pcast

*Analysis: determine the amount of quality and quantity a questioned impression possesses and then do the same for the known impression *Comparison: determine the amountof similarities and / or differences between two prints *Evaluation: determine the conclusion of the comparison as identification, elimination, or inconclusive *Verification: preform the above three steps by a second examiner with no assumption of outcome

Optimally, we want as few false negatives as possible and no false positives

PCAST report “Forensic Science in Criminal Courts: Ensuring Scientific Validity of Feature- Comparison Methods”, was released in 2016 validity and reliability

DNA, Bitemarks, Latent fingerprints, Firearm marks, Footwear

reproducible and consistent, identifying, comparing, determining, method’s false positive rate, method’s sensitivity

While DNA analysis of single-source samples and simple mixtures is a foundational valid and reliable method, it is not infallible in practice. Errors can and do occur in DNA testing.

not foundationally valid.”

not foundationally valid.”

PCAST finds that bitemark analysis does not meet the scientific standards for foundational validity, and is far from meeting such standards

CAST finds that latent fingerprint analysis is a foundationally valid subjective methodology”

firearms analysis currently falls short of the criteria for foundational validity,