Two SWGIT Documents for Review and Feedback Posted

[Steve Everist]

SWGIT has released two new drafts for comments with due dates of May 29th. I recommend you take some time to review these drafts and comment on them if you see fit:

Section 16: Best Practices for Forensic Photographic Comparison
Section 17: Digital Imaging Technology Issues for the Courts

The documents can be found at:
http://www.theiai.org/guidelines/swgit/index.php

These aren't specific to latent prints, but there is overlapping that makes them relevant.

Section 16 contains reference to something similar to the "One Discrepancy Rule" with inclusion of the explainable/unexplainable clause. It also contains a description of ACE-V for those situations where it is applied to photographic comparisons. Verification is defined as follows:

In the Verification stage, the results of the examination are confirmed through independent review by a comparably trained individual.

For those of us who see the Verification stage as peer review, where not only the results are looked at, but the processes to get to the results are reviewed (and not with a goal of confirmation), you may want to take this opportunity to comment on this document. I sent in my comments last week. You will also want to review the specific instructions for commenting that are also on the web page.

I have not reviewed Section 17 yet.

[Steve Everist]

I thought I'd kick this to the top as they have added a third draft for comment.

For those that don't like wording terminology, etc... in the various SWG's that could affect them, this is your chance to have your say - once again, I recommend that you do.