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In this first episode of our 4th season, John Collins chats with Mark Stolorow, the former Deputy Director of the Special Programs Office at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), where he was also the Director for OSAC Affairs (Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science). The mission of OSAC is to produce consensus documentary standards and guidelines to improve quality and consistency of work in the forensic science community.  Mark shares his own history and path that led him to a successful career in forensic science, and shares his thoughts about the ongoing effort to "harmonize" progress in forensic science. References Visit our season sponsor, Promega! NIST Forensic Science Website  

John Collins speaks with Tim Kupferschmid, Chief of Laboratories for the New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Tim is also the current president of the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors. In this episode, Tim shares his thoughts on current events and issues facing today's forensic science laboratories, as well as the issues that will confront laboratory administrators in the near and distant future. Special thanks to our 2024 season sponsor, Promega.  References 2020 Census of Publicly Funded Forensic Science Crime Laboratories Office of the Chief Medical Examiner - Laboratories DNA Gun Crimes Unit SCOTUS - Smith v. Arizona

In this 3rd episode of the 2024 season, John reaches into his bag of coaching strategies to help listeners cope effectively with people having pathologically challenging personalities. References Promega (Season Sponsor) Coping with Difficult People (Book by R Bramson, PhD)

The 2023 calendar year is underway. Recording from downtown Baton Rouge near the site of this week's Advanced Expert Witnessing workshop, John shares his perspective on the rapid emergence of artificial intelligence and its inevitable impact on forensic science and the enterprise of expert witnessing. You thought attorneys were powerful in the courtroom before?  We haven't seen anything like this before. References Critical Victories Forensic Programs Open AI - ChatGPT

In this episode of the Crime Lab COACH Cast, John Collins discusses the subject of implicit bias and explains why bias is not - and should not - be the focus of our attention.  References Greenwald, A. G., Banaji, M. R., & Nosek, B. A. (2015). Statistically small effects of the Implicit Association Test can have societally large effects. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 108(4), 553-561. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspa0000016 Oswald, F. L., Mitchell, G., Blanton, H., Jaccard, J., & Tetlock, P. E. (2015). Predicting ethnic and racial discrimination: A meta-analysis of IAT criterion studies. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 108(4), 562-584. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspa0000010 Nosek, B. A., & Smyth, F. L. (2007). A multitrait-multimethod validation of the Implicit Association Test: Implicit and explicit attitudes are related but distinct constructs. Experimental Psychology, 54(1), 14-29. https://doi.org/10.1027/1618-3169.54.1.14 Blanton, H., Jaccard, J., González, P., & Christie, C. (2006). Decoding the Implicit Association Test: Implications for criterion prediction. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 42(2), 192-212. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2005.04.004 Lane, K. A., Banaji, M. R., Nosek, B. A., & Greenwald, A. G. (2007). Understanding and using the Implicit Association Test: IV. What we know (so far). In B. Wittenbrink & N. Schwarz (Eds.), Implicit measures of attitudes: Procedures and controversies (pp. 59-102). Guilford Press. Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of studies and reviews related to IATs, and there may be other studies with different findings or perspectives on this topic. 

Recorded from Phoenix, Arizon, John Collins discusses "points of credibility" in the courtroom and the potential impact that visible tattoos and piercings can have on how expert witnesses are perceived by a jury.

Supplanting is the cutting of a normal operating budget and replacing those funds with grants or other allocations. It is an impermissible use of federal forensic programs, but has other dangers as well. References: Paul Coverdell - Competitive CFSO Funding Page OJP Supplanting Guide Sheet

John Collins interviews Dr. John Morgan about his recent study exploring the impact that forensic evidence had in convictions that were later overturned.  References Wrongful convictions and claims of false or misleading forensic evidence (Morgan) Wrongful Convictions and Forensic Science Errors: Case Studies and Root Causes (Book) Visit Dr. John Morgan Online (Website)    

Amy Curtis Jenkins is the founding president of the National Association of Forensic Laboratory Counsel, an emerging membership organization for attorneys specializing in the legal representation of public forensic science laboratories. In this episode, John Collins chats with Amy about embedded legal counsel and the issues they address. References National Association of Forensic Laboratory Counsel

In Illinois v. Rickey Winfield (15CR1406601), Judge William Hicks blocked firearm identification testimomy (Feb 2023). And, as usual, the significance of the ruling is being misinterpreted and misapplied in some of the media reporting. John Collins tells us what we need to know about this case and what we can learn from it. References Commentary By Radley Balko Court Ruling in Winfield Adina Schwartz Association of Firearm & Toolmark Examiners

Random characteristics are the basis of the forensic pattern identification disciplines but, too often, examiners testify about randomness without understanding what it means or if it's even a scientifically legitimate principle. It is legitimate and this episode explains why. References Memphis, Tenn Crime Lab Debate Stochastics article by John Collins International Journal of Stochastics