CRIM 2040 MIDTERM LATEST UPLOAD EXAM 2025

CRIM 2040 MIDTERM LATEST UPLOAD EXAM 2025 Reliable - -Similar to consistent, get the same number multiple times Why measure uncertainty? - -Want to have transparency in court Black box study - --Measures error rates of the discipline -gives overall false positive rate and false negative rate Reproducible - --Same evidence, different person -inter vs intra examiner consistency (intra has higher consistency) Repeatable - --come to same result multiple times -same evidence same person Who determines what is considered consistent enough? - -Trier of fact Trier of fact - -judge or jury Accurate - --result is correct/no error Foundational validity - --Requires that a forensic science method requires it be shown, based on empirical studies, to be repeatable, reproducible, and accurate -means a method can be reliable Validity as applied - -Examiner shown to be capable of reliably applying a method and must have done so. Examiner should: report FP/FN rates, report probative value, don't make claims beyond evidence Frye Standard (1923) - -Determine whether the method by which evidence was obtained was generally accepted by experts in the particular field which it belongs Federal Rule 702 - -A witness who is qualified as an expert by knowledge, skill, experience, training, or education may testify in the form of an opinion if: experts knowledge will help trier of fact understand evidence or to determine a fact, testimony is based on sufficient facts/data, testimony is the product of reliable methods, and the expert has reliably applied the principles and methods How was national commission on forensic science formed? - --Partnership between Obama administration and national institute of standards and technology -formed after 2009 national Academy of Sciences report CRIM 2040 CRIM 2040 What was the importance of 2009 national Academy of Sciences report? - --urged US to establish independent federal entity to address the problems in forensics -pointed out the issues in forensic science regarding validity and reliability Contextual bias - -due to algorithm's results, other analysts' opinions, high-profile case Reverse reasoning - -Marking minutiae in "known" or clean print, then marking in latent print from crime scene, leads to overreliance on apparent similarities and inadequate attention to differences. Fundamental assumption about finger prints/bite marks - -1) Fingerprints/bite marks are unique 2) We can determine which print belongs to a person Suggestive of uniqueness - -Identical twins same DNA, different fingerprints; individual has different prints on two thumbs (although we don't have two right- hand thumbs) Type I error/False positive - -tested as positive when it is actually negative Type II error/False negative - -tested as negative when it is actually positive Nonconforming work - -refers to examinations where the examiner deviated from the method Mistakes - -Deviations that result from innocent clerical errors (e.g., transposition of numbers) are labeled as mistakes. Mistakes are easily detectable, even by the examiner who made the mistake Malpractice - -Deviations that are the result of poor or incomplete training are best referred to as malpractice. Malpractice can be detected by a robust technical review from a more qualified examine Misconduct - -Deviations that are deliberate are described as misconduct. Misconduct can be very difficult to detect because the offending examiner may take steps to make the work appear to be conforming Objective methods - -can replace an algorithm Subjective methods - -key procedures involve human judgement Problem with black box studies - --to get error rates for a discipline in general, it should be designed by an outside researcher not the person doing the test (like SAT) however many of the black box studies have people who designed and taken the test Daubert standard - -(1) whether the theory or technique in question can be and has been tested (2) whether it has been subjected to peer review and publication CRIM 2040 (3) its known or potential error rate (4) the existence and maintenance of standards controlling its operation (5) whether it has attracted widespread acceptance within a relevant scientific community Problems with Daubert standard - --publications/journals made to validate the communities methods -error rates unknown Annie Dookhan - -Dry-labbing, falsified evidence Sonja Farak - -Stole drugs and replaced them Brandon Mayfield - -A lawyer and convert of Muslim, was held for two weeks before the Spanish investigation revealed that the finger print instead belonged to Algerian, Ouhnane Daoud. Keith Harward - -Sailor wrongfully convicted for rape based on bite mark evidence Max Houck - -Director of DC dna lab, audits showed lab procedures to be inadequate Importance of 2016 PCAST report? - -Need for clarity about scientific standards for validity and reliability, highlighted need to evaluate specific forensic methods to determine if they have been scientifically established as valid or reliable, most methods don't have error rates