Forensic sciences

The pubic symphysis joint on the pubic bone is frequently used in anthropology to estimate age-at-death in late adolescent and adult individuals. This webinar will provide a background on the age indicator, as well as a review of the anatomical features used in the age estimation methods based on this joint. The primary focus of the webinar is to help participants better interpret the written phase descriptions in pubic symphysis age estimation methods.

This webinar was hosted by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on January 11, 2023.

Forensic anthropologists face the challenge of sorting remains from commingled assemblages. This webinar examines how chemical signatures of bone can complement physical reassociation strategies. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) offers rapid, visually non-destructive analysis that acquires chemical information from bone. Statistical evaluation of chemical profiles taken across 1284 bones from 45 individuals reveals that physicochemical variation exists between individuals and, consequently, can be used to classify the bones.

The use of risk management has been historically absent from the management of forensic science laboratories. While ISO 31000 (Risk Management Principles and Guidelines) and ISO 9001 (Quality Management System) emphasized risk management, it was not until ISO/IEC 17025: 2017 highlighted its importance that forensic science managers began to take note. Even since its inclusion in ISO/IEC 17025, there remains a misunderstanding on what risk management is and how it can be used to improve laboratory operations.

This webinar will highlight the importance of conducting a victim-centered, trauma-informed investigative interview for sexual assault cases. Trauma-informed investigative interviews lay the foundation for improved victim engagement with the criminal justice system and increased ability to resolve sexual assault cases.

This webinar was hosted by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on April 26, 2022

The Transition Analysis 3 (TA3) age-at-death estimation method was developed as part of an international research project supported by National Institute of Justice (NIJ) award #2014-DN-BX-K007. This presentation provides a brief history of the TA3 project from its beginnings in the late 1990s to its current status two decades later. Participants learn about the iterative process used to identify traits and develop definitions and are introduced to the TA3 trait manual and generic data collection form.

This webinar will explore the prevalence of strangulation in sexual assault cases, including considerations for evidence collection and supporting victims. This webinar was hosted by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on April 14, 20222

This presentation briefly discusses the current state of skeletal sex estimation in forensic anthropology. The primary focus of this presentation is on the MorphoPASSE: Morphological Pelvis and Skull Sex Estimation database and program for skeletal sex estimation. The presentation details the revised trait descriptions and scoring procedures, with examples, and demonstrates how to use the MorphoPASSE graphical user interface and interpret the output.

This session provides an overview of the fundamental principles of statistics as encountered and applied in forensic toxicology. Various elements of statistics are often utilized or relied upon by scientists to describe produced results and to demonstrate if forensic instruments or processes are “working” or “in-control”. Here we establish the basic terminology for the principles of statistical analysis. Participants will begin to be better equipped to interpret and analyze forensic toxicology data accurately and effectively. 

In this fireside chat, session six of the the Foundational Statistics for Forensic Toxicology series, panelists include practitioners and experts in forensic toxicology, and subject matter experts for the application of statistics in forensic toxicology. Join us in a dynamic and engaging session to explore common frustrations and challenges experienced in the laboratory, providing participants with valuable insights and practical solutions.

Session five of the Foundational Statistics for Forensic Toxicology series will incorporate concepts from earlier sessions and focus on the practical application of control data in estimating Measurement Uncertainty (MU). Rather than a discussion about how to calculate the MU, this session provides practical examples to demonstrate the key elements of the statistical process. Participants will learn how to incorporate control data into MU estimation by leveraging statistical techniques aimed at quantifying the uncertainty associated with measurement processes.

This second session in the  Foundational Statistics for Forensic Toxicology series explores various distributions commonly encountered in forensic toxicology (normal, rectangular, etc.). Participants will learn about the characteristics of these distributions and how they manifest in toxicological data. Also, this session covers statistical measures that can describe and compare distributions, including variance, standard deviation, and relative standard deviation.

This third session of the Foundational Statistics for Forensic Toxicology series explores hypothesis testing, a fundamental concept in statistical analysis, and its applications in forensic toxicology. Participants will gain an understanding of the different types of statistical tests, their respective applications, and how they can be utilized to uncover meaningful insights from toxicological data. 

