In 2015, the FBI disclosed that hair microscopy—a forensic method involving visual comparison of hair samples—had been widely misapplied, with analysts providing flawed testimony in over 95% of reviewed cases, potentially impacting more than 3,000 defendants, including 33 on death row. Despite the availability of more accurate DNA testing, some jurisdictions continued to rely on this outdated technique, which a 2009 National Academy of Sciences report deemed “highly unreliable.” The persistence of hair microscopy in courtrooms underscores ongoing concerns about the use of discredited forensic methods in the justice system.
Prosecutors around the US are relying on shady science — and it’s a ‘mass disaster’
May 7, 2015 | News