Police send evidence to crime labs for testing and analysis. This evidence is then used to build a case or gain a conviction against a defendant. The integrity of these labs is crucial in that the evidence that travels through them must be handled with respect to constitutional protections, due process, and scientific standards or risk jeopardizing the entire case. So, when one lab chemist is accused of putting her hands in the cookie jar, so to speak, numerous cases can be affected. [Read more…]
Drug Lab Scandal Proves Crime Labs are No CSI
If you were to believe everything you saw on television, you would think a hair or a single microscopic fiber of clothing would be enough to solve any crime. While these can sometimes be useful pieces of evidence, they are rarely the sole crime-solver as they are sometimes portrayed on modern crime dramas. [Read more…]