A Re-examination of the Effects of Biased Lineup Instructions in Eyewitness Identification

A meta-analytic review of research comparing biased and unbiased instructions in eyewitness identification experiments showed an asymmetry; specifically, that biased instructions led to a large and consistent decrease in accuracy in target-absent lineups, but produced inconsistent results for target-present lineups, with an average effect size near zero (Steblay, 1997). The results for target-present lineups are surprising, and are inconsistent with statistical decision theories (i.e., Green & Swets, 1966). A re-examination of the relevant studies and the meta-analysis of those studies shows clear evidence that correct identification rates do increase with biased lineup instructions, and that biased witnesses make correct identifications at a rate considerably above chance. Implications for theory, as well as police procedure and policy, are discussed.     

Suspect/Foil Identification in Actual Crimes and in the Laboratory: A Reality Monitoring Analysis

Four reality monitoring variables were used to discriminate suspect from foil identifications in 183 actual criminal cases. Four hundred sixty-one identification attempts based on five and six-person lineups were analyzed. These identification attempts resulted in 238 suspect identifications and 68 foil identifications. Confidence, automatic processing, eliminative processing and feature use comprised the set of reality monitoring variables. Thirty-five verbal confidence phrases taken from police reports were assigned numerical values on a 10-point confidence scale. Automatic processing identifications were those that occurred “immediately” or “without hesitation.” Eliminative processing identifications occurred when witnesses compared or eliminated persons in the lineups. Confidence, automatic processing and eliminative processing were significant predictors, but feature use was not. Confidence was the most effective discriminator. In cases that involved substantial evidence extrinsic to the identification 43% of the suspect identifications were made with high confidence, whereas only 10% of the foil identifications were made with high confidence. The results of a laboratory study using the same predictors generally paralleled the archival results. Forensic implications are discussed.     

壮族人群3个STR基因座基因频率分布及其法医学应用

研究3个STR基因座（D21S11、HumFGA、D19S253）在广西壮族人群中的基因频率分布及其在实际检案中的应用价值。以自制等位基因Ladder样品作为标准对照,用PCR结合PAGE技术对3个STR基因座的扩增产物进行分型。结果显示：D21S11基因座有14个等位基因,有44个基因型;HumFGA基因座有15个等位基因,40个基因型;D195253基因座有9个等位基因,23个基因型。经检验,3个STR基因座基因型分布均符合Hardy－Weinberg平衡,累计个体识别力（DP）为0．9995。3个STR基因座在壮族人群属高识别力遗传标记系统,在法医学个体识别及亲权鉴定方面有重要价值。     

民众法律认同初探

本文试图从民众的角度来理解法治,认为民众与法治的关系是法治的根本问题。如果法治是以确立民众在法治中的主体地位,确立民众对法律的真诚的信仰作为最终的目标,那么,在中国的传统和观实的压力下,要实现这一目的,民众的法律认同是一个必经的阶段。本文初步探讨了民众法律认同的概念、特点、意义、内容、方式等等。     

三个单位点DNA杂交联合应用的研究

本文从一些多态位点中筛选出在中国人群中，对于同一种限制酶HaeⅢ酶解都能检出良好多态性的三个单位点探针（PMLJ14、PYNH24、α－globin－3’HVR）。对这三个位点的等位基因频率进行了调查．用DNA指纹自动识别系统进行了数据处理，各位点的数据如下：PMLJ14、杂合度94％，等位基因频率分布0．002～0．051；PYNH24：杂合度89％，等位基因频率分布0．003～0．152；α－globin-3’HVR：杂合度78％，等位基因频率分布0．003～0．077。分析15个家系，未见到变异发生，符合孟德尔遗传规律。这三个位点个人识别中的累加机率是：1．7×10-5～2．1×10-14。     

言语识别技术的发展与展望

文章立足于言语识别技术的应用现状,在梳理我国言语识别技术发展历史的基础上,提出言语识别技术在未来的发展中应当着重加以解决的几个实际问题。     

复合扩增mtDNA-HVI和Cyt b片段鉴定混合血痕种属

目的探讨mtDNA-HVI和Cyt b片段复合扩增法鉴定人与动物混合血痕种属的应用价值。方法用chelex-100法从人、牛、猪、狗、兔、鱼、鸡和鼠血痕中提取DNA,复合扩增mtDNA-HVI片段和Cyt b片段,琼脂糖凝胶电泳检测。结果人类在mtDNA-HVI区和Cyt b区分别出现279bp和358bp各一条带,且279bp条带亮于358bp;动物均只有358bp一条带。人与7种动物血痕的检测灵敏度均为3.13ng。检测人与动物混合DNA,灵敏度仍为3.13ng,但358bp条带亮于279bp条带。结论当358bp带明显强于279bp带时,提示检材为人与动物的混合。     

南非关联船认定及其应对措施

关联船的认定方式有两种:直接证明式和间接证明式.对于直接证明式的举证,我们要向法院说明我国国有企业的独立法人地位,中国政府对国有企业只有行政管理,不存在商业意义上的控制.对于间接证明式的举证,要淡化索赔人所列举的确实存在的关联因素,驳斥其列举的不存在的关联因素.     

Evaluation of the Suchey-Brooks method for aging skeletons in the Balkans

This study has been carried out to examine whether the Suchey-Brooks (S&B) methods could be successfully applied in age assessment of populations from the Balkans. The known-age sample consists of 33 females and 52 males pairs of pubic bones collected from the autopsy cases. Age estimation by S&B method showed an accuracy of 89.74% in males and 72.0% in females. Statistical analysis showed a positive correlation between the actual age of the investigated individuals and age phases obtained by the S&B method, although the mean values of the sixth age category differed significantly compared with the original model. The most reliable indicators in both sexes were the relief of the symphyseal surface, lipping, symphyseal rim, and dorsal margin. The discriminating power of these indicators was the least reliable in distinguishing S&B phases 2 and 3. Based on these results, the appropriate recommendations for aging Serbian populations are made. There was a good agreement between two observers (kappa=0.726).     

Y-STRs in forensic medicine: DNA analysis in semen samples of azoospermic individuals

ABSTRACT: The incidence of rape has increased, especially in metropolitan areas, such as the city of São Paulo. In Brazil, studies about it have shown that the majority of this type of crime is committed by the relatives and persons close to the victim. This has made the crime more difficult to be denounced, as only 10% of the cases are reported to competent police authorities. Usually, cytological exams are carried out in sex crime investigations. The difficulty in showing the presence of spermatozoa is frequent, but it does not exclude the presence of male DNA. The absence of spermatozoa in material collected from rape victims can be due to several factors, including the fact that the agressor suffers from azoospermia. This condition can be the result of a successful vasectomy. As the majority of DNA in the ejaculation sample is from spermatozoa, there is much less DNA to be analyzed. This study presents the application of Y‐STRs (DYS19, DYS389I, DYS389II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, and DYS393) in DNA analysis of sperm samples from 105 vasectomized men. The study demonstrated a great variation in DNA concentration. DNA extraction and amplification was possible in all sperm samples even in the absence of spermatozoa. The same profile was observed, for each individual, from DNA extracted from blood, pre‐ and postvasectomy semen samples. The use of markers specific for Y chromosome in sex crime cases, especially in the absence of spermatozoa, is very important, mainly because in most situations there is a small quantity of the agressor's DNA in the medium and a large quantity of the victim's DNA.