California Association of Criminalists
Since 1954
STRMIX AND CODIS: METHODS TO INCREASE EFFICIENCY AND MAXIMIZE COLD HITS
Brian Burritt, San Diego Police Department
STRmix is a very effective tool for deconvoluting mixtures and it is the probabilistic genotyping software of choice for many crime laboratories. However, the output data from STRmix requires additional data manipulation in order to create profiles for entry into CODIS. This presentation will demonstrate the latest version of an Excel tool called COSTaR, which has allowed for a significant reduction of post-STRmix data manipulation time by the analysts at the San Diego Police Department. Additional Excel tools and search strategies that allow for a more efficient and effective CODIS operation will be also be described.
As forensic DNA profiles from casework samples have become more complex, many laboratories have validated probabilistic genotyping systems to interpret mixtures and low level samples.
Probabilistic genotyping systems provide statistical weighting to different genotype combinations, using more of the available genotyping information, which enhances the ability to distinguish true contributors and non-contributors. Additionally, these systems have valuable database applications that can be utilized for investigative leads.
The TrueAllele® System has the ability to infer and match genotypes. These capabilities are used for both casework and investigative purposes. In casework, TrueAllele separates genotypes from DNA evidence data and then compares these single contributor genotypes with reference genotypes to calculate match statistics. For investigative purposes, TrueAllele stores and compares these genotypes on a database. A genotype database uses probability to preserve all of a DNA contributors identification information. The system compares database genotypes (both evidence and reference) with each other. This process can identify candidate matches ranked by an associated likelihood ratio (LR) match statistic, which quantifies the strength of the match. The database allows all DNA mixtures to be uploaded for investigative comparison, including many profiles that are ineligible for CODIS upload.
A TrueAllele Database (TADB) is a fast, customizable and automated screening mode that can be configured for flexible genotype comparison. A full 96-well plate of DNA evidence data can be uploaded and searched in a few short hours. The database compares the DNA profiles and returns candidate matches in order by (LR) match statistic. Comparing evidence to known references can identify likely suspects. Comparing genotypes between cases can link those cases through evidence or suspects. In addition to these investigative applications, genotype comparison within a case can help automate laboratory workflow. Comparison with staff profiles helps detect DNA contamination and enhances quality assurance.
Upon implementation of the TrueAllele Database on June 25, 2017, the Kern Regional Crime Laboratory has successfully reported database hits to law enforcement agencies including evidence to subject hits and evidence to staff hits. In two scenarios, no CODIS eligible profiles were developed from the evidence. However, the TrueAllele Database was able to utilize the data from these complex mixtures and identify informative matches between cases. In a third scenario, a CODIS eligible profile was developed. However, the TrueAllele Database identified the profile as matching to a staff member of the submitting agency and prevented an erroneous profile from being uploaded into CODIS.
The match was reported notifying the agency of the contamination event.
This presentation will discuss the creation and implementation of the TrueAllele Database at the Kern Regional Crime Laboratory. Specific profile categories, batch uploads, database searching rules, and reporting processes will be reviewed and demonstrated through candidate match workflows. Case specific candidate matches and hits will be presented in further detail.
Tobias Hampshire, Ph.D., Laura Dodd, Global Product Manager LGC
Biological fluids provide vital evidence in a criminal investigation; identification of the type of biological fluid is important since the nature and source of the material can be critical to the investigation. Rapidly identifying biological material prior to submission to a laboratory may also provide a mechanism to ensure investigators are sending the most appropriate samples for DNA extraction and profiling. Current body fluid identification methods are lengthy, multistage, laboratory-based processes that do not permit the identification of all body fluids in one test, with most only offering a presumptive result. LGC have developed and validated the ParaDNA® Body Fluid Identification System to provide objective results for the identification of vaginal fluid, seminal fluid, sperm cells, saliva, blood and menstrual blood in a single test. The one- step, easy-to-use, rapid, confirmatory test can operate on existing ParaDNA Instruments (Screening and Field Portable) with no requirement for laboratory based extraction techniques. In approximately 90min, the accompanying ParaDNA Software provides automatic calls in a simple on screen display or PDF format report.
