Forensic Scientist

How not to apply for a job/research position/other future career role

Anna Sandiford • Oct 18, 2013

• opinion,
• Sciblogs

We receive a regular flow of email requests from science students around the world enquiring about how they can become forensic scientists.  That’s all good – if you don’t ask, you don’t get. What irritates me immensely is the clearly haphazard and unthinking approach that is so immensely common throughout those from people who are (read more) … Read More

A Criminal Cases Review Commission for NZ?

Anna Sandiford • Oct 17, 2013

• Criminal Cases Review Commission,
• Mark Lundy,
• opinion,
• Sciblogs

On the back of the Lundy case, there has been some discussion in the last week about whether or not New Zealand should consider having an independent organisation to assess potential miscarriages of justice, similar to the English Criminal Cases Review Commission. It’s not the first time the suggestion has been mooted: several other high-profile (read more) … Read More

Filming a real murder accused’s conviction

Anna Sandiford • Jul 02, 2013

• cameras in court,
• high profile crime cases,
• news,
• Sciblogs

A brief post this one about a British Channel 4 production that recorded a 6 week murder trial and its outcome: “The dramatic moment in which a man is convicted of arranging the murder of his wife and then disposing of her body will be broadcast on television next week. … A documentary crew working (read more) … Read More

Robin Bain finger marks

Anna Sandiford • Jun 27, 2013

• David Bain,
• firearms experts,
• gun experts,
• Joe Karam,
• New Zealand specific,
• news,
• Richard Munt,
• Robbie Tiffen,
• Robin Bain marks on fingers,
• Sciblogs

Many people may have seen 3rd Degree on Wednesday night about the marks on Robin Bain’s thumb and forefinger as recorded in two crime scene photographs. Earlier this year I spent a morning with Police and ESR staff and some of the defence team during the testing of the murder weapon by Robbie Tiffen and (read more) … Read More

Are all drownings accidental? Are too many fires arson?

Anna Sandiford • Mar 18, 2013

• arson investigation,
• drownings,
• fire investigation,
• news,
• opinion,
• Sciblogs

What if not all drownings are accidental?  An ABC article asks this question and raises some interesting points about how investigators deal with bodies found on land and those found in water. “Bodies found in water are treated very differently from bodies found on land, for example there is not a county in this country (read more) … Read More

Teina Pora case: funding case re-investigations

Anna Sandiford • Mar 14, 2013

• false confessions,
• New Zealand specific,
• news,
• opinion,
• Sciblogs,
• Teina Pora

You may or may not have seen 3rd Degree’s programme last night about the case of Teina Pora, a south Auckland boy imprisoned in 1994 for rape and murder, the former that DNA testing shows he did not commit and, after a retrial in 2000, for murder based on confessions. There has been comment about (read more) … Read More

Standards and Codes for forensic scientists

Anna Sandiford • Feb 26, 2013

• New Zealand specific,
• news,
• opinion,
• Sciblogs,
• standards in forensic science

A short blog post, this one.  The US Department of Justice is setting up a commission that will establish standards, a professional code and educational requirements for forensic scientists.  Presumably this would mean that a Bachelors degree in forensic science and European film won’t make the muster (a degree which has apparently been offered in (read more) … Read More

Graham Norton solves a problem (nearly)

Anna Sandiford • Feb 09, 2013

• dermatology,
• Forensic Casework experiences,
• graham norton,
• Sciblogs

Recently I have been looking for a specialist medical expert to review a criminal case in which we have been instructed.  Specifically, an independent dermatologist (preferably someone with a paediatric speciality). Actually, I’ve been looking for five months.  Five months!  Usually we do it in 5 days, at the outside!!  In fact, much as I (read more) … Read More

Clarification: launching a charity this year

Anna Sandiford • Feb 04, 2013

• New Zealand specific,
• news,
• Sciblogs

An article in the paper at the weekend indicated that I am launching a charity this year.  Just to clarify, this is not exactly the case.  What I have discussed with some senior academics and criminal legal system colleagues is possibly establishing an organisation that may consider, amongst other legal issues, potential miscarriage of justice (read more) … Read More

Zero drugs; plenty of alcohol

Anna Sandiford • Feb 03, 2013

• Drink Driving,
• Drug Driving,
• opinion,
• Sciblogs

It’s always struck me as a bit odd, the disparity between the NZ drug driving law and the drink driving law. My non-lawyer’s view is that drug driving law stipulates that a person is guilty of the office if their blood contains evidence of a qualifying drug.  This means that if even a small amount (read more) … Read More