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Abstract:
The increasing number of recent courtroom challenges to various areas of forensic science has forced examiners to re-examine their methods of explaining analyses. Although the methodology involved in these disciplines is generally sound, many examiners have difficulty putting into words the steps involved in reaching their conclusions. This article addresses the discipline of bloodstain pattern analysis and attempts to describe an easy-to-understand methodology that can be articulated in the courtroom.
Introduction
To the layman, experts appear to act on instinct. This is true when listening to a classical pianist perform a complicated piano concerto, and this is no less true when listening to an experienced crime scene reconstructionist recite his or her conclusions regarding a complicated bloodstain pattern analysis without a supporting explanation. Although the layman understands that education, training, experience, and practice are all necessary to reach any degree of expertise, it is still difficult for him to comprehend exactly how all that background ends up synthesized into the final result. This difficulty is also shared by jurors, judges, and attorneys, and unfortunately, can result in questioning the scientific validity of some forensic disciplines. Furthermore, this problem of not fully understanding the steps that will ultimately lead to a valid scientific conclusion does not lie solely with those outside the forensic community. Many qualified experts in bloodstain pattern analysis will be able to come to complicated conclusions quite accurately, but may have trouble explaining just how they arrived at their results. These experts are most likely following a scientific methodology; however, they may never have stopped to think exactly what that methodology is.
The recent attacks on the validity of latent print identification have prodded the latent print community to examine in detail just exactly how and why identifications are made. As a result, the discipline of friction ridge identification has grown stronger and its examiners more confident in their conclusions. This article attempts to lay out a discrete bloodstain pattern analysis methodology that can be articulated to judges and attorneys to dispel any questions about the lack of scientific validity in the discipline.
The Scientific Method
One way to show that a forensic discipline is based upon sound scientific principles is to show that it conforms to the scientific method....