The presentation aims to summarise the developmental validation based on SWGDAM guidelines, and to demonstrate that with only apx. 5 min hands-on time the test can automatically determine the presence of specific body fluid mRNA markers in single-source or mixed samples on multiple substrate types. Results can either be used to support confirmation of source from previously obtained STR DNA profile results, or to improve screening success rates by making better informed evidential submissions. Some data from early access customers will also be presented.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Scientific Services Bureau has been uploading forensic unknown profiles to CODIS since 1994. In that time, we have entered more than 11,000 profiles. Since our first hit in 1997, we have had approximately 6000 Cold Hits, or matches to convicted offenders, and 2,200 case to case hits. A review was undertaken of the oldest Cold Hit cases worked by our laboratory. The criteria for the case review was one, it had a profile uploaded to CODIS, two, it hit on a convicted offender, and three, it was otherwise unsolved until the hit. Seven of the oldest cases that were reviewed will be presented. These cases were sexual assaults and/or homicides that span 1972 up to the early 1980s. The focus of the presentation will be the individual case circumstances as well as the unique obstacles that older evidence can present when DNA analysis is necessary. The initial laboratory work will be contrasted against the different techniques and technologies that were used in the CODIS era to obtain a profile suitable for upload. When possible, the outcome of the cases will be presented as well as any additional work that was done on the case after the Cold Hit.
The LASD Crime Lab Biology Section validated Promega’s PowerPlex and Fusion 6C kits during 2015 and 2016. The laboratory adopted an external standard curve for the PowerPlex assay and will present the reasons why it was introduced and how quality is monitored in the absence of a standard curve on each run. Additionally, unusual quantitation results will be discussed and how those issues were resolved.
Issues such as spectral pull-up and other artifacts regarding the use of Fusion 6C on the 3500 will be discussed.
The section runs all casework in batches that are processed by Tecan liquid handler robots. We will discuss adaptations made to the robots and batch submission process in regards to the use of the new quantitation and amplification kits.
This presentation discusses how selective degradation can be used to replace the standard differential extraction method to obtain a single source male DNA profile from post-coital vaginal swabs containing sperm. Differential extraction is traditionally used to separate and purify the sperm cell DNA from the epithelial cell DNA. Differential extraction is time consuming and requires intensive work by the analyst. With the high number of sexual assault cases and increasing backlog of sexual assault kits, it is necessary to implement a simpler method to separate sperm cell DNA from epithelial cell DNA.
After attending this presentation, attendees will understand the benefits of using selective degradation in place of the standard differential extraction method when processing sexual assault evidence. Attendees will learn how selective degradation can be used to replace the standard differential extraction method to obtain a single source male DNA profile, and how the process can be partially automated by integrating the Erase™ Sperm Isolation Kit (Paternity Testing Corporation, Columbia, MO) with the PrepFiler® DNA Extraction Kit (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Waltham, MA).
Selective degradation is accomplished by selectively destroying epithelial DNA using a nuclease, while sperm DNA remains intact because it is protected by the robust sperm cell. The Erase Sperm Isolation Kit provides crime laboratories with the components necessary to perform selective degradation on sexual assault evidence.
Once the epithelial cell DNA and sperm cell DNA are separated using selective degradation, the DNA sample must be purified. The Erase protocol states that the DNA sample can be purified using ethanol precipitation, size filtration, or Qiagen EZ1 DNA purification. This study determined that the Automated PrepFiler DNA Extraction Kit can also be used to purify DNA samples previously digested with the Erase Sperm Isolation Kit. Although the selective degradation portion of this method is performed manually, the DNA purification portion of this method can be performed automatically using the Tecan Freedom Evo 150. The DNA samples previously digested using the Erase protocol can be placed onto batches containing up to 76 casework samples and further processed using batching procedures.
Sequencing (NGS) by Synthesis (SBS) enables the entire human genome to be sequenced in one day. As a simpler yet highly effective alternative, forensic scientists can choose to perform targeted sequencing of PCR products. By sequencing a dense set of forensic loci, casework and database efforts are directed toward the genomic regions that best answer forensic questions, relieving privacy concerns and simplifying analysis. Because it does not depend on allele separation by size, the number of targets interrogated is not limited, allowing a more comprehensive result to be generated. We will describe the complete workflow, system, and data analysis tools, and present data from validation and collaborator studies including reproducibility, sensitivity, actual forensic samples, and concordance with standard capillary electrophoresis methods. Since the commercial release of the Forensic Genomics system, we have achieved several milestones. We will highlight key points of the developmental validation of a targeted amplicon panel for forensic genomics as well as the automation of library preparation.
