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Woodman PA, Ballantyne KN, Julian R, Spiranovic C. The forensic examination of structural fires in Victoria, Australia: Decision-making processes and impact on judicial outcomes. Sci Justice 2021; 61:369-377. [PMID: 34172125 DOI: 10.1016/j.scijus.2021.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/27/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
There is a body of published research that has evaluated the contribution of forensic science to the criminal justice system, but many disciplines of forensic science remain unexplored in this regard. The aim of this study was to examine the contribution that forensic fire examination services provide to criminal investigations and court processes in arson cases. Forensic fire examination services differ in a number of ways to the disciplines covered in previous research on the impact of forensic evidence on justice outcomes. Forensic fire examinations involve a combination of scene examination and laboratory analyses, and the results can provide critical evidence of whether an incident that has occurred is a criminal offence (i.e. whether a fire has occurred as the result of an act of arson). Forensic fire examination is also a discipline that has faced challenges and undergone development in recent decades regarding its scientific basis and the issue of contextual bias. In this study, data were collated for 273 structural fires that were examined by the forensic fire services in Victoria, Australia. In this jurisdiction, scene and laboratory forensic services are delivered within short time frames with a focus on providing impartial scientific and investigative services to assist criminal investigations conducted by police. The current dataset was highly skewed in terms of criminal justice outcomes and was not suitable for conducting the planned statistical analyses. Nonetheless, the pattern of findings obtained suggested that the inclusion of forensic evidence which supported the prosecution of arson may be associated with an increased likelihood of suspects being charged and defendants found guilty. Examination of the decision-making process of the forensic fire examiners has provided insight into the variety of evidence that is considered by forensic experts in reaching the important conclusion about the origin and cause of structural fires.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter A Woodman
- Tasmanian Institute of Law Enforcement Studies (TILES), University of Tasmania, Private Bag 22, Hobart, TAS 7001 Australia; Chemical & Physical Sciences Group, Victoria Police Forensic Services Department, 31 Forensic Drive, Macleod, VIC 3085 Australia.
| | - Kaye N Ballantyne
- Tasmanian Institute of Law Enforcement Studies (TILES), University of Tasmania, Private Bag 22, Hobart, TAS 7001 Australia; Office of the Chief Forensic Scientist, Victoria Police Forensic Services Department, 31 Forensic Drive, Macleod, VIC 3085 Australia
| | - Roberta Julian
- Tasmanian Institute of Law Enforcement Studies (TILES), University of Tasmania, Private Bag 22, Hobart, TAS 7001 Australia
| | - Caroline Spiranovic
- Tasmanian Institute of Law Enforcement Studies (TILES), University of Tasmania, Private Bag 22, Hobart, TAS 7001 Australia; Faculty of Law, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 89, Hobart, TAS 7001 Australia
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Bruenisholz E, Vandenberg N, Brown C, Wilson-Wilde L. Benchmarking forensic volume crime performance in Australia between 2011 and 2015. Forensic Sci Int Synerg 2020; 1:86-94. [PMID: 32411960 PMCID: PMC7219170 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsisyn.2019.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Revised: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
In 2011, the Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Agency National Institute of Forensic Science Australia New Zealand (ANZPAA NIFS) ran the End to End Forensic Identification Process Project: Phase 1 (E2E1) to identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies across the end-to-end forensic process in Australia and make recommendations as to how these might be addressed. The study concentrated on the analysis of DNA and fingerprint evidence in burglary offences, benchmarking current forensic processes and performance across all eight Australian States and Territories (jurisdictions). Following a positive response, overwhelming support was given for the project to be repeated four years later in order to measure any improvements. End to End Phase 2 (E2E2) was conducted in the same eight Australian jurisdictions with the same sampling areas, across the same length of time as E2E1. The aim was to enable agencies to compare their own data from the previous phase and establish, amongst other things, whether implemented recommendations from E2E1 project had any significant impact. Data was collected for over 7,500 burglaries nationally. This paper presents the findings of the 2015 study as well as comparative analyses between 2011 and 2015. Finally, we discuss the measures taken, whether legal, technological or organisational, that are likely contributors to the performance improvements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Bruenisholz
- National Institute of Forensic Science, Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Agency, 637 Flinders Street, Melbourne, 3008, Australia
| | - Nicholas Vandenberg
- National Institute of Forensic Science, Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Agency, 637 Flinders Street, Melbourne, 3008, Australia
| | - Cheryl Brown
- Forensic Service Branch, South Australia Police, 60 Wakefield Street, Adelaide, 5000, Australia
| | - Linzi Wilson-Wilde
- National Institute of Forensic Science, Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Agency, 637 Flinders Street, Melbourne, 3008, Australia
