Category: US National Institute of Justice (video statements)

Source: US National Institute of Justice (video statements)

Based on the review of various forms of STR typing results and factors that impact the presence or condition of DNA on evidence, instructors in this installment of Probabilistic Genotyping of Evidentiary DNA Typing Results lay a foundation for the interpretation of forensic DNA typing results. The session will begin with background information on forensic DNA analysis, including terminology and mechanisms, to help all participants comprehend the material covered in this series. A retrospective view of approaches to interpretation and statistical analyses will be reviewed for the purpose of understanding the origin of strategies, methods, issues and solutions that comprise the history of forensic STR testing.

This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence. It is module 1 of the Probabilistic Genotyping Of Evidentiary DNA Typing Results Webinar Series.

(Opinions or points of view expressed represent the speaker and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. Any product or manufacturer discussed is presented for informational purposes only and do not constitute product approval or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Justice.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AO6Feq7CIhY

Source: US National Institute of Justice (video statements)

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an immeasurable impact on workplaces around the world. Organizations have had to rapidly implement operational changes in order to ensure the safety of workers and the continued timely delivery of products and services. In this webinar, our subject matter experts will speak about specific topics related to remote testimony. The webinar will conclude with a panel-style Q&A session for all presenters.

This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on March 23, 2021, as part of the ASCLD Emerging Issues: COVID-19 Webinar Series.

(Opinions or points of view expressed represent the speaker and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. Any product or manufacturer discussed is presented for informational purposes only and do not constitute product approval or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Justice.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOF56qDY5gQ

Source: US National Institute of Justice (video statements)

In this webinar, the presenter will cover key components of successful onboarding in a crime lab, including setting employee expectations and making the employee feel like part of the team. The presenter will go over an onboarding checklist so you can devise one that suits your agency’s needs. Lastly, the presenter will discuss how successful onboarding can get the new employee “fired up” and increase employee engagement overall.

This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on as part of the 2021 ASCLD Train the Director Webinar Series.

(Opinions or points of view expressed represent the speaker and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. Any product or manufacturer discussed is presented for informational purposes only and do not constitute product approval or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Justice.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rmGJSWnc_w

Source: US National Institute of Justice (video statements)

This webinar will provide an overview of the validation, implementation of 3D technology at the FBI Laboratory’s Firearms/Toolmarks Unit. This presentation will highlight the process, including Standard Operating Procedures, laboratory workflow, selection of casework, blind verification, reexamination of casework using light microscopy and Daubert preparation.

This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on June 2, 2021, as part of the 2021 ASCLD Train the Director Series.

(Opinions or points of view expressed represent the speaker and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. Any product or manufacturer discussed is presented for informational purposes only and do not constitute product approval or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Justice.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjrJaYTYIKw

Source: US National Institute of Justice (video statements)

This webinar will facilitate a discussion about bias in a crime laboratory including what is bias in forensics, how it can impact your operations, why it is important, and considerations when building this culture. The webinar will include important aspects of an unbiased culture, symptoms that your culture is biased, and examples from the Phoenix Police Department, the Virginia Department of Forensic Sciences, and ICITAP’s.

This webinar was hosted by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence in July 2021.

(Opinions or points of view expressed represent the speaker and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. Any product or manufacturer discussed is presented for informational purposes only and do not constitute product approval or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Justice.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9WI9xLuX8I

Source: US National Institute of Justice (video statements)

In this webinar, attendees will learn a variety of strategies to keep participants engaged in an online meeting environment. In addition to reviewing these strategies, attendees will also be provided with factors to keep in mind when creating and selecting strategies for engagement. Attendees will also learn about features available in Zoom.

This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on July 7, 2021.

(Opinions or points of view expressed represent the speaker and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. Any product or manufacturer discussed is presented for informational purposes only and do not constitute product approval or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Justice.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5UbTiCxmpM

Source: US National Institute of Justice (video statements)

This symposium was hosted by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on September 19, 2024. Presentations include –
– A Computational Method for Genetic Identification from Low-Coverage Sequencing Data; Remy Nguyen, University of California, Santa Cruz
– Subadult Skeletal Sex Estimation Method Using Pelvic Metrics and Geometric Morphometrics; Leah A. Auchter, University of Nevada, Reno
– Development of a Matrix-Matched Standard for Toxic Exposure of Hair; Kaitlyn Bonilla, University of Central Florida
– Investigating Physical Activity from Fingerprint Lipids Using Machine Learning; Daphne R. Patten, Iowa State University
– Optimized Demineralization Method Using Bone Slices for Improved DNA Recovery; Ciara Rhodes, Virginia Commonwealth University
– Generalizing Audio Deepfake Detection for Forensics and Security; You (Neil) Zhang, University of Rochester

(Opinions or points of view expressed represent the speaker and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. Any product or manufacturer discussed is presented for informational purposes only and do not constitute product approval or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Justice.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKKhR2N_n0A

Source: US National Institute of Justice (video statements)

This symposium was hosted hosted by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on February 14, 2023.

