Forensic Science

Under EU Law, Member States are compelled to engage in reciprocal automated forensic DNA profile exchange within the so-called Prüm system. Presently, 25 operational EU Member States exchange DNA data within the Prüm system to combat terrorism and cross-border crime. This article discusses the perceived risks and benefits of the Prüm system on the basis of a set of 37 interviews conducted in 22 EU countries, with 47 professionals operating the system (the National Contact Points – NCPs). The perceived benefits relate to the intensification of tools for combating transnational criminality; development of standardisation and harmonisation of forensic DNA testing procedures; and reinforcement of professional cooperation. The perceived risks are associated to the possibility that individuals may be prosecuted on the basis of false positives; the lack of available data to measure the effectiveness of the Prüm system; and the different modus operandi of police forces and judicial authorities. Our results reveal that perspectives on the risks and benefits of the Prüm system significantly vary according to the type of work performed by the NCPs. Our data shows a more complex range of perceived benefits and risks than those suggested in previous studies about the Prüm system.

Sebuah Bis wisata turun dari satu resort pegunungan malam hari membawa 30 tamu setelah pesta selesai pukul 02 dini hari. Dalam jalan yang berkelok-kelok tersebut Bis menyerempet pohon lalu menabrak pagar jembatan masuk ke sungai dalam kondisi terbalik. Bis terendam seluruhnya. Sepuluh orang meninggal termasuk sopir. Umumnya dalam menganalisa kasus kecelakaan lalulintas, seorang ahli forensik maupun penyidik perlu memandang berbagai faktor risiko terjadinya peristiwa kecelakaan. Dengan mengetahui faktor risiko kecelakaan, maka dapat diidentifikasi berbagai penyebab serta faktor-faktor yang mengakibatkan terjadi kecelakaan. Selanjutnya, setelah diketahui faktor penyebab kecelakaan, maka akan dapat dipertimbangkan sebab-sebab kematian korban, dalam hal ini yaitu kematian sopir Bis pada kasus di atas. Secara umum ada beberapa faktor risiko yang selama ini dapat diidentifikasi sebagai penyebab kecelakaan lalulintas yaitu faktor manusia, faktor kendaraan, faktor jalanan dan faktor lingkungan.

A blood transfusion is the transfer of blood or blood products from one person (donor) into another person's bloodstream (recipient). This is usually done as a lifesaving maneuver to replace blood cells or blood products lost through severe bleeding, during surgery when blood loss occurs or to increase the blood count in an anemic patientAltered transfusions are non conventional procedures of transfusion of  blood . Many researches are going on till date for altered transfusions but still the answer is “NO” for its success . But a recent study on erythropoietin  shows the possibility of it . EPO is a hormone secreted by the kidney .

Among the least known aspects of the Sunda clouded leopard’s Neofelis diardi ecology is its use of available prey species. Here we document the partial remains of a maroon langur encountered during camera-trapping activities in a protected forest of southern Indonesian Borneo. We believe the carcass represents the first evidence of this highly arboreal primate species as prey of a free-ranging Sunda clouded leopard, and the second published account of primate prey for the felid on
Borneo.

Terrorism is evolving rapidly, and with the technological advancements new threats are emerging from the ‘World of Terror'. Now, it has become crucial than ever to evaluate and channelise our capabilities to curb terrorism. This article evaluates the basics of human behaviour and how it can be tactically used against terrorism. The author has also addressed an important question often raised among the terrorism research community — ‘Who becomes a terrorist?'.

Key-words: Human behaviour, terrorism, tactical psychology.

Craniometric data from computed tomography (CT) head scans of 287 living Americans of three descent groups (African, Asian, European) and both sexes were analyzed for measurement precision. Classification accuracy was estimated by a leave-one-out cross validation, and group means were compared to the Forensic Data Bank (FDB). Landmarks were placed on 3D surface models of the skulls to approximate traditional cranial measurements utilized in sex and ancestry estimations. From repeat measurements by one observer on a subset of skulls (n = 14) reflecting 14 different CT protocols, the least precise landmark was euryon (SD ≤ 4.09 mm) and the least precise distances according to the coefficient of reliability (< 0.95) were orbital breadth, nasal height, and frontal and parietal chords. CT group means were generally larger than FDB means. However, successful classifications of FDB group means into CT groups and vice versa (except for Asians) for both sex and ancestry suggest that cranial measurements taken from clinical CT scans from living individuals are comparable to traditional cranial measurements from individuals in osteological databases. Certain cranial measurements need further examination to determine how best to collect data from CT scans in a way that is most compatible with existing dry skull measurements.