Next-generation sequencing (NGS) enables forensic scientists to gather more information from challenging and degraded samples than traditional capillary electrophoresis (CE) based methods. With NGS, larger multiplexes may be used. These multiplexes can be useful for developing investigative leads and in making identifications. The Applied Biosystems™ Precision ID NGS System for human identification consists of the Ion S5™ or S5XL™ System, the Ion Chef™ System, Converge™ Software, a selection of targeted Precision ID Panels which utilize Ion AmpliSeq™ technology for analyzing STRs (allele number, repeat motif sequence comparison and SNPs in flanking regions), ancestry SNPs, identity SNPs, and mitochondrial DNA analysis for both the control region and whole genome. Data will be presented that describes how NGS analysis can impact forensic investigations now.
Recent multilateral agreements have set the framework for action on illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, namely the aim to develop personnel expertise and tools in accurate and cost-effective monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS) of fisheries. Conventional MCS tools are, however, limited in their effectiveness because they are extremely time-consuming and accurate assessment of landings requires expertise in fish identification. In contrast, emerging molecular genetic methods are creating new opportunities to address marine resource challenges, including the rapid, and accurate identification of fishery catches. For example, DNA barcoding is increasingly used to detect seafood mislabeling, and recently has been used to identify marine fish biodiversity from environmental DNA (eDNA) in seawater samples. With publicly available databases of genetic information, rapid identification of fish landings is now possible. Building on the success of eDNA in enumerating fish biodiversity in open water environments, this study assesses the utility of eDNA as a monitoring tool in commercial marine fisheries.
Despite being online with probabilistic genotyping as an interpretational tool for about 2 years, we continue to closely evaluate the process for the purpose of improving it. Many things have changed or been incorporated over the last few years for various reasons. This presentation details those improvements and the thought process behind them. It covers topics from additional validation of higher order mixtures to refining inclusion and exclusion thresholds for reporting purposes. It also touches on some quality assurance considerations.
Seafood mislabeling is common in both domestic and international markets. Previous studies on seafood fraud often report high rates of mislabeling (e.g. >70%), but these studies have been limited to a single sampling year, making it difficult to assess the impact of stricter governmental truth-in-labeling regulations. This study uses DNA barcoding to assess seafood mislabeling in Los Angeles over a four-year period. Sushi restaurants had a consistently high percentage of mislabeling (47%) from 2012 to 2015, yet mislabeling was not homogenous across species. Menu-listed halibut, red snapper, yellowfin tuna, and yellowtail had consistently high occurrences of mislabeling, whereas mislabeling of salmon and mackerel were typically low. All sampled sushi restaurants had at least one case of mislabeling.
Mislabeling of sushi-grade fish from high-end grocers was also identified in red snapper, yellowfin tuna, and yellowtail, but at a slightly lower frequency (42%) than sushi restaurants. Results show that despite increased regulatory measures and media attention, seafood mislabeling continues to be prevalent.
Social media like Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, YouTube, and Instagram have revolutionized the distribution and “life span” of information. The ability to instantly share our life and activities with potentially millions of people by providing truncated bits of data without taking the time for thoughtful editing has changed the way society interacts. Social media is a valuable tool but can also be dangerous.
All professions have some form of code of conduct to provide guidance for ethical behavior. Forensic science is no different; we have codes like the AAFS Code of Ethics and Conduct and the ABC Rules of Professional Conduct. Forensic science codes of ethical or professional conduct can be found in the many professional associations. As forensic science professionals, we strive to adhere to these codes and perform our work ethically, with honor and integrity. Unbeknownst to us, many of us have used social media without first evaluating the link between our ethics and social media outlets. Without recognizing and understanding the pitfalls, social media has made it more difficult to adhere to the codes of conduct. Actions that used to be a personal communication between two individuals have become public knowledge and available on line, forever.
Other professions, such as attorneys and health care professionals, are actively studying the impact of social media and providing their practitioners with additional ethical guidance. The federal government has prepared a guidance document for federal employees. Forensic scientists need to enter the conversation soon as too much time has already past and damage may have already happened. Examples of social media damage in the criminal justice system includes cases resulting in mistrials due to witnesses, jurors, and judges inappropriately commenting on cases through their social media accounts. Ethics Code sections will be examined and discussed to help identify pitfalls. In addition, other concerns such as Brady, reputation management, and employment impacts will be considered. Can postings on Face Book, YouTube or Instagram keep you from being hired by a government agency? Can defense attorneys or prosecutors use postings to show Brady violations? What impact can your on-line life have on your professional life?
