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US forensic crime labs unreliable, need major overhaul
Posted on Feb 18, 2009
According to the National Research Council, U.S. forensic crime labs are producing unreliable evidence and are in need of major reform. A NRC committee stated that fingerprints, hair analysis, shoe print analysis, toolmarks, and toxicology all have issues and can be questioned. The only type of testing with any reliability is DNA analysis.
Except for nuclear DNA analysis, no other forensic method has been able to consistently connect evidence with a specific individual or source.
The NRC panel found that some crime labs have actually falsified evidence in order to secure convictions. Other labs are struggling to keep up with workloads because of staff shortages in the face of an increasing number of cases.
The committee agreed that the best way to overhaul the nation’s crime labs would be to establish an independent National Institute of Forensic Science. This institute would be charged with performing research to improve forensic methods and it would also oversee education standards for lab employees.
The NRC report was commissioned by Congress, and the results will leave everyone involved in crime scene investigation – including victims and perpetrators – leery of forensic findings.
Read More About US forensic crime labs unreliable, need major overhaul...
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