Journal of forensic sciences最新文献

Digital image manipulation is a growing concern in multimedia security. Many existing forgery detection methods struggle with accurately localizing manipulated regions—especially near boundaries—and often fail to generalize across different manipulation types. To address these challenges, we propose a novel Boundary-Preserving Mask R-CNN framework that enhances detection precision by incorporating boundary-aware features. The model integrates channel attention mechanisms to better capture detailed spatial information and leverages frequency domain features to improve robustness. We evaluated the framework on six diverse benchmark datasets—CASIA V2, Columbia, Carvalho, CoMoFoD, MICC-F220, and CG-1050—covering splicing, copy-move, and compositing manipulations. Extensive preprocessing ensured uniform input, and pixel-level segmentation enabled accurate region detection. Our method demonstrated strong performance across multiple metrics, including accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, IoU, and AUC. These results highlight its potential as a reliable tool for digital forensics and investigative applications.

Age-at-death estimation is critical in forensic investigations, particularly for skeletal and dental remains. Accurate age estimation is essential for constructing biological profiles in forensic investigations. DNA methylation, particularly in age-related genes such as FHL2, has emerged as a promising epigenetic marker for this purpose. While previous studies have applied methylation assays to the entire tooth, these methods often result in the destruction of the dental structures. In this study, we assessed whether FHL2 methylation levels measured using methylation-sensitive high-resolution melting (MS-HRM) in root surface samples could serve as a reliable marker for age estimation in Japanese individuals. Samples were collected from the root surfaces of extracted third molars using one to three strokes with a dental scaler, primarily obtaining cementum or cementum with minor dentin content. MS-HRM analysis was performed using primers previously validated for saliva and blood. The FHL2 methylation scores were significantly correlated with chronological age, despite the use of non-fresh samples stored at room temperature. Notably, the methylation levels were unaffected by self-reported coffee consumption and smoking habits. Additionally, while alveolar bone resorption status was associated with both age and methylation scores, it did not alter the strength of this correlation. Although a regression formula derived from FHL2 alone yielded low accuracy, these results suggest that root surface methylation data may be valuable for age estimation, particularly when combined with additional genetic markers. This minimally invasive method preserves tooth morphology and may be applicable even in decomposed remains, offering practical advantages in forensic contexts.

The “Foil Impressioning” kit is a common lockpicking tool for pin-tumbler locks. Using this kit includes assembling a shaped and grooved aluminum foil onto a blank key and inserting it into the keyhole. The lock can be opened by jiggling the tool both clockwise and counter-clockwise. At the end of the process, when the tool is removed, the foil may break off and get stuck in the keyhole. Although the suspect's DNA can be extracted from the foil, in several cases the suspects argued in court that someone else used a recycled aluminum foil that they had previously used for an innocent purpose, such as wrapping a sandwich. This study shows that there are differences in the manufacturing process of the foils that were purchased as “ready for use” (“pre-shaped and grooved foils”) compared with foils that were “manually shaped and grooved” using the “manual tool” which is part of the kit. The suspects' arguments can be ruled out by forensically proving that the foils were purchased as “ready for use.” The study also shows how toolmarks can be used to forensically link, by subclass characteristics, foils seized in the suspect's possession to those found at the crime scene. Thus, the evidence against the suspect is corroborated.

Previous research shows that even expert-level recovery teams can miss osteological evidence. The present research examined recovery rates and distances using dispersed nonhuman (pig [Sus scrofa], white-tailed deer [Odocoileus virginianus], and mule deer [O. hemionus]) bones with different taphonomic color alteration. Searching was done by a Special Emergency Response Team of the Massachusetts State Police during researcher-guided walk-throughs in a simulated outdoor surface scene. The authors hypothesized that sun-bleached bones would be recognized from the greatest distances due to their starker contrast from natural leaf litter as opposed to control bones or those with soil/decomposition staining. The control sample was unaltered, dry bone without significant staining, and the stained bones had variable brown color from decomposition and/or shallow burial. The sun-bleached bones were spotted at an average distance of 8.76 m ± 7.75 m, while soil/decomposition-stained bones were spotted at 4.09 m ± 2.79 m and the control sample at 6.73 m ± 5.40 m. As determined by a two-way ANOVA test, the interaction between bone color and distance was significant (p < 0.001). Sun-bleached bones had a 100.0% recovery rate (60/60), control bones 96.7% (58/60), and soil/decomposition-stained bones 70.0% (42/60). In addition, bone type also had a statistically significant effect on distance (p < 0.001), and therefore the likelihood of being recovered. Even expert-level recovery teams can miss osteological evidence during surface searches, with natural bone camouflage factoring into recovery success rates. As a result, increased training and education surrounding taphonomically altered bones is necessary for all personnel involved in forensic surface searching.

