JUSTICE FOR ALL

Tuesday, February 20 | 8:30 am - 4:30 pm | $225

This workshop will cover the history of forensic psychiatry, the use and types of experts, and the clinical and ethical guidelines followed. We will discuss the crucial differences between a treating clinician and an expert, the use and misuse of psychological testing, and the application of case law and statutes to appropriately answer psychiatric-legal questions. The workshop will be interactive with case debates prepared by the presenters and invited submissions from attendants. The workshop is designed to help inform attorneys how to work more effectively with mental health experts, as well as confidently navigate the ethical waters when doing so.

Target Audience: Jurisprudence, Psychiatry & Behavioral Science
Knowledge Level Requires: Basic

Chair:
Corina Freitas, MD
Forensic Psychiatrist
Freitas and Associates LLC
Alexandria, VA

Co-Chair:
Vivian Shnaidman, MD
Forensic Psychiatrist
Jersey Forensic Consulting
Princeton, NJ

Presenter:
George D. Annas, MD, MPH
Forensic Psychiatrist 
Forensic Psychiatry Consulting, LLC
Syracuse, NY
 

Tuesday, February 20 | 8:30 am - 5:30 pm | $225

This workshop will demonstrate peer-reviewed, published methods for evaluating DNA evidence given activity level propositions as well as related testimony at court. DNA testimony has moved past the "Who?" questions related to the source of the DNA and it is now common for questions to be asked about "How?" the DNA ended up on the evidence item. While this is often done using hypothetical questions designed to elicit vague answers about "possible" or "could have" or "consistent with," there are published frameworks and reporting and testimony guidelines available to assist both experts and the court. This workshop will cover the theory and application of Case Assessment and Interpretation (CAI) and Bayesian networks (BN) to evaluate DNA evidence profiles given activity level propositions and the communication of these results via report writing and testimony. A combination of lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on group activities will be used in this workshop. Challenges in both the evaluation of the evidence and with testimony within an adversarial court system will be addressed as well.

Target Audience: Criminalistics, General, Jurisprudence
Knowledge Level Required: Intermediate

Chair:
Tim Kalafut, PhD
Associate Professor
Sam Houston State University
Department Forensic Science
Huntsville, TX;

Co-Chair:
Michael Coble, PhD
Associate Professor/Executive Director 
UNTHSC Center for Human Identification
University of North Texas Health Science Center
Ft. Worth, TX

Presenter:
Simone Gittelson, PhD
Forensic Statistician/Professorial Lecturer in Forensic Science
District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences
Washington, DC

Tuesday, February 20 | 8:30 am - 5:15 pm | $225

Digital Multimedia Authentication seeks to determine the validity of digital multimedia containers and contents by investigating their format, structure, time, frequency, pixel and/or sample level features. This workshop will discuss the digital audio and video analysis process providing the user with methods of detecting and authenticating audio, including DeepVoice, and DeepFake videos. It will also demonstrate the incorporation of multiple tools and techniques into unified frameworks appropriate in forensic examinations where reducing examiner bias and error is crucial.

After attending this workshop, attendees will: (1) be familiar with the latest developments in forensic audio analysis and authentication; (2) understand criteria used for media authentication; and (3) understand how to conduct analysis within a forensic framework and (4) multiple frameworks to use for DeepFake video detection.

Target Audience: Digital & Multimedia Sciences
Knowledge Level Required: Intermediate

Chair:
Catalin Grigoras, PhD
Director
National Center for Media Forensics
Denver, CO

Co-Chair: 
Zeno J. Geradts, PhD
Senior Forensic Scientist / Chair Forensic Data Science
NFI / University of Amsterdam, 
Den Haag, Zuid-Holland, NETHERLANDS

Presenter:
Cole Whitecotton, MS
Senior Professional Research Assistant
National Center for Media Forensics
Denver, CO

Tuesday, February 20 | 8:30 am - 4:30 pm | $225

This session is a multidisciplinary workshop focused on courtroom testimony. The sessions are geared for all levels of experience from novice to seasoned professional. While the speakers will focus on subjects that include training, preparation, cognitive bias, courtroom technology, and "high profile" cases, the sessions will explore criminal versus civil, deposition versus trial, state versus federal versus military, etc. Various perspectives from the different stakeholders involved are addressed — judge, prosecutor, defense, professional, and consultant.

