Episode 212 - Activity Level

In this episode Glenn and Eric dig into ‘activity level propositions’, which will start a series of episodes that takes a deep dive into this topic. We lay the groundwork for the topic by discussing fundamental forensic science papers, such as Evett, et al. “The impact of the principles of evidence interpretation on the structure and content of statements” (Science & Justice, 2000) and other works by Cook and Jackson. We highlight the need for formal declaration of propositions regarding ‘source’, ‘activity’, and ‘crime (offense)’ levels. Lastly, we discuss aging (time since deposition) of latent prints and the dangers of these statements based on a visual exam alone. We reference Girod, Ramotowski, et al. “Fingermark age determinations: Legal considerations, review of the literature, and practical propositions” (For Sci Intl, 2016) for important points here. Also Glenn has some news at the beginning of the show to share with Eric regarding DNA.