Wednesday, August 23, 2006

JonBenet Ramsey, DNA, Procedurals & the OJ Blunder

Obviously, the biggest thing in the news for August is the arrest of a suspect in the ten year-old murder of JonBenet Ramsey. I may be proven wrong, but so far, the confession of this nut-job alone doesn't seem to cut it, even though certain news media outlets have decided that it is quite simply the most important thing going on in the world right now.

Ten years after the event, a confession alone simply won't be enough.
  • What would be the conclusive evidence?
  • Can there be conclusive evidence?

  • The big indicator is going to be the much ballyhooed DNA match. The popular "procedural" TV crime dramas all place so much emphasis on a speedy and accurate DNA result, but in reality, it doesn't work that way. In fact, as we learned in the biggest criminal case of the 90's, conclusive evidence can be completely useless if proper procedures are not followed.

    What will the outcome of the Ramsey case be? Stay tuned.

    Thursday, August 17, 2006

    Digging up the Dirt

    Some useful links:

  • Science Daily: Forensics
  • Court TV's Forensics in the Classroom
  • Forensics Files (Court TV Show)
  • Forensics in School Resources
  • NSTA Forensics article (pdf file)
  • Science News: Forensics on Trial - Chemical matching of bullets comes under fire
  • Scientific American: SCI: The reality