Upon completion of this workshop, attendees will be better able to understand and perform one of the most challenging parts of any forensic practice — courtroom testimony in its many forms, be it civil or criminal; federal, military, or state; and deposition or trail.

Target Audience: All Disciplines
Knowledge Level Required: Basic

Chair:
J.C.U. Downs, MD
Medicolegal Consultant
ForensX, LLC
Johns Island, SC

Co-Chair:
Gina Londino-Smolar, MS
Teaching Professor
Forensic & Investigative Sciences Program
Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis
Indianapolis, IN

Presenters:
Marc A. LeBeau, PhD
Senior Forensic Scientist
FBI Laboratory
Quantico, VA

Ken E. Melson, JD
Professorial Lecturer at Law
George Washington University
Kinsale, VA

Tamela Adkins, JD
Superior Court Judge
Gwinnett County Georgia
Lawrenceville, GA

Michelle Medina, JD
Managing Partner
The Baez Law Firm
Miami, FL

James L. Caruso, MD
Chief Medical Examiner
Office of the Medical Examiner
Denver, CO

Craig Ackley, MS
Co-Founder & Head of Product Development / President
Compendia, Inc. 
Forensic Case Solutions, Inc.
Nashville, TN

Tuesday, February 20 | 8:30 am - 4:30 pm | $225

This workshop provides an introduction to key concepts in probability and statistics for forensic practitioners by linking them to key topics that are currently impacting the forensic community. The target audience is anyone from the forensic science community (practitioners, lawyers, judges, advocates) with a desire to better understand ongoing conversations about error rates, black box studies, inconclusive findings and likelihood ratios.

The workshop is intended to leave participants in a position to better understand and engage in ongoing discussions (in ASB, OSAC, and other places) about appropriate approaches to assessing forensic evidence and reporting conclusions.

Target Audience: All Disciplines
Knowledge Level Required: Basic

Chair:
Linton Mohammed, PhD
Forensic Document Examiner
Forensic Science Consultants, Inc
Poway, CA

Co-Chair:
James Green, BS
Forensic Document Examiner
Eugene, OR

Presenters:
Michael J. Salyards, PhD
Principal Analyst
Compass Scientific Consulting LLC
Tucson, AZ

Hal S. Stern, PhD
Chancellor's Professor of Statistics
University of California, Irvine
Irvine, CA

Tuesday, February 20 | 8:30 am - 5:30 pm | $225

This workshop is applicable to all forensic science disciplines and will begin with an overview of forensic reconstruction in a broad sense, followed by detailed information on how people process information to come to a conclusion, and culminating with a hands-on practical exercise involving all attendees who will implement the concepts studied and presented. During the presentation, attendees will be instructed on the background of reconstruction and how, by using a multidisciplinary systematic method of inquiry to problem-solving, they will be more likely to come to a logical and factual outcome.

This workshop will assist attendees in understanding and implementing the scientific method of inquiry to criminal investigations and forensic science problems by the use of physical evidence, objective data/information, artifacts of affect, and methods/processes of reasoning, logic, and cognitive learning within the contextual bounds of where this data/information is located, to derive knowledge regarding a particular incident and, when possible, to provide a chronological sequence to the incident.

Target Audience: All Disciplines
Knowledge Level Required: Basic

Chair:
David Pauly, MFS
Professor of Forensic Science/Sirchie Instructor
Methodist University 
New London, NC

Co-Chair:
Steve Downs, DBA
Professor/Program Director 
Forensic Science
Methodist University
Fayetteville, NC

Presenters:
Bryan W. Brendley, PhD
Professor of Forensic Science
Methodist University
Greensboro, NC

Douglas Young
Sr. Criminalist/Sirchie Instructor
Thornton Police Department 
Broomfield, CO

Tuesday, February 20 | 8:30 am - 12:30 pm | $125

The goal of this presentation is to create an open and honest dialogue about shootings on campuses across the United States. "Violence . . . crosses racial and gender boundaries, as these horrific acts affect every racial group, social class, ethnicity, gender, and any time other category one can image" (1) The Forensic Science community and the criminal justice system as a whole, has a responsibility of ensuring public safety through meaningful and structured analyses, collaboration and behavior based changes to prevention and responding to incidents. This presentation will provide an overview and continue with legislative and legal updates through case analyses. We will explore, gender, mental illness, behavior, victimology and weaponry. This presentation will impact the forensic science community by reminding all attendees of their role in making positive and effective changes to eliminate campus shootings by focusing on our historical, during and post incident responses and using case analyses to encourage accountability and promote real-time collaborative research and practices within multiple disciplines. 

