Combining evidence in complex cases - a practical approach to interdisciplinary casework

Activity level evaluations, although still a major challenge for many disciplines, bring a wealth of possibilities for a more formal approach to the evaluation of interdisciplinary forensic evidence. This paper proposes a practical methodology for combining evidence from different disciplines within the likelihood ratio framework. Evidence schemes introduced in this paper make the process of combining evidence more insightful and intuitive thereby assisting experts in their interdisciplinairy evaluation and in explaining this process to the courts.When confronted with two opposing scenarios and multiple types of evidence, the likelihood ratio approach allows experts to combine this evidence in a probabilistic manner. Parts of the prosecution and defence scenarios for which forensic science is expected to be informative are identified. For these so called core elements, activity level propositions are formulated. Afterwards evidence schemes are introduced to assist the expert in combining the evidence in a logical manner. Two types of evidence relations are identified: serial and parallel evidence. Practical guidelines are given on how to deal with both types of evidence relations when combining the evidence.     

A review of a framework for action: a four pillar approach to drug problems in Vancouver

A Framework for Action: A Four Pillar Approach to Drug Problems in Vancouver leaves the author of this review, Jan Skirrow, seriously conflicted. According to Skirrow, the Framework is a useful document and reflects well on those who prepared it, but skips over the hard issues by agreeing that drugs are the problem, and then moving on to repackaging the failed program approaches of the past. This, Skirrow says, is not the fault of those who participated in the planning exercise leading to the Framework. Rather, it results from a lack of courage on the part of society's policymakers.     

A systematic approach to technology transfer

Pouring millions into R&;D with insufficient innovation and paltry returns? One solution: Revamp the process of bringing a product to market by integrating the efforts of technology and marketing personnel.     

Reporting of highly individual genetic typing results: a practical approach.

This paper considers the interpretation of serological typing data as a problem in forensic science, as opposed to a problem in population genetics or statistics. Controversies arising in this area are partly due to an overly narrow perspective that ignores basic forensic science principles. After an initial discussion of the special problem that deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) blood typing poses to forensic science, the three difficulties common to all the proposed interpretive methods are discussed. These are: predicting genotype incidence from allele frequencies, predicting frequencies for the joint occurrence of genotypes in a number of different genetic marker systems, and determining the appropriate population to use to measure the frequencies. The inability to test assumptions that are inherent in our routine methods is noted. This is a procedural weakness that unnecessarily limits the admissibility of DNA typing evidence in court. A practical solution to this problem is offered that begins with minimal assumptions. Initially a statement is made based on (1) how many reference samples the laboratory has typed and (2) how many of these samples show genotypes corresponding to the case samples. The second stage of the presentation begins with a statement that additional assumptions are necessary to fully interpret the evidence and that although these assumptions are scientifically very reasonable, they cannot be absolutely proven. The presentation can then proceed, if desired, to consideration of the specific assumptions and frequency estimates of any of the methods that have been proposed to date. To follow this approach population data must be kept in a form that allows the simple first-stage statement to be made. This means that each individual's record would include typing results in each genetic marker system. Although this method of data storage differs from that used in most forensic science laboratories, it is exceptionally versatile, and allows great flexibility in data analysis.     

A theoretical approach to market definition analysis

This work performs a theoretical approach to market definition analysis. The conditions a test must satisfy are selected in order to define the relevant market according to the jurisdictions of the United States and the European Union as most tests proposed by economists tend not to satisfy all the required conditions. I use two models of horizontal product differentiation to illustrate the nature of the tests that can be used under each jurisdiction. The main conclusion of the paper is that the empirical tests for market definition which are valid in the current legislations in the United States and the European Union must be performed using a different approach which may yield different relevant markets.     

A new approach to upper cervical injuries

Severe injuries to the upper cervical region can be the cause of death. Standard autopsy techniques are inadequate for examination of this area. Therefore a technique has been developed that gives excellent visualization and allows removal of the brain and spinal cord in one piece. With the body prone a midline incision is made from the top of the head to the sacrum. The skull is sawed in a circle from one side of the foramen magnum around the top of the skull to the other side of the foramen magnum. The lamina of the neural arches of the vertebral column are sawed. With the removal of the piece of skull and the posterior portions of the neural arches, the posterior half of the cerebral cortex, cerebellum, and entire spinal cord are exposed. The entire brain and spinal cord can be removed as a unit. Cases are selected by history, X-ray examination, or floppy head. Four cases in which this approach has been helpful are briefly mentioned.