DNA Fingerprinting

This IQP analyzed DNA fingerprinting technology. Different procedures of DNA analysis, including RFLP and PCR, and the progression from analysis of VNTRs to STRs were discussed. The methods used for collecting, handling, storing and processing forensic evidence were enumerated. The development of legal precedent to permit the use of DNA evidence in the courtroom was reviewed with particular emphasis for landmark court cases and the evidence assessment systems set forth by presiding judges. The ethics of DNA databases with relation to informed consent for taking DNA samples, public discourse about the pitfalls of DNA fingerprinting, privacy rights in relation cold-hit techniques, the retention of DNA samples, and the use of private corporations to analyze DNA fingerprints were examined

Digital Forensics AI: on Practicality, Optimality, and Interpretability of Digital Evidence Mining Techniques

Digital forensics as a field has progressed alongside technological advancements over the years, just as digital devices have gotten more robust and sophisticated. However, criminals and attackers have devised means for exploiting the vulnerabilities or sophistication of these devices to carry out malicious activities in unprecedented ways. Their belief is that electronic crimes can be committed without identities being revealed or trails being established. Several applications of artificial intelligence (AI) have demonstrated interesting and promising solutions to seemingly intractable societal challenges. This thesis aims to advance the concept of applying AI techniques in digital forensic investigation. Our approach involves experimenting with a complex case scenario in which suspects corresponded by e-mail and deleted, suspiciously, certain communications, presumably to conceal evidence. The purpose is to demonstrate the efficacy of Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) in learning and detecting communication patterns over time, and then predicting the possibility of missing communication(s) along with potential topics of discussion. To do this, we developed a novel approach and included other existing models. The accuracy of our results is evaluated, and their performance on previously unseen data is measured. Second, we proposed conceptualizing the term “Digital Forensics AI” (DFAI) to formalize the application of AI in digital forensics. The objective is to highlight the instruments that facilitate the best evidential outcomes and presentation mechanisms that are adaptable to the probabilistic output of AI models. Finally, we enhanced our notion in support of the application of AI in digital forensics by recommending methodologies and approaches for bridging trust gaps through the development of interpretable models that facilitate the admissibility of digital evidence in legal proceedings

Sex Crimes Litigation as Hazardous Duty: Practical Tools for Trauma-Exposed Prosecutors, Defense Counsel, and Paralegals

Military prosecutors and defense attorneys must both interact with traumatic case material stemming from victims, offenders, or evidence tied to a sexual offense. The context of the attorney\u27s specific duties makes them susceptible to different types of indirect or Secondary Traumatic Stress [STS] stemming from the litigation. At base, STS generically describes the manner in which a person can be traumatized simply from hearing or being exposed to someone else\u27s trauma or implementations that caused it

Introductory Computer Forensics

INTERPOL (International Police) built cybercrime programs to keep up with emerging cyber threats, and aims to coordinate and assist international operations for ?ghting crimes involving computers. Although signi?cant international efforts are being made in dealing with cybercrime and cyber-terrorism, ?nding effective, cooperative, and collaborative ways to deal with complicated cases that span multiple jurisdictions has proven dif?cult in practic

Recent Advances in Forensic Anthropological Methods and Research

Forensic anthropology, while still relatively in its infancy compared to other forensic science disciplines, adopts a wide array of methods from many disciplines for human skeletal identification in medico-legal and humanitarian contexts. The human skeleton is a dynamic tissue that can withstand the ravages of time given the right environment and may be the only remaining evidence left in a forensic case whether a week or decades old. Improved understanding of the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that modulate skeletal tissues allows researchers and practitioners to improve the accuracy and precision of identification methods ranging from establishing a biological profile such as estimating age-at-death, and population affinity, estimating time-since-death, using isotopes for geolocation of unidentified decedents, radiology for personal identification, histology to assess a live birth, to assessing traumatic injuries and so much more