tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3092752484604128683.post6714831487648500485..comments2023-07-05T12:35:51.011+01:00Comments on Bad Reason: Fingerprints on TrialDr Michael Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18208273325282474983noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3092752484604128683.post-8377096615329085072011-11-16T18:13:11.699+00:002011-11-16T18:13:11.699+00:00@Dark Star
All valid points, but what is particul...@Dark Star<br /><br />All valid points, but what is particularly striking about the evidence before this Inquiry is that a number of experts strongly disagree about the same marks and about the standards to which they should be working. Perhaps fingerprinting could become a science, perhaps it already is in some or even most cases, but I don't think we can conclude from the evidence before this Inquiry that we can generalize too far about the scientific status of fingerprinting - at least in the UK.<br /><br />As I say, it will be fascinating to read what the report has to say.Dr Michael Wardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18208273325282474983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3092752484604128683.post-61885098661343573062011-11-16T17:59:29.137+00:002011-11-16T17:59:29.137+00:00It is also possible that fingerprinting is a valid...It is also possible that fingerprinting is a valid science in the same way that DNA evidence is a valid science. In that neither provide 100% proof positive results - they can provide only a probability match. It has never been demonstrated that all fingerprints are unique, but it has been demonstrated that there is a tremendous amount of variation so it is clearly a useful tool. But also clear is that some changes needed to be made in how such evidence is treated and the weight it is given - especially in the case of a partial.<br /><br />And even then, a fingerprint is not evidence that someone committed the crime. You (should) need OTHER evidence to corroborate.<br /><br />Here is a study I dug up:<br /><br />http://www.jstor.org/pss/1403826Dark Starhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04356850749159919331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3092752484604128683.post-10344434594415905452011-11-16T15:52:22.718+00:002011-11-16T15:52:22.718+00:00Thanks for contributing here. You've also rem...Thanks for contributing here. You've also reminded me that, in the case of Marion Ross’s murder, it was a print wrongly attributed to the victim not to the wrongly convicted perpetrator - I'll correct my posting on this point.Dr Michael Wardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18208273325282474983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3092752484604128683.post-22783265073338847132011-11-16T15:40:05.646+00:002011-11-16T15:40:05.646+00:00As Shirley McKie's father I have found this po...As Shirley McKie's father I have found this posting extremely insightful in some of its analysis.<br /><br />The report of the ‘Fingerprint Inquiry Scotland’, which is being published next month, will I hope be extremely critical of the ‘science’ and practice of fingerprinting but also point the way forward for this and other forensic sciences. <br /><br />I also hope that it will explain how a small number of SCRO supporting ‘experts’ managed to keep the fiction, that they correctly identified Shirley’s and Marion Ross’s prints, alive for 14 years despite the wealth of contrary information.<br /><br />This points to something rotten within the justice system itself which effectively protected these ‘experts’ and prevented the truth being revealed. It is far from clear however whether these matters will be addressed.<br /><br />We also require to understand how so called independent experts like Peter Swann have been allowed to continue over the years to prepare and present fingerprint evidence in our courts and become involved in even more controversial decisions.<br /><br />See: Regina V Smith<br />http://www.clpex.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1656<br /><br />While fingerprinting remains a science in the hands of competent experts there is little doubt in my mind that in the case under inquiry the SCRO experts and their supporters were either incompetent or criminal.<br /><br />I remain committed to accepting the findings of the Inquiry Report however and can only hope that the faith I have placed in the inquiry team from the outset has not been misplaced.Iain McKienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3092752484604128683.post-13568745379314928282011-11-16T13:30:37.423+00:002011-11-16T13:30:37.423+00:00Had a similar case in Derbys / Notts. years ago. A...Had a similar case in Derbys / Notts. years ago. A guy was convicted of raping a child, then someone else was convicted. Fingerprints matched both times.<br /><br />gets a mention here: http://forum.no2id.net/viewtopic.php?p=34151&sid=5a9ff993e2657ce75c97114f69aad57e#p34151Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com