In this fourth session of the Foundational Statistics for Forensic Toxicology series, we address common challenges, misconceptions, and questions encountered in day-to-day forensic toxicology laboratory settings related to statistics. Participants will gain insights into the practical application of statistical concepts and terminology in quality control and control charting, including trends and outliers. Furthermore, participants will learn about data interpretation, distinguishing between results that occur due to statistical significance and those the occur due to random variation.

The National Institute of Justice’s Terrestrial LiDAR Scanning (TLS) Working Group was convened to create consensus-based best practices that standardize and improve the use of TLS in criminal justice applications. This webinar is intended to serve as a general overview of the technology, its use in scene documentation and reconstruction, and key takeaways of the resulting best practice guidelines.

This webinar was hosted by the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on  May 3, 2022.

With the rise of illicit fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, synthetic cathinones, xylazine, and other substances adulterating many traditional street drugs, users often have no idea what they are consuming, leading to overdose and death.  This further complicates toxicology testing and death determination.  This presentation will cover interesting postmortem case studies from Ohio, Denver, and Miami from the scene perspective through autopsy and toxicology testing.

Scientists from three participating laboratories - University of Central Florida (UCF), Center for Forensic Science Research and Education (CFSRE), and InnoGenomics (IGT) - presented results obtained from mock sexual assault samples using the SpermX method and their in-house differential extraction method. All three laboratories processed identical sets of female:male mixture swabs at various ratios in triplicate and presented their experiences and insights from this study.

The Forensic Technology Center of Excellence recently published a collection of five articles as a Special Issue in Forensic Science International (FSI): Synergy. These articles are known collectively as the Human Factors in Forensic Science Practice Sourcebook.  The sourcebook is intended to educate forensic science practitioners and managers on the ways human factors can impact forensic science practice both positively and negatively and to expand the discussion beyond issues of bias.

Hair evidence collected as part of a forensic investigation has the potential to provide valuable source information through DNA analysis of its root. This webinar discusses the process of utilizing Hematoxylin staining in forensic casework as an indicator of hair root DNA suitability. The presenters demonstrate the process of staining hair roots with Hematoxylin, as well as provide visual examples of stained hair roots.

Fractography is a tool for studying material failure. Analysis of cracks and fractures can reveal information about how, why, and where a fracture initiated and how a crack traveled, providing insight into the cause of failure. This webinar provides a basic introduction to forensic fractography of bone, which represents a new model for skeletal trauma that emphasizes understanding the cause of material failure rather than simply classifying fracture patterns.

This webinar was hosted by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on November 2, 2022.

This webinar discusses the impact that the pandemic has had on the physical and emotional wellness of employees in the laboratory setting and will focus on personnel issues that workplaces may experience following the pandemic. Topics that will be covered include supervising employees working in a remote environment, implementing hybrid working programs, and bringing employees back into the office.

While modern electronic cigarettes (ECIG) were invented as an effective alternate method for nicotine delivery, the unregulated cannabis industry and recreational drug consumers adopted them for their culture acceptability and concealability. Absent strong, clear federal regulations, the ECIG industry rapidly expanded product types and e-liquid formulations. E-liquids contain chemicals considered safe for oral consumption, creating an aura of safety for consumers.

This webinar will review the features and advantages of the Idaho State Police Forensic Services’ freely available sexual assault kit evidence tracking system.

This webinar was hosted by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on April 7, 2022.

This webinar is designed to provide a peek behind the curtain of cosmetics, specifically those applied to the face. The presenter will provide an overview of common cosmetic ingredients, including the typical usage levels and their purpose in these products. The presenter will also discuss various analytical approaches and limitations to the analysis of cosmetic products and their individual components.

This webinar was hosted by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on February 17, 2022. 

The FBI Laboratory conducted a comprehensive study known as the National Footwear Database Evaluation. The purpose of the study was to determine the feasibility of developing and implementing a national footwear database system to generate criminal intelligence for law enforcement and serve as a tool for forensic science researchers. This webinar will highlight the team's findings, conclusions, and recommendations. T

his webinar was hosted by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on February 15, 2022.

When faced with a situation that defies existing policy or past experiences, managers need to be ready to lead their teams and/or calmly advise and guide their own commanders. Table-top exercises are an efficient way to deliver this training and improve your teams' readiness for unexpected crises.

This webinar was hosted by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence in 2022.