Author: Ian Brophy - Page 28

Motive Analysis: Understanding Why Crimes Occur

Motive Analysis: Understanding Why Crimes Occur

Motive analysis decodes the psychological reasons behind crimes, helping investigators understand why offenders act. Used by the FBI and forensic psychologists, it improves case resolution by focusing on anger, profit, attention, or mental illness as drivers of criminal behavior.

Cannabis Potency Testing: How THC, CBD, and Terpenes Are Measured for Safety and Compliance

Cannabis Potency Testing: How THC, CBD, and Terpenes Are Measured for Safety and Compliance

Cannabis potency testing ensures products contain accurate levels of THC, CBD, and terpenes. Learn how labs use HPLC and GC to measure these compounds, why results vary, and what consumers should look for on lab reports.

How Firearm Trace and eTrace Help Solve Homicide Cases

How Firearm Trace and eTrace Help Solve Homicide Cases

Firearm trace and eTrace are vital tools for solving homicide cases by tracking the history of guns used in crimes. Learn how the system works, its real-world impact, and why it’s one of law enforcement’s most reliable leads.

Multi-Jurisdiction Coordination: Finding Missing Persons

Multi-Jurisdiction Coordination: Finding Missing Persons

Finding missing persons requires coordination across police departments, tribes, and federal agencies. NamUs is the only national system that connects cases across jurisdictions, helping solve cases that would otherwise go cold.

Cold Case Funding: How Grants and Resources Solve Unsolved Homicides

Cold Case Funding: How Grants and Resources Solve Unsolved Homicides

Cold case funding helps solve decades-old homicides through federal grants, DNA analysis, and nonprofit support. Learn how agencies access resources, what it takes to qualify, and why many cases still go unanswered.

Impact Spatter: Understanding High-Velocity Blood Evidence in Forensic Investigations

Impact Spatter: Understanding High-Velocity Blood Evidence in Forensic Investigations

Impact spatter reveals the force and direction of violent events through microscopic blood patterns. High-velocity spatter, often from gunshots, provides critical forensic evidence to reconstruct crime scenes with precision.

Protective Orders: How Sensitive Forensic Data Is Legally Restricted in Court

Protective Orders: How Sensitive Forensic Data Is Legally Restricted in Court

Protective orders legally restrict access to sensitive forensic data in court cases, requiring encryption, strict access controls, breach reporting, and vendor compliance. Learn how these orders work-and why vague language isn't enough.

Quality Assurance Review: Checking Reports for Accuracy in Forensic Contexts

Quality Assurance Review: Checking Reports for Accuracy in Forensic Contexts

A quality assurance review ensures forensic reports are factually accurate, methodologically sound, and properly documented. Without it, even small errors can lead to legal disasters. Learn how QA catches mistakes before they become evidence.

How to Explain Forensics to Non-Experts: Clear, Honest, and Simple

How to Explain Forensics to Non-Experts: Clear, Honest, and Simple

Forensics can be confusing in court. This article explains how to turn complex science into clear, honest, and understandable language for jurors, lawyers, and the public-without losing accuracy.

Evidence Intake Procedures: Laboratory Submission Standards Explained

Evidence Intake Procedures: Laboratory Submission Standards Explained

Evidence intake procedures ensure forensic samples are properly packaged, labeled, and documented before lab submission. Follow these standards to avoid contamination, legal challenges, and case dismissal. Learn the key rules, common mistakes, and how digital systems are transforming forensic workflows.

Latent Fingerprints vs. Patent Prints: What Forensic Experts Actually See at Crime Scenes

Latent Fingerprints vs. Patent Prints: What Forensic Experts Actually See at Crime Scenes

Latent and patent fingerprints are two distinct types of evidence in forensic science. Latent prints are invisible and require development, while patent prints are visible right away. Learn how they differ in formation, collection, and courtroom value.

Fentanyl Detection: Challenges in Controlled Substance Testing

Fentanyl Detection: Challenges in Controlled Substance Testing

Fentanyl detection saves lives, but current testing methods have serious limitations. Test strips are accurate but miss analogs; portable devices struggle with trace amounts; and legal barriers block access. Detection alone can't solve the overdose crisis.