The use of technology in all aspects of life while taking place in all areas of crime and crime perpetrators are also
of great importance. Technology and Information show progress in the methods used in the discovery of crime,
depending on technological development. The discovery of physical damage suffered by a patient from a glass
piece on the offender’s belongings, the determination of the effects of the firearms used in the crime, the discovery
of evidence through damaged paper pieces, the discovery of a possible physical appearance from human remains
in real life with the 3D resurrecting software, and the visual access to confidential files, a number of new
methods and techniques are used, , the rapid and reliable identification of disaster victims, and chemical analysis
in fire research.

In the present study, shots from different ranges were fired using a non-choked pump-action shotgun (Hugsan) of calibre 12 with a bore length of 52cm and pellets of various sizes. The aim of the study is range estimation from the distribution of pellets. Using pellets of 2, 3.5, 5 and 8mm size, 5 shots were fired from: 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25ms. The maximum distance between the pellets in vertical and horizontal direction was measured. Statistical evaluation of the data revealed a highly significant correlation for each pellet type; the constant values a and b were calculated to be used in the linear regression equation y=a+bx. As a conclusion, the linear regression equation as well as table data may allow range determination within acceptable ranges of error for the same barrel length and diameter for the same cartridge type. Under identical conditions they may also provide information for pellets of comparable size.

The taxonomic identification of fly species through wing geometry is a helpful tool for entomologists and officials involved in forensic research, who not necessarily require expertise on insect taxonomy. Members of the Muscidae family are relevant sources of evidence in forensic entomology; however, developing countries often lack experts in the taxonomical identification of essential species for the assessment of aspects such as the minimum postmortem interval (mPMI). Our study proposes a low-cost, fast, and technologically-accessible quantitative tool for the identification of Atherigona orientalis and Ophyra aenescens, associated with human corpses at advanced states of decomposition. We propose a tool that is based on the geometric variability observed in eight homologous landmarks on wing veins and the interpretation of morphometric estimates after a generalized Procrustes analysis. The use of a geometric approach for effective discrimination between Atherigona orientalis and Ophyra aenescens was supported by statistically significant differences in wing conformation and size. The evidence presented in this study shows that the analysis of geometric variability in the wing morphology of species of forensic relevance can contribute to simple and objective species identification. Geometric morphometrics is a simple and readily available tool for forensic science.

... Direct correspondence to Kevin J. Strom, RTI International, PO Box 12194, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 (e-mail:kstrom@rti.org). References Badeaux, D. (2010). The DNA&amp;amp;#x27;s over there . . . right next to the jelly: The problems with the preservation of evidence in Texas. ...

This study on utilisation of forensic auditing investigation techniques for fraud detection in large scale business organisations (LSBOs) in Delta State, Nigeria was necessitated by the growing incidence of fraud that is crippling businesses and socio-economic development of the state. Six research questions guided the study and twelve null hypotheses were tested. Related literature to the study were reviewed. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study was 260 accounting staff. A sample size of 160 was drawn for the study using simple random sampling technique. A four-point rating scale questionnaire developed by the researcher was used for data collection.  The internal consistency method with Cronbach Alpha technique was used to determine the reliability of the instrument and this yielded reliability coefficient values of 0.85, 0.80, 0.83, 0.91, 0.88 and 0.84 respectively for the different sections with an overall reliability coefficient value of 0.85. Data were analysed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions and ascertain the homogeneity of the respondents’ views while t-test and Analysis of variance were used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The results showed that the accounting staff lowly utilised data mining, anonymous communication and background investigation techniques and moderately utilised analytical technique and investigative interview for fraud detection in the LSBOs. Only substantive test was highly utilised. Furthermore, it was found that types and status of organisation in NSE significantly influenced respondents’ ratings on the utilisation of data mining but did not influence their ratings on utilisation of the five other techniques for fraud detection. Based on the findings, it was concluded that forensic auditing investigation techniques were not adequately utilised for fraud detection in the LSBOs in Delta State, which accounts for the incessant cases of fraud in such organisations. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others, that managers of large scale business organisations in Delta State should provide regular training for their accounting staff on analytical and other forensic auditing techniques to enable them detect and nip fraud in the bud. Shareholders in large scale business organisations should insist that the techniques used in the study and other forensic auditing techniques are adequately utilised by holding the management accountable for fraud occurrences.

