In a positive step advancing fair-chance policy for formerly incarcerated individuals, Virginia and Utah both signed policies into law in March 2025 that will help dismantle barriers faced by people with criminal records as they reenter the world of work.
The National Council of State Legislatures (“NCSL”) has …
Forensic science has traditionally relied on DNA evidence from sperm to identify suspects in sexual assault cases. However, when no sperm is present—such as when a perpetrator uses a condom—these methods are often ineffective.
New research published in iScience in February 2025 suggests a novel approach to using …
by Jo Ellen Nott
New research from Flinders University in South Australia, published in Forensic Chemistry, reveals a troubling public health risk: cars used for smoking, manufacturing, or transporting methamphetamine harbor significant drug residues, exposing future occupants to third-hand contamination. Testing on two used vehicles detected meth in …
by Jo Ellen Nott
Connecticut is confronting its history of wrongful convictions by compensating victims and reforming police procedures. The state has moved to award $37.6 million to eight wrongfully convicted men who collectively spent 151 years behind bars. The legislature’s Judiciary Committee ratified this compensation on February …
by Jo Ellen Nott
The shoplifting crisis dominating recent news may be exaggerated, but it has delivered major wins for police departments nationwide.
An investigation by The Appeal on March 27, 2025, reveals that fears over so-called “organized retail crime” have given law enforcement a pretext to …
by Jo Ellen Nott
In a significant development for forensic science, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) approved updates to the Quality Assurance Standards (“QAS”) for Forensic Laboratories in January, paving the way for DNA profiles generated through Rapid DNA analysis to be searched in the national Combined …
by Jo Ellen Nott
Albuquerque is grappling with a sprawling police corruption scandal that spans decades, involving bribery, extortion, and racketeering within the city’s DWI enforcement unit. The scandal, which came to light after a federal investigation, has led to multiple guilty pleas, the dismissal of hundreds of …
by Jo Ellen Nott
Across the United States, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) activity is intensifying, including highly visible raids. Amid this escalation, it is important to remember that the public has a First Amendment right to film ICE agents while they perform their official duties in public …
by Jo Ellen Nott
Vermont’s increased reliance on remote court hearings, which began during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure safety, has created significant challenges for incarcerated individuals, their attorneys, and the broader justice system. While remote proceedings have become the norm nationwide, their expansion to substantive hearings in …
by Jo Ellen Not
A University of Oregon study, “Decreased accuracy of forensic DNA mixture analysis for groups with lower genetic diversity” published in Volume 27, Issue 11, 111067 of iScience in November 2024 by researchers at the University of Oregon, discusses the significant limitations in forensic DNA …
