The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

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July 18, 2012

Jay wants reductions in ‘wrongful convictions’

From Staff Reports

BECKLEY — West Virginia-led forensics research helped inspire Sen. Jay Rockefeller to author legislation aimed at avoiding police mistakes that have put the wrong people behind prison bars.

Under his bill, known as the Forensic Science and Standards Act, the senator said standards would be elevated by installing 21st century advances in technology and improve the link between scientists and the criminal justice system.

“West Virginia is a worldwide leader in forensics and has done groundbreaking work — often leading the field,” the West Virginia Democrat said.

“With more forensics facilities growing throughout the country, this field has continued to expand, but we also know that at some facilities, thousands of criminal convictions may have been based on flawed hair and fiber evidence, for example, and that is deeply disturbing.”

Rockefeller chaired a hearing by the Senate Commerce Committee that examined forensic science standards.

Among those testifying was Dr. Terry Fenger, director of Marshall University’s Forensic Science Center, who called for development of accredited academic programs in forensics at state colleges and universities.

“West Virginians value fairness and integrity, and we all agree that even one innocent person wrongfully convicted is too many,” the senator said.

Besides programs at both Marshall and West Virginia University, he noted, the state also has the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services division in Clarksburg, a repository of the world’s biggest collection of fingerprints.

Rockefeller’s bill would:

— Direct the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop forensic science standards.

— Call for the director of the NIST and attorney general to chair a special forensic science advisory committee to implement new science-based standards.

— Create a National Forensic Science Coordinating Office to develop a research strategy and roadmap to be implemented at relevant federal agencies.

 

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