The American Academy of Forensics Sciences created the Standards Board (ASB) as a response to the need for standardization from the forensic community. This was in line with recommendations in the 2009 NAS report. It is now working in cooperation with the Forensics Science Board of the Organization of Scientific Areas (OSACS) to develop standards that meet American National Standards Institute (ANSI) guidelines. This presentation will update the status of the Firearms and Tool Marks consensus body with regard to its work setting standards with regard to the disciplines of firearms and toolmarks.
Since the Columbine High School shooting in 1999 mass shootings have been a reality for law enforcement in the United States. Responding to and recovering from these horrific events requires a unique and multi-faceted approach. On July 20th 2012, a lone gunman opened fire inside a crowded movie theatre in Aurora, Colorado killing 12 people and wounding nearly 60 others. At the time this was the largest mass shooting in U.S. history. The initial police response was unprecedented and extraordinary. The investigation that followed was daunting and overwhelming.
This mass shooting was uniquely complicated due to the multiple components, ongoing crime scenes, and subsequent court proceedings. This presentation will detail the response, the investigation, the recovery, and the lessons learned.
A compelling argument can be made that the cornerstone of toolmark identification and physical match comparisons was laid by Arthur Koehler in the Lindbergh kidnapping case.
The March 1, 1932 kidnapping of the only son of Charles Lindbergh, the ‘Lone Eagle’ and America’s foremost hero of the day, truly became the crime of the last century- a crime that went unsolved for nearly 2½ years until the arrest of Richard Bruno Hauptmann on September 18, 1934.
At the request of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences in 1982, this presenter examined the retained physical evidence and the trial exhibits archived in West Trenton, NJ.
This evidence and the trial testimony of expert and lay witnesses led to the conviction and subsequent execution of Hauptmann on April 3, 1936. The most compelling and persuasive evidence was that of wood expert Arthur Koehler after his detailed study of toolmarks in wood and the physical matching of growth ring patterns in certain portions of wood from the abandoned kidnap ladder with a severed board in the attic of Hauptmann’s home.
But just as with the assassination of President Kennedy, numerous conspiracy claims and subsequent doubts regarding the guilt of Hauptmann resulted in multiple books supporting these subjects. In 1981 a lawsuit was filed by Hauptmann’s widow accusing the prosecutor, David Wilentz and the State of New Jersey of a wrongful conviction and execution of her husband.
This presentation will cover the crime and crime scenes, the investigation, the arrest of Hauptmann, the evidence, the remarkable work of Arthur Koehler, the trial and the aftermath.
A number of companies have made and marketed so-called frangible ammunition in both rifle and handgun calibers. Some of the handgun entries also contain heavy metal-free primers. The bullets in these cartridges come in one of two forms: powdered copper dispersed in a polymer such as Nylon or a sintered mixture of powdered copper and tin. These bullets also weigh less than their traditional counterparts which results in elevated muzzle velocities, but reduced exterior ballistic performance. At close range, both forms produce a conical distribution and deposition of minute copper particles around the bullet holes which can be used for range-of-fire determinations. A new reagent for copper will be included in this presentation. In all instances, “frangible” is a relative term in that these bullets only break up upon impact with certain hard targets such a steel deflection plates in indoor shooting ranges. Otherwise, these bullets behave much like full metal-jacketed bullets.With rare exception, traditional firearms identification techniques fail due to the lack of striae in the rifling engravings in these bullets.
Transformational forensics is a commitment on the part of forensic science laboratories to collaborate with clients and stakeholders to identify needed change, creating a vision to guide that change so that our communities can become safer places for all to have an opportunity to reach their potential. For decades, forensic laboratories have become increasingly segregated from clients and stakeholders, confined in smaller organizational boxes. However, it is this segregation that inhibits a meaningful and strategic response to the violent crime plaguing our communities.
Forensic science laboratories have the opportunity to provide more than a reactionary response to crime that has already been committed.