ABSTRAK Kajian ini dijalankan untuk membentuk formula demi menganggar ketinggian tubuh badan dan menentukan jantina dengan menggunakan panjang dan lebar kaki. Seramai 150 orang subjek yang berumur 20-30 tahun diambil dari Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Kampus Kuala Lumpur (UKMKKL). Subjek tersebut adalah Melayu (45 lelaki dan 45 perempuan) dan Cina (30 lelaki dan 30 perempuan). Ketinggian, panjang dan lebar kaki diukur menggunakan alatan antropometrik dalam ukuran milimeter. Hasil statistik menunjukkan bahawa pelbagai ukuran kaki kanan dan kiri tidak mempunyai perbezaan yang signifikan (Panjang kaki/FL: t(298) =-0.235, p = 0.815; Lebar kaki/FW: t(298) = 0.932, p = 0.352). Perbezaan yang signifikan pada semua ukuran pula dapat dilihat pada jantina (Tinggi/S: t(148) = 12.550, p < 0.05; FL:t(148) = 11.692, p < 0.05; FW:t(148) = 8.321, p < 0.05). Bagi kaum, ketinggian tubuh badan kaum Cina adalah lebih tinggi berbanding kaum Melayu secara signifikan (t(148) =-3.103, p < 0.05) tetapi tiada perbezaan yang signifikan diperhatikan pada ukuran kaki (FL: t(148) = 0.002, p = 0.999; FW:t(148) = 1.362, p = 0.175). Korelasi yang paling tinggi telah ditunjukkan antara ketinggian tubuh badan dengan panjang kaki pada semua kumpulan. Analisis Regresi Garis Lurus dan Regresi Berganda telah digunakan untuk membentuk formula menganggar ketinggian tubuh badan. Walau bagaimanapun, didapati formula yang dibentuk dari Regresi Berganda adalah lebih tepat kerana kombinasi panjang dan lebar kaki menghasilkan korelasi koefisen yang lebih tinggi dalam semua formula (S = 585.298+(4.898xFL)-(1.453xFW), F(2,149 = 149.324, p < 0.01, R 2 = 0.670). Formula untuk penentuan jantina juga telah dibina menggunakan Analisis Pokok Klasifikasi. Keputusan menunjukkan ketepatan untuk menentukan jantina seseorang adalah di antara 86.3-87.5% bagi perempuan dan 85.2-85.7% bagi lelaki dengan menggunakan panjang kaki manakala di antara 68.4-76.8% bagi perempuan dan 77.8-81.0% bagi lelaki dengan menggunakan lebar kaki. ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to develop formulae for stature and sex estimation using foot length and foot width. A total of 150 subjects ranging in age from 20 to 30 years were recruited from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Kampus Kuala Lumpur (UKMKKL). The subjects were Malays (45 males and 45 females) and Chinese (30 males and 30 females). Stature, foot length and foot width were measured using anthropometric instruments in millimetres. Statistical analysis indicated that bilateral variation of various lengths was insignificant for all the foot measurements (Foot length/FL: t(298) =-0.235, p = 0.815; Foot width/FW: t(298) = 0.932, p = 0.352). Sex differences were found to be highly significant for all the measurements (Stature/S: t(148) = 12.550, p < 0.05; FL:t(148) = 11.692, p < 0.05; FW:t(148) = 8.321, p < 0.05). Stature was highly significant in Chinese rather than Malay (t(148) =-3.103, p < 0.05) but no significant differences were found in all the foot measurements (FL: t(148) = 0.002, p = 0.999; FW:t(148) = 1.362, p = 0.175). The highest correlation was found between stature and foot length in all groups. Linear and Multiple Regression Analysis were used to develop formulae for stature estimation. However, the latter was found to be more accurate as the correlation coefficient was highest in the combination of foot length and foot width in all the formulae (S = 585.298+(4.898xFL)-(1.453xFW), F(2,149 = 149.324, p < 0.01, R 2 = 0.670). Formulae for sex estimation were obtained by using the Classification Tree Analysis. Result had indicated that sex estimation formulae can help to determine the sex with 86.3-87.5% accuracy in females and 85.2-85.7% accuracy in males by using foot length while the accuracy is 68.4-76.8% in females and 77.8-81.0% in males by using foot width.