Smith AC, Watamaniuk L, Rogers TL. Use of laser-scanning confocal microscopy in the detection of diagenesis in bone. J Forensic Sci. 2022;67(1):92–101. https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.14902

Lelia Watamaniuk's affiliation incorrectly appeared as ‘Department of Anthropology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada’. Her correct affiliation is Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto–Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.

We apologize for this error.

Latent fingerprints, that are imperative for forensic investigations, are seldom uplifted perfectly. These unintentional impressions left at crime sites are mostly partial with insufficient features that are not suitable for recognition. Further, the existing acquisition approaches rely on the single-shot touch-based capturing mechanism wherein the reagents are physically applied to the crucial evidence for examination. The current paper presents an Automated Patch-based Latent Fingerprint Recognition System for reliable recognition based on partial samples. The experiments were conducted on the samples digitally captured using the touchless Reflected Ultra Violet Imaging System (RUVIS) equipment that can uplift multiple instances of evidence with high resolution. The proposed patch estimation algorithm identifies features to counter manual minutiae matching for estimating optimal patch size. Classical and Generative Adversarial Networks-based augmentations were applied to simulate prints from a realistic crime site and deep feature extraction, respectively. The recognition capability of partial samples is then evaluated for different shallow and deep learning models, where the VGG16 and ResNet50 architectures outperformed. After fine-tuning, the configured model achieved the maximum accuracy of 96% with ResNet50 as the backbone architecture and multiclass SVM as the subject classifier. Weighted average fusion further improved the accuracy by ~2%. The existing patch-based recognition approaches cite accuracy between 68% and 84% on different benchmark data sets. However, the proposed model achieved an accuracy of 98% on the RUVIS data set and 96% when validated on the standard NISTSD27 data set, indicating better generalizability.

This study investigates factors causing distortions in bloodstain patterns on various types of fabric that may be present at crime scenes or worn by individuals involved. The aim was to provide a foundation for interpreting bloodstain evidence through visual comparisons. An experimental design was applied across seven fabric types and one control surface (A4 paper) using a four-stage process to simulate bloodstain formation. Blood droplets were applied to each surface, and the resulting stains were examined both macroscopically and microscopically in terms of their size, shape, and pattern characteristics. The study demonstrated that identical physical impacts produce different stain appearances depending on surface texture and absorbency. These differences can significantly affect the accuracy of reconstructing impact angles or source positions, especially when distortions such as irregular edges or satellite stains are present. Furthermore, the research highlighted specific visual cues that distinguish between spatter, transfer (wiping, smearing), and passive drip patterns, even when they appear similar. A key finding is that experimental bloodstains used for comparative purposes should be produced on the same fabric type to ensure valid interpretation. The study concludes that accurate analysis requires comprehensive consideration of factors, such as fabric material, texture, moisture content, blood properties, and environmental conditions.

Constant exposure to trauma survivors can cause secondary trauma, also known as vicarious trauma (VT). Previous research revealed that VT affects psychologists and attorneys, although there is limited research pertaining to VT and psychologists who work in the field of law as expert witnesses. The current study examines the degree to which forensic psychology expert witnesses experience VT as well as the roles of psychological flexibility (PF), self-care, and burnout. Data were obtained from 83 forensic psychology expert witnesses through four self-report measures: Vicarious Trauma Scale, Mindful Self-Care Scale – Brief, Acceptance and Action Questionnaire, and Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey. The study found that PF, self-care, and burnout are associated with the severity of VT. It also revealed that PF mediates the relationship between VT and burnout; however, no support was found for self-care mediating the relationship between VT and burnout. It is likely that self-care is subsumed by the construct of PF (as improving one's PF can lead to increases in self-care behavior). Overall, this research underscores the need for forensic psychology expert witnesses to continue fostering their PF and making time for self-care activities to minimize the risk of burnout as the result of VT.

Non-sworn crime scene investigators (CSIs) are routinely exposed to violent and traumatic material, yet their mental health needs remain underrecognized and underserved. This commentary draws on peer-reviewed literature documenting vicarious trauma, operational stress, and organizational neglect among forensic professionals and first responders, together with practitioner accounts illustrating barriers in access, cultural fit, and confidentiality. These two evidence streams form the basis for examining gaps in current wellness models. Findings indicate that existing supports—such as Employee Assistance Programs, peer support teams, and debriefings—are inconsistently available to CSIs and often lack cultural relevance, limiting their effectiveness. In response, targeted, agency-level recommendations are outlined: explicitly include CSIs in wellness policies; recruit and train CSI peer supporters; partner with culturally competent clinicians; provide role-specific coping and resilience training; monitor workload and exposure; involve families; and ensure confidential pathways to care. Further emphasis is the need to evaluate these interventions before, during, and after implementation to determine which approaches provide the greatest benefit. Addressing the mental health of non-sworn CSIs is essential to workforce sustainability, investigative quality, and the overall integrity of forensic science.