General Announcements

Prior to the President’s State of the Union address on January 25, 2011, Senator Leahy introduced the “Criminal Justice and Forensic Science Reform Act of 2011.”  His press release and statement on introduction of the Bill received little media attention.  However, it is essential that all forensic science professionals be aware of this Bill and the other forensic science reform bill being drafted in the House of Representatives.

No bill introduced in the Congress contains everything that everyone wants, and they usually contain many things people don’t want.  The Criminal Justice and Forensic Reform Act is no different.  However, the difference with this Bill is that the authors solicited input from the forensic science community.  Through our membership in the Consortium of Forensic Science Organizations, our comments were solicited, received and considered.  The Bill is better because of the authors’ interest in hearing our thoughts.  But our attention and input to the Bills input does not stop here. Both Bills present many more opportunities for our community to respond and provide input.

Many people ask why a Bill of this type is necessary and why we should participate in something for which many would rather see buried.  Unfortunately, we do not have direct influence on what a Senator or a Member of the House chooses or chooses not to introduce.  We can bury our heads in the sand and let other people have all the control over our profession or we can become involved and try to influence the Bills’ directions.

You can read Leahy’s press release and text of the Criminal Justice and Forensic Science Reform Act here:  http://leahy.senate.gov/press/press_releases/release/?id=6ae7da4b-ec1f-465e-b521-d763ecdc853f

It is important we all stay involved and informed.

Have a great day,

Greg

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News around the globe

SBI lab oversight - Remove law-enforcement bias
North Carolina
North Carolina's criminal laboratory must be independent of the Department of Justice, and its employees must consider themselves servants of justice, not only the prosecution.

Digital Evidence meeting set for Feb. 17-18 at Marshall
West Virginia
The Appalachian Institute of Digital Evidence will have its annual winter training meeting Feb. 17-18 at Marshall University. 

Rick Casey: Are arson probes 'lesser science'?
Texas

Just two weeks after finally hearing from nationally respected fire scientists who ripped testimony given in Willingham's trial by arson investigators from Corsicana and the State Fire Marshal's Office, commissioners appeared ready to issue their conclusions. No scientist was brought forth to defend the arson investigations and testimony.

 N. Carolina crime lab withheld test results in more than 200 cases
CNN International
Editor's note: Innocent people were locked up, while evidence that could have cleared them was hidden. CNN's Drew Griffin goes inside a justice system where the handling of more than 200 cases is being called "Rogue Justice." Marshall University forensics professor receives federal grant to analyze interpretation of fire debris
West VirginiaMarshall University has received a $540,752 grant from the National Institute of Justice for a two-year project to study factors that affect interpretation of data by fire debris analysts and to develop a computer program to aid in interpretation. Crime lab puts steps in place to avoid errors
Minnesota
The Tri-County Crime Lab has taken extra steps to ensure there are no more mistakes like the mathematical error that led to inflated blood alcohol concentration (BAC) readings in 111 driving while intoxicated (DWI) cases. Bill would establish MU forensic center as state DNA lab for police
West Virginia
Legislation to guarantee an exclusive arrangement between the West Virginia State Police and the Marshall University Forensic Science Center for DNA testing is making its way through the West Virginia Legislature at the current session. Conviction rates concern after closure of Forensic Science Service in Solihull
UK
Closing the Forensic Science Service could make it harder to convict murderers in the future, MPs have warned. Mansfield police warn of 'bath salts' drug
Ohio
Mansfield Division of Police Forensic Science Laboratory is warning that a bath salt marketed as Posh (and under other names) is an analog of the drug Pyrovalerone, a psychoactive drug with stimulant effects and a Schedule V Controlled substance.

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