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Wrongful Convictions: The Latest Scientific Research & Implications for Law Enforcement

March 2013
Series
Research for the Real World

What does science tell us about case factors that can lead to a wrongful conviction? Dr. Jon Gould of American University will discuss the findings of the first large-scale empirical study that has identified ten statistically significant factors that distinguish a wrongful conviction from a "near miss." (A "near miss" is a case in which an innocent defendant was acquitted or had charges dismissed before trial). Following Dr. Gould's presentation, Mr. John R.

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Sexual Assault: Obtaining DNA From Evidence Collected up to a Week Later - Panel at the 2009 NIJ Conference

June 2009

Technological advances have made it possible to detect male DNA in evidentiary samples collected several days after a sexual act has taken place. Panelists will present the research that has led to these findings, followed by a discussion of the potential impact of this work from the perspectives of the sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) and the crime laboratory communities.

Transcript
Sexual Assault: Obtaining DNA From Evidence Collected up to a Week Later - Panel at the 2009 NIJ Conference
Audio file
1 of 4: Sexual Assault: Obtaining DNA From Evidence Collected up to a Week Later, Lois Tully, National Institute of Justice , 2 of 4: Sexual Assault: Obtaining DNA From Evidence Collected up to a Week Later, Jack Ballantyne, National Center for Forensic Science , 3 of 4: Sexual Assault: Obtaining DNA From Evidence Collected up to a Week Later, Patricia M. Speck, College of Nursing, University of Tennessee Health Science Center , 4 of 4: Sexual Assault: Obtaining DNA From Evidence Collected up to a Week Later, Mechthild Prinz, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, New York, N.Y.

Making Sense of the DNA Backlog - NIJ Conference Panel

June 2009

Panelists will present findings from two NIJ studies that examined the DNA backlog in law enforcement agencies and crime labs. Panelists will discuss research findings related to new and potential time- and cost-saving approaches.

Transcript
Making Sense of the DNA Backlog - NIJ Conference Panel
Audio file
1 of 5: Making Sense of the DNA Backlog, Mark Nelson, National Institute of Justice , 2 of 5: Making Sense of the DNA Backlog, Kevin Lothridge, Chief Executive Officer, National Forensic Science Technology Center , 3 of 5: Making Sense of the DNA Backlog, Kevin J. Strom, Senior Research Scientist, Crime, Violence, and Justice Research Program, RTI International , 4 of 5: Making Sense of the DNA Backlog, Greg Matheson, Director, Los Angeles Police Department Criminalistics Laboratory , 5 of 5: Making Sense of the DNA Backlog, Question and Answer Session