ETX 20 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Polygraph, Daubert Standard, Nuclear Dna
1 Jul 2016
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Great paradox: accelerating use of expert testimony, but growing realization of the level of error in forensic analysis. Trial by jury is becoming trial by expert in the us. However, they are also reaching unprecedented levels of error. Nuclear dna typing is the only forensic identification techniques that has been fully scientifically validated. Fingerprints used to be considered infallible, but now we realize this is very untrue. Evidentiary standards governing introduction of expert testimony (past) Systolic blood pressure test (precursor to polygraph) was used on frye and detected no change in his blood pressure, therefore it was believed that he was not lying. However, because the method of testing had not gained general acceptance in the scientific community yet, it was not admissible in trial. Frye rule: general acceptance rule for settling disputes between competing scientist expert witnesses. Spread very widely throughout mid to late 20th century.