Target Audience: Criminalistics, Digital & Multimedia Sciences, Engineering & Applied Sciences, General, Jurisprudence, Pathology/Biology, Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Questioned Documents, Toxicology
Knowledge Level Required: Intermediate

Chair:
Betsy Adelizzi, PhD
Missouri Southern State University
Joplin, MO

Co-Chair:
Patricia Smith, MSL
Harris County District Attorney's Office
Houston, TX

Presenters:
Timothy Wilson
Missouri Southern State University
Joplin, MO

Travis Walthall, MS
Missouri Southern State University
Joplin, MO

Patricia Williams, MS, RN
Retired
Franklin, TN

Tuesday, February 20 | 8:30 am - 12:30 pm | $125

After attending this workshop, attendees will be able to discuss examples of teamwork approaches that place forensic scientists on the front lines, addressing the challenges associated with the growing number of emerging drug substances and precursors, the complexity of the analysis, and the impact on enforcement and intelligence investigations.

This workshop will provide insights into various examples of forensic scientists working on the front lines supporting investigations or collection of intelligence that supports public health and public safety agencies. Examples include satellite laboratories from the Canada Border Services Agency, known as known as Designated Safe Sampling Areas, within Ports of Entry with high interdictions of illicit drugs, equipped with advanced real-time drug identification technology. Similarly, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) established Forward Operating Laboratories, which utilize Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and colorimetric technologies to perform preliminary drug screening at U.S. border inspection sites, including international mail facilities. These compact, chemist-led labs are designed to provide border and law enforcement officers along with crime and intelligence analysts the advanced real-time drug identification needed to improve their ability to seize narcotics, collect intelligence information, decrease response-time of informing law enforcement partners, and support border security. 

Target Audience: Criminalistics, General, Jurisprudence, Pathology/Biology, Toxicology
Knowledge Level Required: Basic

Chair:
Agnes D. Winokur, MS
Laboratory Director
DEA
Miami, FL

Co-Chair:
Barry K. Logan, PhD
Executive Director
CFSRE
Horsham, PA

Presenters:
Alex J. Krotulski, PhD
Associate Director
CFSRE
Abington, PA

Larry D. Fluty
Assistant Commissioner
U.S Customs & Border Protection
Montgomery, TX

Scott R. Oulton, BS
Deputy Assistant Administrator
Drug Enforcement Administration
Springfield, VA

Jonathan McGrath, PhD
Principal Technical Advisor
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Houston, TX

Sarah A. Shuda, MS
Senior Scientist
CFSRE
Willow Grove, PA

Tuesday, February 20 | 8:30 am - 12:00 pm | $125

Socio-technical systems are made up of humans interacting with technology within the confines of an organizational culture. Forensic practice is socio-technical because it involves all these elements. Attendees will learn to see, understand, and manage risk in each of these elements to increase their overall organizational reliability and how to take steps to make their operations resilient.

The work product of forensic providers is critical to the Criminal Justice System. While there have been advances in overall quality over the years, forensic providers still find themselves reacting to adverse incidents as they become front-page headlines. Attendees will learn proactive approaches that will prevent adverse events from occurring and mechanisms that can be put in place to quickly recover from these incidents if they do occur.

Target Audience: All Disciplines
Knowledge Level Required: Basic

Chair:
Brian J. Gestring, MS
Consultant
4n6services
Guilderland, NY

Co-Chair:
Laura C. Fulginiti, PhD
Forensic Anthropologist
Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner
Phoeniz, AZ

Presenter:
K. Scott Griffith, MS
Founding Partner
SG Collaborative Solutions
Roanoke, TX

Tuesday, February 20 | 1:00 pm - 4:30 pm | $125

This workshop brings together experts in medicolegal death investigation, forensic pathology, and forensic toxicology to discuss the investigation and toxicological analysis when substance use is suspected, focusing on identifying and certifying these deaths. Common problems faced during the investigation, confounding or competing findings at autopsy, and pitfalls in postmortem toxicological testing and interpretation will be explored. To properly certify these deaths, experts will discuss the impact of information gained from the investigation of the circumstances, autopsy, and appropriate postmortem toxicological testing.

