Laura L. Cooper - Author
Sign up for RSS feed
  • Home
  • Stories & Articles
  • Updates
  • Biography
  • Pursuit of Justice Blog
  • Missing Children

Pursuit of Justice Blog

"I think the first duty of society is justice."
--Alexander Hamilton

FACEBOOK AUTHOR PAGE

Proof Positive: When Fingerprints are Almost Identical

10/31/2012

2 Comments

 
Picture
Heartfelt thoughts go to those directly affected by Superstorm Sandy. May you find courage and hope!

I want to discuss something most of us would have once considered to be as unlikely as the confluence of weather systems that caused this tragic storm...a latent fingerprint matched to two different men.

On March 11, 2004, a series of 10 bombs exploded on commuter trains in Madrid, Spain, resulting in nearly 200 deaths. A fingerprint found on a bag of bomb-making equipment in a vehicle became a crucial piece of evidence.

The FBI entered the print into its database and 20 possible matches were generated. Each shared a minimum of seven unique traits with the print in evidence. To make a "positive ID," there would have to be 12 matching traits. One set of fingerprints on file for a lawyer in Portland, Oregon, shared 15 traits with the print in evidence. He must be the bomber, right?

At the time, a U.S. counter-terrorism official told Newsweek it was an "absolute incontrovertible match."

Later, Spanish authorities found the prints of a second man, a known terrorist, that also "matched" the sample in evidence. Parts of those fingerprints were so similar that both men were POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED as the bomb maker. It turns out that processing and interpreting fingerprint evidence is not an exact science, yet. It is valuable, but it is not absolute.
   
The National Academy of Sciences studied the discipline. In July 2009, they found there is inadequate "scientific rigor" in the methods and procedures.

This case and others are highlighted in the NOVA program "Forensics on Trial" which aired this month. (It can be viewed online here). It points out human errors in this case. It also introduces CTF impressions, a new technology that replicates the topographic features of fingerprints without altering them. Its possible field use is under review.

More sophisticated methods would be welcome, but we must deal with examiner bias and set reasonable standards to further improve our justice system.

See these sources for more details:

NOVA: Forensics on Trial, Aired on PBS, October 17, 2012
FBI is Cleared of Misconduct in Jailing of Oregon Man, NY Times, January 6, 2006
U.S. Settles Suit Filed by Ore. Lawyer, Washington Post, November 30, 2006
Badly Fragmented Forensic Science System Needs Overhaul, National Academy of Sciences, 2009


2 Comments
Gina link
11/1/2012 03:00:59 am

Good post. Educational. Human error, go figure. This is good to know. Thanks for the info.

Reply
Laura L. Cooper
11/1/2012 06:52:30 am

No system is foolproof. In an effort to reduce wrongful convictions, bills introduced in Congress this summer would establish two forensic research centers and develop forensic science standards. But there will always be the human factor. http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/237729-dems-look-to-create-forensic-science-standards-to-prevent-wrongful-convictions

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Laura Cooper lives in Nebraska and writes crime fiction and a wide range of short stories from her family farm.

    Categories

    All
    Capital Punishment
    Cisd
    Clemency
    Constitution
    Crime Prevention
    Crime Victims' Rights
    CSI
    Democracy
    Dna
    Domestic Violence
    Empower
    Evidence
    Fbi
    Fingerprints
    Freedom
    Half The Sky
    Hate Crimes
    Hostages
    Humor
    Jessica Ridgeway
    Justice
    Law Enforcement
    Liberty And Justice
    Lineups
    Mental Wellness
    Missing Persons
    Murder
    National Day Of Remembrance
    Nebraska
    NET
    Pardons
    PBS
    Public Safety
    RAINN
    RAINN Day
    Sentencing
    Sexual Assault
    Sexual Harassment
    Sexual Violence
    Shift Work
    Social Media
    Suicide
    Supreme Court
    Terrorism
    Thanksgiving
    Use Of Force
    Veterans Day
    Victim Impact Statement
    Victim Rights
    Women's Rights

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photos used under Creative Commons from DVIDSHUB, Abi Skipp, mrlaugh, MrCornfed, reborg, Luigi Rosa, carterse, 3 0 d a g a r m e d a n a l h u s, Matthew Wilkinson, leinadsimpson, Elvert Barnes, Mr.Thomas, Katie@!, Justin A. Wilcox, abraham.williams, Sue Waters, DonkeyHotey, Demon Brigade, srqpix, steakpinball, quatar, Ariane Middel, emily snuffer, Kátia :), midiman, Mr.Thomas, Mikey Angels, blvesboy, A Gude, Holding Steady, auntjojo, folkstone42, conner395, danesparza, USAG-Humphreys, Newtown grafitti, ewan traveler, mou-ikkai