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Forensic Hair Analysis - The Case Against the Underemployment of Scientific Evidence

NCJ Number
83128
Journal
Washington and Lee Review Volume: 39 Issue: 1 Dated: (Winter 1982) Pages: 41-67
Author(s)
E J Imwinkelried
Date Published
1982
Length
27 pages
Annotation
The state-of-the-art of forensic hair analysis is reviewed, and the greater use of the results of hair analysis as scientific evidence is advocated.
Abstract
In the current state-of-the-art, an analyst can use a number of techniques to produce a variety of conclusions about a hair sample, including (1) whether the sample is hair, (2) whether the hair is human or animal, (3) whether the human source was male or female, (4) the race of the human hair source, (5) the region of the body from which the hair sample came, (6) whether the human hair source was an adult or a child, (7) whether the hair was natural or dyed, (8) whether the hair fell out or was pulled, (9) whether the human hair source was poisoned, (10) whether the hair was cut or crushed, (11) the blood grouping of the human hair source, and (12) which person was the human hair source. Criminal attorneys have underused hair analysis by having been content with less sophisticated methods of analysis which permit only vague conclusions. Such use of hair analysis evidence has brought justified criticism, but the remedy is not to exclude such evidence altogether, but rather to make greater use of the state-of-the-art techniques of hair analysis, which will produce reliable scientific evidence. Specifically, prosecutors must take make greater use of the techniques for making sex and blood grouping determinations. A total of 279 footnotes are listed.

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