Bloodstain classification errors revisited

✍ Scribed by S.S. Selvin; B.W. Grunbaum

• Publisher: Elsevier
• Year: 1988
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 221 KB
• Volume: 28
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0015-7368
• DOI: 10.1016/s0015-7368(88)72803-0

✦ Synopsis

We thank Dr Morris and Dr Brenner for taking the time to read and respond to our paper "Genetic marker determination in evidence bloodstains: the effect of classification errors on probability of non-discrimination and probability of concordance" (JFSS 1987; 27: 57-63). We are especially appreciative of their efforts to point out the many portions of our paper which they find to be correct. We have noted their agreement that (1) the body of the paper is substantially accurate, (2) we have described our example of non-discrimination correctly, (3) we are correct in stating that the errors are not likely to be in a direction where individuals are falsely accused, and (4) we are correct in stating that when a battery of tests is performed, laboratory errors accumulate so that even small error rates can produce a substantial probability of error. We are pleased that Morris and Brenner regard retesting as a reasonable suggestion for the reduction of laboratory errors.