Leveraging expertise and technology in the right way can elevate the forensic science laboratory to be part of a proactive response to a violent crime problem thereby potentially reducing the level of violence in the streets. Significant strides have been made across the United States with respect to strategic crime gun intelligence.
Cities have experienced unprecedented improvements in the development of crime gun intelligence with investigators routinely obtaining critical information within 24 to 72 hours of an incident taking place, all without sacrificing the integrity of the evidence. And with links between cities from coast-to-coast, it vital that forensic laboratories also work as strategic partners to better deal with the firearm-related violence beyond their own jurisdictional boundaries.
This presentation will focus on the philosophical shift that forensic laboratories and law enforcement agencies have made within the United States to develop a cohesive, regional strategy that is helping to reduce firearm-relate violence in the United States. Various strategies will be discussed that begin at the crime scene and end with the identification and apprehension of the responsible parties.
It is believed that will minimal costs, existing resources can be reallocated to demonstrate success on a smaller scale, encouraging funding for a more comprehensive enforcement network.
The Orange County Crime Laboratory has been using the EVOFINDER 3D ballistic database system for nearly four years. In that time, we have been able to scan hundreds of bullets and cartridge cases into the system. In some instances, a sister bullet or cartridge case was also scanned. Correlation against these sister bullets or cartridge cases enabled us to effectively evaluate the performance of the EVOFINDER system against a crime database.
For the past 17 years, I have served as forensic science consultant to such television shows as CSI:, CSI Miami, Bones, Rissoli and Isles, Law and Order, Rosewood, the Blacklist, and others. Through the use of personal stories and video clips from some of these shows, this presentation will show both the real and farcical aspects television crime dramas.
In June of 1976 an unknown suspect sexually assaulted a resident of Sacramento County. The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department was unaware this would be the first in a series which would span ten years, fourteen law enforcement agencies, and include countless residential burglaries, forty-five sexual assault victims and twelve homicide victims.
The geographic area of the suspect’s numerous attacks in Sacramento County led to his moniker, the “East Area Rapist”. Two years after his first assault there, he began striking communities in the East Bay Area. In December of 1979 he moved south, killing a couple in their Santa Barbara home. At that time, the crime’s connection to the East Area Rapist was unknown. Law Enforcement agencies tracked his continued killings separately from the Northern California crimes, and the suspect became known as the “Original Night Stalker” as he committed eight more homicides between 1980 - 1986.
Over the years, investigators began to theorize there was a link between the northern assaults and the southern homicides. In 2001, DNA linked the “East Area Rapist” cases to the “Original Night Stalker” murders, confirming that theory. But the suspect’s identity remains unknown and the case remains unsolved after forty years.
This presentation will cover a brief summary of the crimes, as well as subsequent investigation. Recent efforts have included collaboration with multiple jurisdictions (local, state and federal) as well as some creative methods in an attempt to solve this series.
Following this presentation, attendees will be aware of the validation method used to evaluate 3d instruments for virtual comparison microscopy, the method used to incorporate these technologies into traditional forensic firearms/ toolmarks examinations, and the capabilities of using 3d technology for training, examination verification, and blind verification/testing.
This presentation will affect the forensic science community by demonstrating the effectiveness of 3d technologies for integration into forensic firearms/toolmarks examinations. The topics will include how the FBI Laboratory Firearms/ Toolmarks Unit (FTU) has been tasked with evaluating 3d technologies for validation and incorporation into casework.
The Firearms/Toolmarks Unit has been conducting a validation study for the incorporation of various 3d platforms into operational casework as another tool to assist in the examination of ammunition components. It is anticipated that having these technologies available will enable efficiency for cases with high number of submitted components, provide additional training aids and also provide larger scale views of information captured for the examiner’s examination and review. A portion of the validation study was to determine if a qualified firearms/toolmark examiners could successfully determine, using virtual comparison microscopy, the correct answers to previously distributed proficiency tests and consecutively manufactured test sets. The FBI Laboratory has a repository of Collaborative Testing Services® (CTS), Inc. firearms proficiency tests previously distributed to evaluate the FTU for quality assurance. Ten of these proficiency tests were selected with test distributions spanning from 2003 to 2012. Some of the test participants had previously taken these proficiency tests using traditional optical comparison microscopy. All proficiency test samples, including the three knowns submitted for evaluation were given random identifiers for virtual microscopic comparison.
