In this paper, the importance of modern technology in forensic investigations is discussed. Recent technological developments are creating new possibilities to perform robust scientific measurements and studies outside the controlled laboratory environment. The benefits of real-time, on-site forensic investigations are manifold and such technology has the potential to strongly increase the speed and efficacy of the criminal justice system. However, such benefits are only realized when quality can be guaranteed at all times and findings can be used as forensic evidence in court. At the Netherlands Forensic Institute, innovation efforts are currently undertaken to develop integrated forensic platform solutions that allow for the forensic investigation of human biological traces, the chemical identification of illicit drugs and the study of large amounts of digital evidence. These platforms enable field investigations, yield robust and validated evidence and allow for forensic intelligence and targeted use of expert capacity at the forensic institutes. This technological revolution in forensic science could ultimately lead to a paradigm shift in which a new role of the forensic expert emerges as developer and custodian of integrated forensic platforms.
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Aims and objectives. The Forensic Early Warning Signs of Aggression Inventory (FESAI) was developed to assist nurses and patients in identifying early warning signs and constructing individual early detection plans (EDP) for the prevention of aggressive incidents. The aims of this research were as follows: First, to study the prevalence of early warning signs of aggression, measured with the FESAI, in a sample of forensic patients, and second, to explore whether there are any types of warning signs typical of diagnostic subgroups or offender subgroups. Background. Reconstructing patients’ changes in behaviour prior to aggressive incidents may contribute to identify early warning signs specific to the individual patient. The EDP comprises an early intervention strategy suggested by the patient and approved by the nurses. Implementation of EDP may enhance efficient risk assessment and management. Design. An explorative design was used to review existing records and to monitor frequencies of early warning signs. Methods. Early detection plans of 171 patients from two forensic hospital wards were examined. Frequency distributions were estimated by recording the early warning signs on the FESAI. Rank order correlation analyses were conducted to compare diagnostic subgroups and offender subgroups concerning types and frequencies of warning signs. Results. The FESAI categories with the highest frequency rank were the following: (1) anger, (2) social withdrawal, (3) superficial contact and (4) non-aggressive antisocial behaviour. There were no significant differences between subgroups of patients concerning the ranks of the four categories of early warning signs. Conclusion. The results suggest that the FESAI covers very well the wide variety of occurred warning signs reported in the EDPs. No group profiles of warning signs were found to be specific to diagnosis or offence type. Relevance to clinical practice. Applying the FESAI to develop individual EDPs appears to be a promising approach to enhance risk assessment and management.
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Understanding the factors that may impact the transfer, persistence, prevalence and recovery of DNA (DNA-TPPR), and the availability of data to assign probabilities to DNA quantities and profile types being obtained given particular scenarios and circumstances, is paramount when performing, and giving guidance on, evaluations of DNA findings given activity level propositions (activity level evaluations). In late 2018 and early 2019, three major reviews were published on aspects of DNA-TPPR, with each advocating the need for further research and other actions to support the conduct of DNA-related activity level evaluations. Here, we look at how challenges are being met, primarily by providing a synopsis of DNA-TPPR-related articles published since the conduct of these reviews and briefly exploring some of the actions taken by industry stakeholders towards addressing identified gaps. Much has been carried out in recent years, and efforts continue, to meet the challenges to continually improve the capacity of forensic experts to provide the guidance sought by the judiciary with respect to the transfer of DNA.
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Dit lectorenplatform richt zich specifiek op vakoverstijgend onderwijs op het snijvlak van kunst, wetenschap en technologie. Deelnemers aan het lectorenplatform beschouwen de opbloeiende, interdisciplinaire praktijken van wetenschappers en kunstenaars als een inspiratiebron voor de vernieuwing van het funderend en hoger onderwijs. Om deze vernieuwing te realiseren moeten vanuit verschillende vakgebieden hands-on-ervaringen en onderzoekservaringen gecombineerd worden. Hierdoor komen leerlingen en studenten vanuit verschillende kennisdomeinen in samenwerking tot nieuwe manieren van leren en probleemoplossen. De ambitie van dit platform is om praktijkbeoefenaars, wetenschappers en docenten uit verschillende sectoren en disciplines bijeen te brengen. De NWA-route ‘Kunst: onderzoek en innovatie in de 21ste eeuw’ roept nadrukkelijk op tot investering in dergelijke platformen: “Het primair vernieuwende in deze route is dat partijen uit het kunstendomein: kunstenaars en ontwerpers, de sociale, geestes‐ en natuurwetenschappen, het kunstvakonderwijs, culturele bedrijven en de creatieve industrie zich met elkaar verbinden en inzetten op een gezamenlijke onderzoeksagenda. [...]" (Borgdorff, et al., 2016, p. 3). In het lectorenplatform staat niet alleen vakintegratie centraal, maar draait het ook om een actualisering van de leerinhouden van de kunst- en bètavakken: kunst kan heel analytisch zijn en bèta creatief, en kunst en bèta kunnen elkaar in onderlinge interactie versterken. Het lectorenplatform wil dus ook bestaande ideeën en beeldvorming rond kunsteducatie en wetenschap-/techniekonderwijs ter discussie stellen, en daarmee een impuls geven aan curriculumvernieuwing: van funderend tot beroepsonderwijs. Om onderzoek naar onderwijs op het snijvlak van kunst, wetenschap en technologie te bevorderen en binnen verschillende sectoren dit onderzoek op de agenda te zetten, richt het platform zich op drie themalijnen die aan de basis van de onderzoeksagenda staan: (1) professionele kunst- en ontwerppraktijken, (2) funderend onderwijs en (3) beroepsonderwijs. De themalijnen vormen de leidraad voor te initiëren onderzoek en activiteiten als het opzetten van een thematische online database met good practices en de organisatie van designathons waarin deelnemers uit verschillende disciplines de interdisciplinaire praktijk actief beleven.
