FSN: Forensic Science News » Houston PD http://www.forensicsguy.com/benchnotes and Opinion by a Real Forensic Scientist Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:00:29 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 Scathing Article About Houston PD Crime Lab http://www.forensicsguy.com/benchnotes/scathing-article-about-houston-pd-crime-lab/ http://www.forensicsguy.com/benchnotes/scathing-article-about-houston-pd-crime-lab/#comments Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:00:14 +0000 Forensics Guy http://www.forensicsguy.com/benchnotes/?p=1188 A recent Houston Chronicle editorial blasts the Houston Crime Laboratory. The article starts off by stating:

On television, on the police drama CSI (for Crime Scene Investigation), the brilliant, dedicated completely professional staff of the Las Vegas Police Department solves every crime that comes into its hands through flawless forensic science and with

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]]> http://www.forensicsguy.com/benchnotes/scathing-article-about-houston-pd-crime-lab/feed/ 0 Fitting the crime: Focus more on rapists than crack residue http://www.forensicsguy.com/benchnotes/fitting-the-crime-focus-more-on-rapists-than-crack-residue/ http://www.forensicsguy.com/benchnotes/fitting-the-crime-focus-more-on-rapists-than-crack-residue/#comments Wed, 30 Dec 2009 14:00:22 +0000 Forensics Guy http://www.forensicsguy.com/benchnotes/?p=916 The Houston Chronicle, a popular source for information about the infamous Houston PD crime lab, just ran an op-ed piece on changes in policy at the Harris County Prosecutor’s Office.

What can you do with one molecule of crack? Nothing, really. It won’t get you high, and you can’t sell it. Heck: You can’t

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]]> http://www.forensicsguy.com/benchnotes/fitting-the-crime-focus-more-on-rapists-than-crack-residue/feed/ 1 Houston Chronicle on the Houston PD Crime Lab http://www.forensicsguy.com/benchnotes/houston-chronicle-houston-pd-crime-lab-idependent-crime-lab/ http://www.forensicsguy.com/benchnotes/houston-chronicle-houston-pd-crime-lab-idependent-crime-lab/#comments Tue, 15 Dec 2009 13:00:11 +0000 Forensics Guy http://www.forensicsguy.com/benchnotes/?p=876 The Houston Chronicle published a op-ed over the weekend, calling for change in their police crime lab. Even going as far as suggesting it’s time to close it down, and open up a regional crime lab that works with, but is independent of law enforcement agencies.

According to the audit, HPD workers often

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]]> http://www.forensicsguy.com/benchnotes/houston-chronicle-houston-pd-crime-lab-idependent-crime-lab/feed/ 0 Houston PD Fingerprint Unit http://www.forensicsguy.com/benchnotes/houston-pd-fingerprint-unit/ http://www.forensicsguy.com/benchnotes/houston-pd-fingerprint-unit/#comments Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:17:27 +0000 Forensics Guy http://www.forensicsguy.com/benchnotes/?p=865 My last blog post seems to have a much “rosier” view on the current state of the Houston PD crime lab fingerprint unit, than the local newspaper did here.

A Houston Police Department official confirmed Wednesday that a criminal investigation is under way into alleged wrongdoing at HPD’s fingerprinting comparison unit, which is under

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]]> http://www.forensicsguy.com/benchnotes/houston-pd-fingerprint-unit/feed/ 0 More Problems for Houston PD Crime Lab http://www.forensicsguy.com/benchnotes/more-problems-for-houston-pd-crime-lab/ http://www.forensicsguy.com/benchnotes/more-problems-for-houston-pd-crime-lab/#comments Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:00:32 +0000 Forensics Guy http://www.forensicsguy.com/benchnotes/?p=859 During a re-accreditation attempt by the Houston PD crime lab with ASCLD-LAB (Association of Crime Laboratory Directors — Laboratory Accreditation Board), the external auditors found problems:

The department said it identified several problems including insufficient staffing, lack of proper supervisory review, inadequate quality control/quality assurance protocols, technical competence inconsistent with industry standards, insufficient training

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]]> http://www.forensicsguy.com/benchnotes/more-problems-for-houston-pd-crime-lab/feed/ 0 Further Fallout from the Houston Crime Lab Scandal http://www.forensicsguy.com/benchnotes/houston-crime-lab-scandal-dna-backlog/ http://www.forensicsguy.com/benchnotes/houston-crime-lab-scandal-dna-backlog/#comments Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:00:42 +0000 Forensics Guy http://www.forensicsguy.com/benchnotes/?p=653 The news that Houston Police Department has a DNA backlog is not surprising at all. In fact it should be expected, considering it was closed down for a significant period of time.

Seven years after the Houston Police Department crime lab scandal first broke, city officials acknowledged this week that nearly 4,000 rape

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]]> http://www.forensicsguy.com/benchnotes/houston-crime-lab-scandal-dna-backlog/feed/ 0 Child Molester Possibly Freed Due to Lab Screw-Up http://www.forensicsguy.com/benchnotes/napper-child-molester-possibly-freed-due-to-lab-screw-up/ http://www.forensicsguy.com/benchnotes/napper-child-molester-possibly-freed-due-to-lab-screw-up/#comments Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:00:12 +0000 Forensics Guy http://www.forensicsguy.com/benchnotes/?p=627 This is the problem with situations where labs screw things up, like consuming all the evidence available for analysis.

It must have been a hard call for the Judge. No one wants to see a child rapist potentially set free, but in this country everyone is supposed to have their rights protected.

“This is

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