Overall, this presentation will impact the forensic science community by providing non-pathologists and pathologists-in-training with an understanding of how toxicology testing factors into death investigations and how the pathologist determines if a person died of drug intoxication or simply died with a drug intoxication so that the death is correctly certified. The importance of proper death certification for public health and safety purposes will be stressed.

Target Audience: Criminalistics, Forensic Nursing Science, General, Jurisprudence, Pathology/Biology, Toxicology
Knowledge Level Required: Intermediate

Chair:
James R. Gill, MD
Forensic Pathologist
Office of the Chief Medical Examiner
Farmington, CT

Co-Chair:
Laura Labay, PhD
Director of Toxicological Services
NMS Labs
Langhorne, PA

Presenters:
Kelly Keyes, BS
Research Forensic Scientist
RTI International
Yorba Linda, CA

Candace H. Schoppe, MD
Deputy Medical Examiner
San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office
San Diego, CA

Tuesday, February 20 | 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm | $125

This workshop provides insight into the technical and legal challenges that may arise during cross examination, in the context of challenges the community faces if FGG should move further into the court system.

By attending this workshop, attendees will gain a perspective on important issues related to the introduction of FGG in court, from both the prosecution and defense points of view. The mock trial and subsequent discussion will also provide FGG practitioners with insight into how to present expert testimony.

By observing a mock FGG cross examination in real time involving a case where FGG provided investigative leads resulting in an arrest, attendees will learn how a qualified, competent expert witness can respond to issues that may arise at trial, such as credentialing of FGG practitioners, ongoing communication with an agency, apparent biases for or against law enforcement, and the use of unaccredited laboratories for producing FGG SNP data.

Target Audience: Criminalistics, General, Jurisprudence
Knowledge Level Required: Basic

Chair:
Colleen M. Fitzpatrick, PhD
President
Identifinders International LLC
Fountain Valley, CA

Co-Chair:
Karra Porter
Chief Executive Officer
Intermountain Forensics
Salt Lake City, UT

Presenters:
Michael Coble, PhD
Associate Professor/Executive Director 
University of North Texas Health Science Center
Ft. Worth, TX

Mitch Morrissey, JD
Chief of Operations
United Data Connect
Lakewood, CO

Tuesday, February 20 | 1:00 pm - 4:30 pm | $125

After attending this workshop, attendees will have learned how fire affects bodies and the ability of researchers and forensic practitioners to obtain skeletal and DNA evidence. The presenters will provide an overview of how bodies burn from case examples as well as experimental burning of complete human bodies and will discuss the classifications used to describe the extent of burning (i.e., the temperatures reached) in bone by previous researchers. Attendees will also learn about DNA extraction methods that have been applied to burned tissue and bone. The presenters will discuss the success of these methods based on data from research projects examining the effects of burning on skeletal remains and on the recovery of DNA from those remains. Attendees will learn how the DNA recovered from these burned remains performs in subsequent Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) Short Tandem Repeat (STR) and Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) analyses that aim to test the limits of DNA recovery from fire-death victims. This workshop probes the methods (and challenges) for obtaining DNA using novel ancient genomic technologies optimized for maximum ultra-short molecular recovery, as well as for obtaining skeletal evidence, including evidence for trauma, from burned human remains.

Target Audience: Anthropology, Criminalistics
Knowledge Level Required: Basic

Chair:
Jane E. Buikstra, PhD
Professor
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ

Co-Chair:
Katelyn L. Bolhofner, PhD
Assistant Professor
Forensic Anthropology
Arizona State University
Glendale, AZ

Presenters:
Joanne Devlin, PhD
Associate Director
Forensic Anthropology Center 
University of Tennessee, 
Knoxville, TN

Giovanna Vidoli, PhD
Research Associate Professor
Forensic Anthropology Center 
University of Tennessee, 
Knoxville, TN

Anne Stone, PhD
Professor
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ

Laura C. Fulginiti, PhD
Forensic Anthropologist
Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner
Phoenix, AZ

Cody E. Parker, MS
Post Doctoral Research Associate
School of Human Evolution and Social Change
Arizona State University, Gilbert, AZ

Erin M. Rawls, MS
Graduate Research Assistant
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