4 ms·
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171005111100.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171005111100.h... Fingerprints lack scientific bas
by Pharmakon 8y ago
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171005111100.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171005111100.h...
Fingerprints lack scientific basis for legal certainty
More research into validity of fingerprint comparisons needed
Date:
October 5, 2017
Source:
Carnegie Mellon University
Summary:
A new report on the quality of latent fingerprint analysis says that courtroom testimony and reports stating or even implying that fingerprints collected from a crime scene belong to a single person are indefensible and lack scientific foundation.
http://theconversation.com/fingerprinting-to-solve-crimes-not-as-robust-as-you-think-85534 http://theconversation.com/fingerprinting-to-solve-crimes-no...
Fingerprinting to solve crimes: not as robust as you think
https://californiainnocenceproject.org/issues-we-face/fingerprint-analysis/ https://californiainnocenceproject.org/issues-we-face/finger...
The main problem with fingerprint analysis is one consistent with many other areas of forensic science: subjectivity. Instead of relying on tested scientific methods, the process is mostly based on the subjective beliefs of the analyst... Despite this subjectivity, fingerprint analysts also typically testify in terms of absolute certainty.
https://issues.org/mnookin/ https://issues.org/mnookin/
Fingerprints: Not a Gold Standard
So to answer your question: Should law enforcement be prohibited from fingerprinting objects found at crime scenes?
You tell me.
- jimnotgym 8y agoWhich is why DNA and fingerprint evidence is so valuable as corroborating evidence (person x dna was at the scene and their car was seen at the area), and so hopeless as a dragnet. If everyone in the USA was in a DNA database almost every test would show multiple matches. Then there is the issue of transference. Person x dna found on housemate y's underwear... rape or shared washing machine?
- pfdietz 8y agoIt wouldn't be that hard to increase the number of DNA features needed to make the chance of accidental match in the database exponentially small.