Additionally, three test sets were assembled using consecutively manufactured slides from the FBI Laboratory Consecutively Manufactured Slides and Barrel Collection (CMSBC), which is used for training and research. Consecutively manufactured Ruger®, SR9 slides were selected using Winchester® ammunition to create test samples.
Each consecutively manufactured test set consisted of ten cartridge cases with randomly assigned identifiers for virtual comparison. The participants contributing to this study ranged in years of experience and included qualified examiners and examiner trainees.
The Cadre® Forensic TopMatch- GelSight instrument uses the Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) to acquire 3d surface images and was acquired by the FBI Laboratory in 2014. The system’s software allows for sideby-side evaluation of surface topographies and matching algorithm search capabilities for topography similarities. For this virtual comparison microscopy evaluation study, test participants did not have access to the matching algorithm to assist in reaching a conclusion. Test participants were given operating instructions on GelSight prior to conducting test examinations. Results were recorded by the individual test participant on an answer key and they were encouraged to provide feedback on the virtual comparison microscopy analysis. The outcome of the results of this study will be discussed, along with the incorporation into the Firearms/Toolmarks Unit’s standard operating procedures and implementation into casework as an alternative to traditional comparison microscopy.
In this presentation you will learn about how to protect children, in an easy fashion. It is easier than you think! I will show you local and current case examples my team has worked in Orange County and briefly explain how the suspects were able to exploit their victims.
Many of you will look at the title of this presentation and think, Oh, no....this is going to be a depressing class, but in actuality, you will leave this class with a better understanding how Cyberpredators find and exploit our children, and I will also throw in some funny personal stories about my own children that I believe many of you will be able to relate to. I will also discuss Cyberbullying and how law enforcement can help on cases such as these.
This teaching block will focus on what jurors are looking for when they evaluate expert witness testimony. The course offers an overview of the jury instructions the jurors receive regarding how to evaluate expert witness testimony. The session will also include a discussion on effective communication styles, methods of simplifying expert testimony so that is understood by the audience and building credibility by focusing on current tasks and responsibilities as crime lab personnel.
Since the early 2010’s the Orange County Crime Laboratory has evaluated workflows, testimony expertise, and policy as it relates to impairment from and legalization of marijuana. The laboratory has taken a proactive stance in understanding legislation impacts, growth of expert testimony, and the impact the drug can have on operating a motor vehicle. The presentation will share a toxicologist’s perspective on the impact of the drug and its legalization on a forensic laboratory. Topics will include the legalization legislation, Proposition 64, studies on collecting baseline data in deceased drivers, crash risk, and the applicability of a legislated per se. Additionally, a study on drug prevalence in nearly 1500 blood samples of arrested drivers above the legal blood alcohol per se will be presented and published work on whether Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) evaluations and Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs) can correlate known impairment to a specific blood THC concentration.
Controlled drinking studies play an integral role in the understanding of ethanol metabolism in the human body. The laboratory routinely assists with controlled drinking studies as training for Forensic Alcohol Analysts and to aid students participating in Standardized Field Sobriety Test (SFST) and Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) courses.
The objective of each drinking study was to monitor and evaluate a subject’s breath alcohol concentration (BrAC), as well as their performance on SFSTs. The Intoximeters Alcosensor VXL instruments were used to measure each subject’s BrAC throughout the day. Over the course of a two year period, 12 drinking studies have been conducted by the Orange County Crime Lab, including a total of 90 volunteer drinkers (42 males, 48 females). Some individuals have participated in multiple drinking studies, providing insight on variation that can be seen within individuals across different drinking episodes. BrAC curves have been plotted for all participants and approximate rho values (percent body water) and elimination rates have been calculated.
The introduction of High Definition 3D imaging gives the IBIS (Integrated Ballistics Identification System) user a multitude of ways of comparing and exploring the microscopic details found on fired bullet and cartridge case exhibits. Participants of this workshop will see several tips and tricks that have been developed specifically to optimize the users time and experience with IBIS-TRAX HD3D in order to get the most out of the available features. IBIS- TRAX HD3D is the technology used on the ATFs NIBIN Program with nearly 200 installations throughout the US which, includes 21 installations in the State of California. The interactive format will be open for QA to cover any topics of relevance to the attendees.
This presentation will update attendees on recent developments in the law and policy of forensic science and expert witness testimony.
