Bad science puts innocent people in jail -- and keeps them there

["Dave Farber" <farber () gmail com>]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Lauren Weinstein <lauren () vortex com>
> Date: March 24, 2018 at 8:01:39 PM EDT
> To: nnsquad () nnsquad org
> Subject: [ NNSquad ] Bad science puts innocent people in jail -- and keeps them there
>
>
> Bad science puts innocent people in jail -- and keeps them there
>
> https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/bad-science-puts-innocent-people-in-jail--and-keeps-them-there/2018/03/20/f1fffd08-263e-11e8-b79d-f3d931db7f68_story.html
>
>      Since the onset in the 1990s of DNA testing -- which, unlike
>    most fields of forensics, was born in the scientific community
>    -- we've learned that many forensic specialities aren't nearly
>    as accurate as their practitioners have claimed.  Studies from
>    the National Academy of Sciences and the President's Council
>    of Advisors on Science and Technology have concluded that
>    there's insufficient research to support the claims of the
>    broad field of "pattern matching" forensics, which includes
>    analyses of such things as hair fiber, bite marks, "tool
>    marks" and tire tread.  These forensic specialties were never
>    subjected to the rigors of scientific inquiry -- double-blind
>    testing, peer review -- before they were accepted in
>    courtrooms. Most are entirely subjective: An analyst will look
>    at two marks or patterns and determine whether they're a
>    "match." Most of these disciplines can't even calculate a
>    margin of error.
>
> - - -
>
> --Lauren--



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