Presentations include –
– Fracture Mechanics Basis for Comparison Scales of Fracture Matching; HyeokJae Lee, Iowa State University
– Gauge Repeatability and Reproducibility for Matching Fractured Surfaces; Joshua Berlinski, Iowa State University
– Expert Algorithm for Substance Identification (EASI) Applied to Cathinones; Alexandra I. Adeoye and Glenn Jackson, West Virginia University
– Everlasting Bubble Wall for Electroanalysis of Aerosolized Illicit Substances; Kathryn J. Vannoy, Purdue University
– Targeted Genotyping of DNA Isolated from Rootless Hair for Forensic Genetic Genealogy; Balaji Sundararaman, University of California Santa Cruz
– Designing a Novel Reagent and Protocol for Unified Recovery of Nucleic Acids, Proteins, and Small Molecules from Trace and Degraded Samples; Coral Smith, West Virginia University
– Primary Atomization of Blood and Surrogate Mixtures Relevant to BPA; Labiba Imtiaz, Iowa State University

(Opinions or points of view expressed represent the speaker and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. Any product or manufacturer discussed is presented for informational purposes only and do not constitute product approval or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Justice.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnKc2RdzoOk

Source: US National Institute of Justice (video statements)

The National Institute of Justice has long hosted an annual Forensic Science Research and Development Symposium in which NIJ grantees present their research findings to promote the transition of research into practice. This inaugural NIJ Forensic Science Graduate Research Symposium aimed to provide a similar platform for graduate students and early career scientists. The symposium presented an excellent opportunity for new researchers, including current and former NIJ Graduate Research Fellows, to present their work to a broad audience. This virtual symposium was held on Tuesday, September 20th.

Presentations include –
– Utilizing eDNA from Four Biological Taxa Associated with Geologic Evidence for Sample-to-Sample Comparisons and Study Site Separation; Teresa M. Tiedge and Kelly A. Meiklejohn, NC State University College of Veterinary Medicine
– Skeletal Blast Trauma: Determining the Effect of Known and Experimental Blast Events on Trauma Patterns and Fracture Behavior; Petra Banks, Texas State Forensic Anthropology Center
– Quantitation of Fentanyl and Metabolites from Blow Fly Tissue and Developmental Effects of Fentanyl on Lucilia sericata; Joseph Cox, West Virginia University
– Match Probabilities for NGS Data of Forensic Autosomal STR Markers; Sanne Aalbers, University of Washington
– Evolution in the Development and Understanding of GSR Analysis via LC-MS/MS; Suzanne Bell, Tatiana Trejos, and William Feeney, West Virginia University
– Generating Representative 3D Pediatric Healthy Femur Models for Biomechanical Analysis; Keyonna McKinsey, Angela Thompson, Raymond Dsouza, and Gina Bertocci, University of Louisville

(Opinions or points of view expressed represent the speaker and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. Any product or manufacturer discussed is presented for informational purposes only and do not constitute product approval or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Justice.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MF40EescwY8

Source: US National Institute of Justice (video statements)

The NIJ Forensic Science Research and Development Symposium is an open meeting where attendees can learn about NIJ-funded research across a variety of forensic science areas. This is one of four videos from the 2022 symposium, which was held March 1-2, 2022.

Presentations include –
– Discovering Clandestine Human Remains Using Unmanned Aerial System Remote Sensing; Daniel J. Wescott, Texas State University
– Microbial Clock of Human Decomposition Accurately Estimate Postmortem Interval; Zachary M. Murchman and Jessica L. Metcalf, Colorado State University
– Progress Towards the Development of a Database of Chemical Fingerprint Signatures for Species Identification of Necrophagous Insects; Rabi Ann Musah, University of Albany, State University of New York
– Question and answer session

NIJ and its Forensic Technology Center of Excellence are committed to improving the practice of forensic science and strengthening its impact by supporting research and development, rigorous technology evaluation and adoption, effective knowledge transfer and education, and comprehensive dissemination of best practices and guidelines to agencies dedicated to combating crime. Advancements within forensic science necessitate a forum to spread information and awareness.

At the symposium, researchers and practitioners meet to discuss, discover, and share new approaches and applications to elevate the status of forensic science and increase its impact. The symposium brings together practitioners and researchers to enhance information-sharing with the goal of moving research from theory to practice.

(Opinions or points of view expressed represent the speaker and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. Any product or manufacturer discussed is presented for informational purposes only and do not constitute product approval or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Justice.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UETADCnh3s