviews. ACH allows investigators and reviewers to clearly show which hypotheses they have formulated and what evidence is consistent or inconsistent. In the case outlined, ACH may have led to consideration of poisoning rather than natural causes. This is the first paper to explore the use of ACH in major crimes and cold case reviews. While other authors have shown the importance of structuring decision making in police investigations, none have used the ACH framework.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49565,"journal":{"name":"Science & Justice","volume":"65 5","pages":"Article 101308"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144572147","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":"Application of deep learning for detecting implants in computed tomography scout images with multi-institution and multi-vendor for personal identification","authors":"Yeji Kim ,&nbsp;Yosuke Usumoto ,&nbsp;Jin-Haeng Heo ,&nbsp;Nozomi Eto ,&nbsp;Yukiko Sadamatsu ,&nbsp;Wonseok Yang ,&nbsp;Eun-Ju Kang ,&nbsp;Junji Morishita ,&nbsp;Jeong-hwa Kwon ,&nbsp;Seon Jung Jang ,&nbsp;Sookyoung Lee ,&nbsp;Yongsu Yoon","doi":"10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101315","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101315","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The identification of deceased individuals is essential in forensic investigations, particularly when primary identification methods such as odontology, fingerprint, or DNA analysis are unavailable. In such cases, implanted medical devices may serve as supplementary identifiers for positive identification. This study proposes deep learning-based methods for the automatic detection of metallic implants in scout images acquired from computed tomography (CT). Using a multi-institutional and multi-vendor dataset, two object detection models, RetinaNet and Faster R-CNN, were trained and evaluated to ensure generalizability across diverse imaging conditions. The proposed models achieved improved performance in detecting various types of implants, significantly reducing false positives and improving classification consistency. These findings emphasize the potential of CT scout image analysis as a practical tool for supporting forensic identification through the efficient detection of implanted medical devices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49565,"journal":{"name":"Science & Justice","volume":"65 5","pages":"Article 101315"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144902269","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 applications of compound genetic markers: trends and future directions","authors":"Sthabile Shabalala,&nbsp;Nuhaa Ismail,&nbsp;Meenu Ghai","doi":"10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101301","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101301","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A compound marker integrates two or more genetic markers into a single assay. The application of compound markers enhances the predictive accuracy of genetic testing by leveraging the strengths of different genetic variations while mitigating the limitations of individual markers.</div><div>Compound markers include SNP-SNPs, SNP-STRs, DIP-SNPs, DIP-STRs, Multi-In/Dels, CpG-SNPs, CpG-STRs/CpG-In/Del, and Methylation-Microhaplotypes. Currently, no commercially available multiplex kit can amplify two or more different genetic markers simultaneously in a single reaction. Though compound marker panels for next-generation sequencing (NGS) platforms have been designed, however, reports are scarce on compound markers for genetic studies at a global scale, particularly for African populations. The African population is the most genetically diverse, but is underrepresented due to funding constraints and the need for novel techniques to address diverse and admixed ancestral backgrounds. With the emerging application of NGS in forensic investigations, human identification is not limited to traditional STR typing, as a single NGS run can simultaneously target autosomal STRs, sex determination markers, SNP markers, and InDel/DIP markers. Additional applications of compound markers include mixture deconvolution, detection of minor donors in unbalanced DNA samples, paternity testing, amplification of highly degraded DNA samples and inference of biogeographic ancestry.</div><div>The workflow of genotyping compound markers through CE and NGS has not yet been integrated into forensic laboratories because it requires the development and internal validation of genetic markers and analytical protocols. Furthermore, it is essential to address the ethical and legal considerations related to the responsible use of genetic data generated from compound markers. The current review explores the application of compound markers, identification of new micro and macrohaplotypes, and considerations for integrating NGS to facilitate forensic investigations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49565,"journal":{"name":"Science & Justice","volume":"65 5","pages":"Article 101301"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144313265","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":"Decoding the complexity of homemade explosives: Forensic insights from association rule mining on 344 Chinese Case Samples","authors":"Zhenwen Sun ,&nbsp;Jun Zhu ,&nbsp;Puzheng Qiao ,&nbsp;Guannan Zhang ,&nbsp;Zhanfang Liu ,&nbsp;Zheng Zhou ,&nbsp;Jili Zheng ,&nbsp;Yuanfeng Wang ,&nbsp;Yao Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101283","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101283","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Homemade explosives (HMEs) present significant challenges to forensic investigations due to their diverse chemical compositions and varying construction methods. Identifying the origin of these explosives is crucial for linking evidence across crime scenes. To address this challenge, this study employs an advanced data mining technique to enhance the forensic analysis of a unique dataset consisting of 344 HME samples collected from 129 real cases in China over an eight-year period (2015–2022). The samples were initially categorized based on their functional roles – main charge, initiator, or precursor/other – and analyzed using standardized forensic methods. Given the complexity of certain mixtures and the limitations of expert-based interpretation, Association Rule Mining (ARM) was subsequently employed to uncover hidden patterns in the chemical profiles. By interpreting the ARM findings, the study revealed valuable insights into the common “recipes” used by bomb-makers in China, identified frequently co-occurring components, and provided new forensic signatures that could potentially link different cases. Furthermore, the ARM-generated rules suggested likely HME ingredients and construction methods, even when only partial samples were recovered. To our knowledge, this study represents the most comprehensive forensic analysis of HMEs in China to date. It has great potential to contribute to international efforts in combating terrorism and other crimes involving the use of HMEs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49565,"journal":{"name":"Science & Justice","volume":"65 5","pages":"Article 101283"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144548578","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":"A guide to ISO 21043 Forensic Sciences from the perspective of the forensic-data-science paradigm","authors":"Geoffrey Stewart Morrison ,&nbsp;Simon Elliott ,&nbsp;June Guiness ,&nbsp;Lisa Sonden ,&nbsp;Denise Syndercombe Court","doi":"10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101304","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101304","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>ISO 21043 is a new international standard for forensic science. It provides requirements and recommendations designed to ensure the quality of the forensic process. It includes Parts on: 1 vocabulary; 2 recovery, transport, and storage of items; 3 analysis; 4 interpretation; and 5 reporting. We provide a guide to ISO 21043 from the perspective of the forensic-data-science paradigm, which involves the use of methods that are transparent and reproducible, are intrinsically resistant to cognitive bias, use the logically correct framework for interpretation of evidence (the likelihood-ratio framework), and are empirically calibrated and validated under casework conditions. The guide focuses primarily on vocabulary, interpretation, and reporting, and on providing guidance for forensic-service providers and examiners who want to implement methods that are both consistent with the forensic-data-science paradigm and conformant with ISO 21043.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49565,"journal":{"name":"Science & Justice","volume":"65 5","pages":"Article 101304"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144672563","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}