8127/frame/fm

 
Good Forensic 
Practice — Obligations 
 
of the Analyst
A.
Asking the Right Question................................................................... 246
1.
Translating the Legal Question into a Science Question ........... 246
2.
Formulating Hypotheses............................................................... 248
3.
How Much Should an Analyst Know? ......................................... 248
a.
Analyst Bias............................................................................. 250
4.
What Can Science Contribute? .................................................... 252
a.
Can the Question Be Answered by Science? ........................ 252
b.
Is the Evidence Useful? .......................................................... 253
c.
Is the Test Useful?................................................................... 255
d.
What Further Questions Arise as a Result of Analysis? ...... 256
B.
Examination and Analysis.................................................................... 257
1.
Documentation.............................................................................. 258
a.
Documentation Standards..................................................... 258
2.
Preserving the Integrity of the Evidence ..................................... 259
a.
Prevention of Contamination ............................................... 259
b.
Detection of Contamination ................................................. 259
3.
Results ............................................................................................ 260
a.
Analyst Judgment ................................................................... 262
4.
Verification of Results ................................................................... 263
a.
Blind Second Read ................................................................. 263
b.
Technical Review .................................................................... 263
5.
Interpretation and Conclusions ................................................... 264
a.
Defining Facts and Assumptions .......................................... 264
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