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Profiling, like much of "criminal science" such as Arson Investigation is a large part unsubstantiated bullshit. It's amazing how poorly regulated all of it is
by neaden 9y ago
Profiling, like much of "criminal science" such as Arson Investigation is a large part unsubstantiated bullshit. It's amazing how poorly regulated all of it is and how many innocent people are in prison, or executed, because of it.
- gaius 9y agoDNA testing too, complete nonsense
- devdzy 9y agoCan you elaborate? Do you mean the science of DNA testing as a whole is complete nonsense, or just DNA testing as it relates to criminal prosecution?
- gaius 9y agoNot sure why I'm being downvoted, does noone remember this? https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/fbi-overstated-forensic-hair-matches-in-nearly-all-criminal-trials-for-decades/2015/04/18/39c8d8c6-e515-11e4-b510-962fcfabc310_story.html?utm_term=.c2cd7f1c9269 https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/fbi-overstated-fo... Of 28 examiners with the FBI Laboratory’s microscopic hair comparison unit, 26 overstated forensic matches in ways that favored prosecutors ... The cases include those of 32 defendants sentenced to death. Of those, 14 have been executed
- codezero 9y agoHair isn't DNA. The tests done on it are comparative afaik. In fact, in the linked article it says that DNA exonerated people tried based on hair comparison – 25% of those exonerated to boot. Sounds like DNA is great. What you seem to have a problem with, which is valid, is procedures, how evidence is introduced, and how the authority/validity of that evidence is communicated to the court, correct me if I'm wrong.
- Hasknewbie 9y agoHair testing is not considered proper DNA testing, as far as I understand. In fact the article you linked to mentions that wrongfully convicted persons were often exonerated via subsequent DNA tests.
- jstewartmobile 9y agoUnfair sarcasm. DNA is one of the very few forensic tools with any hard science behind it. Even fingerprints can lead to highly conflicting "expert" opinions.
- louithethrid 9y agoYou can get "DNA" at every barbershop. Every overtrusted tool will become a weakspot.
- loeg 9y agoAnd you leave fingerprints on everything you touch. But, it's all we've got as far as hard evidence aside from testimony and camera recording.
- matwood 9y agoBasically all we have is camera recordings because 'eye-witness' testimony is notoriously bad.
- syshum 9y agoMachine Learning will put a stop to that there are several project right now working completely fabricate audio and video in realistic ways...
- justinjlynn 9y agowe can already do video (pretty well, anyway) : http://www.graphics.stanford.edu/~niessner/thies2016face.html http://www.graphics.stanford.edu/~niessner/thies2016face.htm...
- gaius 9y agoYep check these guys out: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/04/24/voice_stealing_lyrebird/ https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/04/24/voice_stealing_lyre...
- WillPostForFood 9y agoShould we disallow use of DNA to exonerate the wrongfully convicted? If it is complete nonsense we should shut down the Innocence Project.
- dragonwriter 9y agoProfiling is probably better-than-nothing as an investigative technique, that is, e.g., as a tool to choose where to focus resources to look for meaningful evidence. What it probably should not be mistaken for is a scientific source of evidence on its own.
- WillPostForFood 9y agoRight, use it as a tool in investigations, but ban it from being used in a trial (no testimony from profilers).
- ollieshmollie 9y agoThis is a great article about an arson investigation that turned out to be bogus, leading to someone's execution. http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2009/09/07/trial-by-fire http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2009/09/07/trial-by-fire
- mattnewton 9y agoThat was one of the most heart-wrenchingly awful stories I've read. And everyone who took part in the killing just walked away. https://www.themarshallproject.org/2017/05/11/jury-clears-the-prosecutor-who-sent-cameron-todd-willingham-to-death-row#.NigjYBODL https://www.themarshallproject.org/2017/05/11/jury-clears-th...