Forensic Science

Scientific evidence is often more reliable than other types of evidence commonly used in criminal trials – i.e., eyewitness identifications, confessions, and informant testimony. Nevertheless, despite its obvious value, forensic science has not always merited the term "science." Three developments in the 1990s focused attention on its shortcomings: the advent of DNA profiling, the Supreme Court's "junk science" decision, and a number of wellpublicized crime laboratory scandals. In light of these developments, and in order to take full advantage of the power of forensic science to aid in the search for truth, a number of reforms are needed: Crime laboratories should be accredited, lab procedures should be standardized, and basic research needs to be conducted on many commonly used techniques. Court procedures also require improvement: Defense experts should be more readily available to indigent defendants, and more comprehensive pretrial disclosure of the substance of expert testimony should be provided.     

司法鉴定科技需求的分析与展望

司法鉴定具有科学和法律的双重属性。司法鉴定在保障司法公正、维护社会公平正义、构建社会主义和谐社会中,发挥着重要作用。目前司法鉴定行业科技发展的现状已不能适应司法鉴定行业自身及社会进步的要求,针对司法鉴定科技发展存在的主要问题,对司法鉴定科学技术发展的现状、需求、可行性、目标和意义进行思考并提出相应建议。     

2005年全国司法鉴定工作统计分析

2005年是我国司法鉴定管理体制改革具有里程碑意义的一年。全国各级司法行政机关按照法律规定和中央有关司法鉴定管理体制改革意见,开拓进取,全面推动我国统一的司法鉴定管理体制的法制化和规范化建设工作。一、2005年司法鉴定规范化建设情况2004年12月28日,中央在部署我国司法     

动物DNA分析在法庭科学中的应用

近年来,在法庭科学领域中,遇到越来越多的非人类DNA分型的问题,特别是来源于动物本身或者是动物的分泌物。作为证据,通过对犯罪现场非人类DNA的分型,不但可以知道在何地对何人或何物实施犯罪,而且,如果犯罪的实施方是动物,也可以知道其来自哪里。目前,在法医学领域,有关动物DNA分析方法的标准较少。根据国际法医遗传学会最新的研究成果,综述动物DNA在法庭科学中的应用现状和相关建议。     

线粒体DNA测序分析及其法医学应用

本文建立一种以γ－３２ＰＡＴＰ直接标记ＰＣＲ扩增引物为测序引物、纯化的ＰＣＲ扩增产物为模板、Ｔａｑ酶直接测序的方法、对１００倒无血缘关系的中国汉族人线粒体ＤＮＡ主要高变区Ｄ环区的３２８个碱基（第１６０９１－１６４１８位）进行了核酸序列分析，检出８６种基因型，出现率最高者为７％；检出８１个可变碱基位点。两个非血缘关系的中国汉族人出现完全相同序列的概率为０．００６８。通过对２个四代家系．５个三代家系和１０个两代家系分析扯实线粒体ＤＮＡ是母系遗传。     

谈司法鉴定机构的内部质量控制

根据全国人大常委会《关于司法鉴定管理问题的决定》设立的法医类鉴定机构大都依托医学院校或医疗机构,鉴定人从事司法鉴定工作本质上仍是兼职。其对司法鉴定工作投入的精力、热情和效果也必然会受到影响。因此,司法鉴定工作的管理者,必须承担起司法鉴定工作的实际管理责任,制定并监督执行工作制度,以保证司法鉴定的质量。     

Quantitative Phase Analysis by the Rietveld Method for Forensic Science

Quantitative phase analysis (QPA) is helpful to determine the type attribute of the object because it could present the content of the constituents. QPA by Rietveld method requires neither measurement of calibration data nor the use of an internal standard; however, the approximate crystal structure of each phase in a mixture is necessary. In this study, 8 synthetic mixtures composed of potassium nitrate and sulfur were analyzed by Rietveld QPA method. The Rietveld refinement was accomplished with a material analysis using diffraction program and evaluated by three agreement indices. Results showed that Rietveld QPA yielded precise results, with errors generally less than 2.0% absolute. In addition, a criminal case which was broken successfully with the help of Rietveld QPA method was also introduced. This method will allow forensic investigators to acquire detailed information of the material evidence, which could point out the direction for case detection and court proceedings.