Metric forensic anthropology decisions: Reliability and biasability of sectioning-point-based sex estimates

Subjective decisions make human cognitive processes more susceptible to bias and error. Specifically, research indicates that additional context biases forensic anthropologists’ morphological analyses. To address whether metric analyses are also subject to bias, we conducted a pilot study in which 52 experienced osteologists measured a difficult-to-classify human femur, with or without additional contextual information. Using a metric sectioning-point sex-estimation method, participants provided a sex estimate for individual skeletal element(s) and, when given multiple elements, the combined skeletal assemblage. Control group participants (n = 24) measured only the femur. In addition to the femur, bias group participants (n = 28) either measured a female humerus and viewed a female-biasing photograph (n = 14) or measured a male humerus and viewed a male-biasing photograph (n = 14). We explored whether the experts in the different groups would differ in: (1) femoral measurements; (2) femoral sex-estimation conclusions; and (3) final sex-estimation conclusions for the skeletal assemblage. Although the femoral measurements and femoral sex estimates were comparable across groups, the overall sex estimates in the female-biased group were impacted by contextual information—differing from both the control and male-biased groups (p < 0.001). Our results demonstrate that cognitive bias can occur even in metric sex-estimation conclusions. Specifically, this occurred when the metric data and single-element sex estimates were synthesized into an overall estimate. Thus, our results suggest that metric methods are most vulnerable to bias when data are synthesized into an overall conclusion, highlighting the need for bias countermeasures and comprehensive statistical frameworks for synthesizing metric data to mitigate the effects of cognitive bias.     

What do forensic analysts consider relevant to their decision making?

In response to research demonstrating that irrelevant contextual information can bias forensic science analyses, authorities have increasingly urged laboratories to limit analysts' access to irrelevant and potentially biasing information (Dror and Cole (2010) [3]; National Academy of Sciences (2009) [18]; President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (2016) [22]; UK Forensic Science Regulator (2015) [26]). However, a great challenge in implementing this reform is determining which information is task-relevant and which is task-irrelevant. In the current study, we surveyed 183 forensic analysts to examine what they consider relevant versus irrelevant in their forensic analyses. Results revealed that analysts generally do not regard information regarding the suspect or victim as essential to their analytic tasks. However, there was significant variability among analysts within and between disciplines. Findings suggest that forensic science disciplines need to agree on what they regard as task-relevant before context management procedures can be properly implemented. The lack of consensus about what is relevant information not only leaves room for biasing information, but also reveals foundational gaps in what analysts consider crucial in forensic decision making.     

Age Adjustment and Recall Bias in the Analysis of Domestic Violence Data: Methodological Improvements Through the Application of Survival Analysis Methods

This methodological paper presents the utility of survival analysis methods to provide age adjustment in the analysis of domestic violence data. These methods improve the estimation of lifetime probability of domestic violence, improve identification of patterns of first victimization over the lifespan, and provide methods of testing risk factors for first victimization while adjusting for the respondents' age. Most importantly, these methods allow a new investigation of recall bias. Results suggest that lifetime probability of abuse may have been substantially underestimated in previous studies because of problems in recall/disclosure encountered by middle-aged women.     

搜查的限制与救济

搜查是一种重要的侦查措施,它直接威胁着公民的人身和财产利益,所以搜查必须受到限制。搜查因搜查的种类不同而有不同的限制。搜查程序启动前的限制是通过配置搜查权、明确搜查权的主体来实现的,而搜查程序的限制是根据搜查强制的程度不同,通过设定不同的的法定条件来实现。非法搜查救济包括积极性救济和消极性救济。积极性救济指的是在非法搜查过程中被搜查人员用来对抗非法搜查的权利;消极性救济是指非法搜查程序结束以后产生的结果处理问题,包括非法证据排除规则和非法搜查的责任。     

伪造车辆车架号码发动机号码识别及检验

本文针对各种机动车的序号的识别及常见伪造方法、检验方法作了详细地论述。在伪造号码识别方面,对VIN码识别法、读码器识别法、痕迹检验识别法作了详细地分析描述;在原车号码复原方面,针对不同的伪造方法、不同的显现基体,应用不同的显现方法、不同的显现试剂检验方法进行了论述,简要阐述了固体显现剂的显现原理及使用方法。     

行政检查公民的住宅必须使用搜查证

公民的住宅权受到宪法保护,政府是否可以通过行政检查来限制这种宪法权利,这就是本文要讨论的关键问题。行政检查与刑事搜查是不同的。相对于刑事搜查而言,行政检查的形式要件是比较简单的。既然行政检查和刑事搜查可能都会涉及被嫌疑人的住所,既然用检查证和搜查证都可以进入被嫌疑人的住所,那么两者就很容易被模糊界限而出现滥用的情况。如果行政检查不需要搜查证,那么警察是否还会刻意去获得搜查证?因此,降低行政检查的标准,就会出现以行政检查为虚、以刑事搜查为实的严重恶果。尤其当警察兼具行政执法和刑事侦查任务时,这种情况更难以避免。     

我国无证搜查制度之构建

世界主要法治发达国家和地区通过成文法或判例形式在刑事诉讼中确立了比较完善的无证搜查制度,而我国内地的无证搜查立法十分简略,有违无证搜查制度设立的基本规律,以致司法实践中存在诸多问题。在刑事诉讼法再修改之际,应借鉴法治发达国家和地区的成熟做法,完善我国的无证搜查制度。     

Stammwähler und die opportunistische Wahl parteipolitischer Programme

This article explains political radicalism by the number of voters who are biased towards a party. With little voters biased in favor of a party, this party has to rely more heavily on its programmatic distance to other parties. Because large parties – i.e.: parties with a high number of biased voters – gain votes when they move to the center of the political spectrum, parties with a lower number of voters that are biased in their favor are forced to the edges of the policy space. We draw on a computational model of political competition between four parties in a two‐dimensional policy space to investigate this relationship. We use panel corrected OLS estimates to analyze the data generated by the computer simulation. Our results substantiate the hypothesis of a negative relationship between the number of biased voters and the inclination of a party to adopt a more extreme policy stance.     

美国不当搜查对策体系析解

经过两百多年的发展,美国建立了相当发达的不当搜查对策体系。不当搜查对策体系确立的基础是国家的诉讼价值取向及社会对“正义误差”的认知层次,正是确立基础的变化决定了不当搜查对策体系发展和完善的方向。     

刑事技术在缉毒中的应用

在毒品案件的缉查中 ,我们一方面要注意通过侦查渠道获取直接证据 ,另一方面我们一定要重视运用刑事技术手段 ,收集同案件有关的各类物证、书证、视听资料、鉴定结论等其他间接证据 ,并使之相互印证 ,共同构成一个完整的证据体系 ,切实做到案件实事清楚 ,证据确凿充分 ,为毒品查缉工作发挥刑事技术的作用