A contribution to the discussion of probabilities and human hair comparisons

The paper by Gaudette and Keeping on "An Attempt at Determining Probabilities in Human Scalp Hair Comparison" in the Journal of Forensic Sciences (Vol. 19, No. 3, July 1974, pp. 599-606) has provoked considerable controversy. This paper highlights two of the sources of the controversy and shows how the probability, 1/4500, quoted by Gaudette and Keeping should be treated with caution. The necessity of the use of a likelihood ratio statistic is described. It is suggested that the hair examination form resulting from the responses to the questionnaire recently distributed by the authors and also the discussions at Quantico (Proceedings of the International Symposium on Forensic Hair Comparisons, 25-27 June 1985, Quantico VA) should be used to facilitate the collection of the data which will be necessary to enable a likelihood ratio statistic to be estimated effectively.     

Enforcing ethics in social work

The attention paid by the social work profession to ethical issues has waxed and waned since the formal inauguration of the profession in the late 19th century. For the first half century of the profession's life, relatively little attention was devoted to problems of professional ethics, though social work's literature was filled with discussions of value-laden issues that arise in practice. In recent years, interest in professional ethics has increased substantially. This article discusses the growth of interest in professional ethics, the formulation of the social work code of ethics, the adjudication of grievances in social work, and the strengths and limitations of the profession's code.