Evidence analysis and processing

This webinar will introduce participants to the use of PMCT in the diagnosis of blunt force trauma.  PMCT scan may be used to diagnose fatal trauma in certain situations, allowing an external examination with postmortem CT to supplant an autopsy, which may better honor religious and cultural requests of grieving family members.  Non-suspicious, traumatic deaths, such as motor vehicle collisions, are such an example.  Additionally, PMCT often provides additional documentation of internal injuries where fatal injuries are obvious on external examination. 

In the first webinar, participants will be introduced to x-ray computed tomography (CT) and some key differences between CT and traditional x-ray.  The basic specifications of a CT scanner (such as bore diameter, maximum image size, and table specifications) will be introduced, with reference to their impact on whole body post-mortem scanning in particular.  Basic considerations for deploying a CT scanner in a medical examiner setting (cost, personnel, space, safety) will also be discussed.  

In the second webinar of the Post-mortem Computed Tomography Series, participants will be introduced to the use of PMCT as a triage tool in a busy forensic pathology practice.  Participants will first learn about the history of the use of PMCT at the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator (OMI) and the existing research and literature on the efficacy of PMCT in the medical examiner setting. 

This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on April 20, 2021. 

This webinar will evaluate the submitted responses for bloodstain pattern analysis proficiency tests over the past several years with the purpose of gaining insight into trends within the science.  The focus will be on erroneous conclusions and how an evaluation of the most problematic patterns can assist in moving the discipline forward.

This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on April 15, 2021.

Touch DNA is a potentially powerful sample type for forensic casework, but is challenging to work with due to low quantity, variable deposition amounts, and fundamental questions regarding stability over time. In this webinar we describe best-practices and initial results related to comprehensive studies of the stability of touch DNA after exposure to different environmental conditions.

This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on March 11, 2021.

The webinar will cover microbial research in nontraditional forensics such as environmental contamination, foodborne illness, plant pathogens, and antibiotic resistance source tracking. The webinar will conclude with needs that must be met for chains of custody and current limitations to forensic microbiology.

This webinar was hosted by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on June 21, 2021.

The NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence hosted a panel of subject matter experts to discuss emerging methods for body fluid analysis. This webinar is in three sections: 1) Proteomics and its potential in high-throughput forensic laboratories. 2) Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy and the rapid detection and identification of body fluids. 3) MicroRNA, mRNA, and the development of a microfluidic device used to detect and differentiate body fluids from an unknown sample.

Throughout the Probabilistic Genotyping of Evidentiary DNA Typing Results virtual workshop series, we have reviewed aspects of DNA mixture interpretation and have seen that probabilistic genotyping (PG) software can serve as a tool to assist the DNA Examiner in identifying possible genotype sets within a mixture and then calculating a likelihood ratio (LR). Approaches to modeling were shared by the developers of different PG software programs, followed by examples of internal validation studies and results.

Has a person of interest contributed DNA to a mixture obtained from evidence? Is that DNA associated with a crime? Both are questions that cannot be answered with absolute certainty. This module of the Probabilistic Genotyping of Evidentiary DNA Typing Results workshop series addresses the uncertainty and limitations of probabilistic genotyping systems that are used to calculate likelihood ratios and infer genotype sets from DNA typing results.

Biological modeling, statistical theory, and the computer processing of probabilistic genotyping systems are based on long- standing principles, yet their usage in U.S. courts has been limited to the past few years. This module of the Probabilistic Genotyping of Evidentiary DNA Typing Results web series addresses topics relevant to the admissibility of probabilistic genotyping results and the presentation of results in criminal proceedings. Various decisions related to probabilistic genotyping will be summarized from a legal perspective.

Historically, the predominant means of assigning statistical weight to many DNA mixtures in the U.S. has been the combined probability of inclusion, or CPI. Accordingly, many forensic DNA analysts, as well as attorneys and judges, are well-versed in the CPI as a match probability. In the fifth module of this workshop series devoted to probabilistic genotyping, the presenters will help DNA analysts and legal professionals understand degrees of statistical weight and properly communicate likelihood ratios and their meaning.

The Scientific Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods (SWGDAM) and other bodies have published guidelines that specify empirical studies to be performed to assess reliability, identify limitations and develop suitable usage conditions for probabilistic genotyping systems.

Over a dozen probabilistic genotyping software programs are commercially available or accessible as freeware. This module presents an instructive overview by software developers of three programs that are supported by published developmental validation.

This webinar is part 3 of the Probabilistic Genotyping Of Evidentiary DNA Typing Results Webinar Series and was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on May 22, 2019.

Probabilistic genotyping is a tool that uses computing power to aid in the identification of possible genotype sets within DNA typing results and to calculate likelihood ratios to estimate evidentiary weight. In this installment of Probabilistic Genotyping of Evidentiary DNA Typing Results, we will detail the background and principles of biostatistical analysis, to include match probabilities, likelihood ratios and other specific topics aimed at furthering understanding of the statistical basis of probabilistic genotyping.

Based on the review of various forms of STR typing results and factors that impact the presence or condition of DNA on evidence, instructors in this installment of Probabilistic Genotyping of Evidentiary DNA Typing Results lay a foundation for the interpretation of forensic DNA typing results. The session will begin with background information on forensic DNA analysis, including terminology and mechanisms, to help all participants comprehend the material covered in this series.