Using case specific experiments to evaluate fingermarks on knives given activity level propositions

Using case specific experiments to evaluate fingermarks on knives given activity level propositions

de Ronde, Anouk (Hogeschool van Amsterdam; Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam; Netherlands Forensic Institute - NFI)
Kokshoorn, Bas (Netherlands Forensic Institute - NFI)
de Puit, M. (TU Delft ChemE/Advanced Soft Matter; Netherlands Forensic Institute - NFI)
de Poot, Christianne J. (Hogeschool van Amsterdam; Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam; Police Academy of the Netherlands)

2021

Bayesian networks have shown to be a useful tool for the evaluation of forensic findings given activity level propositions. In this paper, we demonstrate how case specific experiments can be used to assign probabilities to the states of the nodes of a Bayesian network for the evaluation of fingermarks given activity level propositions. The transfer, persistence and recovery of fingermarks on knives is studied in experiments where a knife is either used to stab a victim or to cut food, representing the activities that were disputed in the case of the murder of Meredith Kercher. Two Bayesian networks are constructed, exploring the effect of different uses of the experimental data by assigning the probabilities based on the results of the experiments. The evaluation of the findings using the Bayesian networks demonstrates the potential for fingermarks in addressing activity level propositions.

Activity level
Bayesian networks
Evidence interpretation
Fingermarks

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:878232cd-ba0f-495d-ba0e-f578f3c5df2f

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2021.110710

0379-0738

Forensic Science International: an international journal dedicated to the applications of genetics in the administration of justice, 320

Institutional Repository

journal article

© 2021 Anouk de Ronde, Bas Kokshoorn, M. de Puit, Christianne J. de Poot