Forensic Technology Center of Excellence

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.

The focus of this project was the application and limitations of technology used for fire investigations. Today’s field-portable GC/MS) systems were found to provide lab-quality data for volatile hydrocarbons but the interpretation of that data proved challenging for field operators. Online access to lab experts is essential.  Evidence sampling is enhanced with the use of sensitive Photoionization Detectors (PID) as a supplement to canine searches.

This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on April 6, 2021.

COVID-19 has had an enormous effect on the workforce, and not just in the areas of operations and logistics.  Workplace schedules have been completely rearranged, work-life balance has been turned on its head from telework, and reduced “in lab” hours have caused strain on an already stressed workforce.  In this webinar, you will hear from three experts in workplace wellness, particularly in forensic science.

This webinar will explore some of the key elements that must be considered to successfully implement a Remote Work program in an operational forensic laboratory. Three leaders from County, State and Private labs will share their respective experiences on how to pivot to this new normal in the middle of a pandemic.

This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on March 17, 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 primary focus of this presentation is to develop a better understanding of the fragmentation behavior of emerging synthetic drugs in different types of mass spectrometers. The goal is to assist practitioners in seized drugs and forensic toxicology with their understanding of current casework, and to help them more-readily identify new drugs as they emerge.

This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on March 5, 2021.

This webinar will discuss the analytical methodology developed and validated to identify and quantify novel synthetic opioids and traditional opioids in oral fluid. The presenter will also discuss targeted and non-targeted approaches using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methods for detection of fentanyl- and non-fentanyl related novel synthetic opioids. Additionally, this webinar with cover sample preparation techniques for isolating synthetic opioids with various chemistries and structures.

This webinar seeks to describe how preemptive synthesis and characterization of potent psychoactive substances from the literature can aid forensic scientists in the identification of unknowns appearing in samples emerging from illicit markets. Additionally, the presenter seeks to provide understanding of how gaps in pharmacological knowledge of old drugs can be exploited to find new emerging synthetic drugs.

This webinar was hosted by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on February 8, 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.

In this webinar, the presenter will cover key components of successful onboarding in a crime lab, including setting employee expectations and making the employee feel like part of the team.  The presenter will go over an onboarding checklist so you can devise one that suits your agency’s needs.  Lastly, the presenter will discuss how successful onboarding can get the new employee “fired up” and increase employee engagement overall.   

This webinar will provide an overview of the validation, implementation of 3D  technology at the FBI Laboratory’s Firearms/Toolmarks Unit. This presentation will highlight the process, including Standard Operating Procedures, laboratory workflow, selection of casework, blind verification, reexamination of casework using light microscopy and Daubert preparation.

This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on June 2, 2021, as part of the 2021 ASCLD Train the Director Series.

This webinar will facilitate a discussion about bias in a crime laboratory including what is bias in forensics, how it can impact your operations, why it is important, and considerations when building this culture. The webinar will include important aspects of an unbiased culture, symptoms that your culture is biased, and examples from the Phoenix Police Department, the Virginia Department of Forensic Sciences, and ICITAP’s.

This webinar was hosted by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence in July 2021.