The NCSTL and

Research ResourcesSusan Zucker, Ph.D.

Director of Technology & Distance Education

Diana BotlukDirector of Research

November 20, 2009

Part 1. NCSTL & the Database

Part 2. Research Resources

BACKGROUND

A program of the National Institute of

Justice, Office of Justice Programs,

United States Department of Justice

The National Clearinghouse of Science,

Technology and the Law (NCSTL) is

supported by Grant #2003-IJ-CX-K024

Forensic Sciences: Review of Status and Needs NIJ Study (1999)

• Educate end-users of forensic science

• Forensic scientists need formal expert witness training

• Prepare a directory of technologies available along with key contacts

• Accredit /certify forensic academic training programs and institutions

NCSTL Goals

Establish effective communication between thelegal, scientific and technological communities –most professionals have little, if any, background in the other fields

Assemble scientific, technological and legalresources into “one-stop shop” with equal accessfor all

Lab error and junk science have played a role in 65 % of

wrongful convictions

www.innocenceproject.org/Content/351.php, last viewed 10/20/2009

“[M]ost criminal attorneys

don’t have a scientific

background.”Jack Zemlicka, CSI Effect: Lawyers Discuss Effect Of TV On Jurors,

Wisconsin Law Journal (August 2006) quoting chairman of the Wisconsin’s Bar’s Criminal Law Section,

attorney Jerome F. Buting

Isn't it true that DNA spelled backwardsis "AND" ?

Isn’t it true that DNA spelled backwards

is “AND” ???!!

Wrongful Convictions

According to recent reports, 245 people

in the United States have been

exonerated through DNA evidence

www.innocenceproject.org/Content/351.php, last viewed 4/4/2008

NCSTL Program Objectives • Develop an online resource

• Build partnerships – law, science and technology partnerships with federal and state agencies, professional associations and law schools

• Build reference collection

• Develop training modules for distance education

NCSTL Program Objectives • Develop primers on law, science and technology topics

• Gather information on ongoing advances in scientific technology policy and legislation

• Expert Witness Workshops

• Conferences to foster interaction between lawyers, judges, scientists and those developing / using technology

: NCSTL

• Distance Education: primers on law, science and technology topics

• Training: Expert Witness Workshops – Capital Litigation Training on two coasts

• Conferences to foster interaction between lawyers, judges, scientists and technologists

• Partnerships: law, science and technology partnerships with federal and state agencies, professional associations and law schools

• Reference collection

NCSTL at ncstl.org

• Free, extensive forensic database

• Popular forensic events/conference calendar

• Widely read quarterly newsletter, It’s Evident

• Forensic news you can use

• Guest Lecture Series

For Example…

Dr. Michael Baden Dr. Henry Lee

www.ncstl.org

How research is conducted:

Students

Directed Research courses

Pro Bono Research

NCSTL Research Staff

Subject Matter Experts

Expansion to other institutions

Topics Researched: • Arson/Fire Debris• Biometrics – body scans, facial

recognition and retinal scans• Bioterrorism• Bloodstain Pattern Analysis• Crime Laboratories• Digital Evidence• Digital Image Enhancement• DNA• Entomology• Expert Witness Malpractice• Fingerprints• Firearms/Tool Marks• Forensic Accounting• Forensic Anthropology• Forensic Engineering

• Forensic Linguistics• Forensic Nursing• Forensic Odontology• Forensic Pathology• Forensic Psychology• Expert Witnesses• Professional Assoc.; Board Certifying

Bodies ; Institutes• Questioned Documents• Smart Cards• Thermal Imaging• Toxicology• Trace Evidence –fibers, hair • Voice Analysis

Information Sources in the Forensic Database

• Board certifying bodies• Books, Encyclopedias and

Treatises• Cases• College and University Courses• Commercial Applications of

Science/Technology• Conference Proceedings and

Abstracts• Continuing Education Courses• Dissertations

• Internet Articles• Law Reviews and Bar Journals• Legislation• Newspapers, Magazines and

Periodicals• Professional Associations• Radio/Television Shows• Scientific Journals• SWGs and TWGs• Web Sites

Record provides citation references and other bibliographic information

Record provides URL when available so you can link to the full text resource

Part 2

WorldCathttp://www.worldcat.org

• Where can you find a library item? WorldCat connects you to over 10,000 libraries worldwide

Forensic Science Abstracts

• Abstracts from 40,000 journals with articles related to forensics

WEB OF SCIENCE

Google Scholarhttp://scholar.google.com

• “Search across many disciplines and sources: peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, abstracts and articles, from academic publishers, professional societies, preprint repositories, universities and other scholarly organizations”

• Good for use as a citator—what articles have cited other articles?

• Scholars can request that their own literature be included