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Woodman PA, Julian R, Spiranovic C, Ballantyne KN. To trace or not to trace: A survey of how police use and perceive chemical trace evidence. Forensic Sci Int 2020; 309:110178. [DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2020.110178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2019] [Revised: 12/27/2019] [Accepted: 02/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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Breaking the barriers between intelligence, investigation and evaluation: A continuous approach to define the contribution and scope of forensic science. Forensic Sci Int 2020; 309:110213. [DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2020.110213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2019] [Revised: 01/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Illes M, Wilson P, Bruce C. Forensic epistemology: A need for research and pedagogy. Forensic Sci Int Synerg 2019; 2:51-59. [PMID: 32411999 PMCID: PMC7219189 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsisyn.2019.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Revised: 11/18/2019] [Accepted: 11/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
This is the third in a series of articles reporting on forensic epistemology. Our first two research articles presented scientific results that are based in experimental design; including quantitative and qualitative responses from forensic science practitioners to scenarios and evidence. Based on a synthesis of this research there is evidence of a knowledge gap in formal reasoning for some forensic practitioners, and a limited understanding of case-specific research. Combining these results with a review of the current literature in the field of forensic reasoning, we now offer evidence of teaching and research strategies that can help increase the epistemic status (Confidence in, and justification of knowledge) of forensic science claims. This paper focuses on an integrated narrative review using hermeneutic methods of analysis to identify: (i) the epistemic state of forensic science; (ii) strategies to increase of knowledge; (iii) the need for collaboration between practitioners and academics; and, (iv) areas for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mike Illes
- Forensic Science Program, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON, K9L 0G2, Canada
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON, K9L 0G2, Canada
| | - Paul Wilson
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON, K9L 0G2, Canada
- Biology Department, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON, K9L 0G2, Canada
| | - Cathy Bruce
- School of Education, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON, K9L 0G2, Canada
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Mousseau V, Baechler S, Crispino F. Management of crime scene units by Quebec police senior managers: Insight on forensic knowledge and understanding of key stakeholders. Sci Justice 2019; 59:524-532. [PMID: 31472797 DOI: 10.1016/j.scijus.2019.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Revised: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 04/27/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
What do policing leaders think and know of forensic science? Beyond crime scene investigators or detectives, how do police senior managers perceive the role, utility and limitations of forensic science? Very few empirical studies have addressed the issue. Forensic scientsts should be concerned about the perception that law enforcement senior managers have of their discipline for two reasons. First, strategic and financial decision-makers are obviously key players in the overall administration and provision of forensic science, either as a supervisor, money provider or as a customer. Second, literature has highlighted that other actors involved in forensic science underestimate the scope and possibilities offered by forensic science, hence limiting its exploitation and potential. Following interviews with 18 police senior managers from Quebec (Canada), this study shows that they generally restrict forensic science to a reactive discipline whose role and utility is to identify offenders and support the Court. This understanding of forensic science, like that of many others including a significant share of forensic scientists, differs from the perception of other police activities in modern law enforcement agencies where proactive action is sought. Considering these findings and the growing body of literature which calls for forensic science to connect more tightly with policing and security, we advocate a more extensive education of police leaders regarding the scope of forensic science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Mousseau
- School of Criminology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; International Centre for Comparative Criminology (ICCC), Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Forensic Research Group (Laboratoire de recherche en Criminalistique), Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Simon Baechler
- Forensic Research Group (Laboratoire de recherche en Criminalistique), Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada; Forensic Science Service, Police Neuchâteloise, Neuchâtel, Switzerland; School of Criminal Justice, Université de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Frank Crispino
- International Centre for Comparative Criminology (ICCC), Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Forensic Research Group (Laboratoire de recherche en Criminalistique), Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada; Département de chimie, biochimie et physique, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada
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Affiliation(s)
- Eoghan Casey
- School of Criminal Sciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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Casey E, Ribaux O, Roux C. The Kodak Syndrome: Risks and Opportunities Created by Decentralization of Forensic Capabilities. J Forensic Sci 2018; 64:127-136. [DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.13849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2018] [Revised: 05/16/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eoghan Casey
- School of Criminal Sciences University of Lausanne Batochime CH‐1015 Lausanne Vaud Switzerland
| | - Olivier Ribaux
- School of Criminal Sciences University of Lausanne Batochime CH‐1015 Lausanne Vaud Switzerland
| | - Claude Roux
- Centre for Forensic Science School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences Faculty of Science University of Technology Sydney PO Box 123 Sydney Australia
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