FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK... Carol Henderson

This issue of It’s Evident finds the staff at NCSTL as busy as ever. Here’s what’s new:

• NCSTL.org's “one-stop-shop” database has grown to over 64,000 records and continues to develop and consolidate forensic-based information;
  
  
• The NCSTL receives regular media coverage. On January 17, 2008 I was interviewed on the Montel Williams Live Show; the show was called “True Crime: Body of Evidence”.
  
  
• I participated in the AAFS 60th Annual Scientific Meeting on February 18 - 23, 2008 and was installed as President of the organization. It is an honor and a privilege to serve as president. My theme for the 2009 AAFS meeting is Forensic Science: Envisioning and Creating the Future. The text of my acceptance speech is here and the audio file will soon be posted.
  
  
• Articles written by NCSTL staff members are published regularly in various journals. This quarter, Dr. Susan Zucker, Director of Technology & Distance Education wrote “Cyber Forensics: Part II” for the January, 2008 issue of It’s Evident. The article was accepted for inclusion in the IACP database in January.
  
  
• To inform NCSTL’s constituency, which includes law enforcement, legal professionals, scientists, engineers, educators, and technologists, NCSTL representatives make presentations and offer training on a multitude of topics. NCSTL Law and Science fellow, Angela Lack, presented “All about Forensics”, at the Elderhostel Program at Eckerd College, FL, on February 5 and March 5, 2008.
  
  
• Of special note, the NCSTL is working on the President’s DNA Initiative training for defense counsel who handle cases involving biological evidence. To achieve this goal, the NCSTL, led by Director of Research, Anjali Swienton, is working closely with the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and an expert Advisory Group to develop training to provide defense attorneys with general knowledge of the uses of DNA evidence in judicial proceedings as it pertains to discovery and ethics, proper closing arguments, case assessment, etc. The proposed training complements other forensic DNA evidence resources developed by NIJ, e.g., the “Officers of the Court” CD-ROM, which focuses on foundational understanding of the science, technology, statistics, and other non-advocacy topics. The Technical Working Group (TWG) assembled and met in October, 2007 and on January 28 - 29 and March 31 - April 1, 2008.

The next issue of It's Evident will be published in July, 2008. Until then …

RESEARCH FOCUS
Ghosting: … grave robbery for the 21st century
Kevin Paget, Researcher

During 2005, roughly 8.3 million Americans acknowledged that they were victims of identity theft. Identity theft can take on many different forms: from current checking and credit accounts being hijacked to social security numbers being stolen and new accounts created. But identity theft is not just a problem for the living anymore. One of the newest offshoots of this ever growing problem is called “ghosting”. Full Paper

RESEARCH EXTRA
Getting Personal: Identity Thieves May Be Closer Than You Think
Catherine Guthrie, Research Attorney

With an estimated 8 to 9 million American victims each year and a recent surge in media coverage, most of us are familiar with the concept of identity theft. This crime occurs when someone uses another person's personally identifying information, like their name, credit card number, Social Security number, or driver's license, without permission. The stolen data is then used for any one (or more) of a variety of fraudulent activities, nearly all of which are designed to financially benefit the perpetrator. Full Paper

SPOTLIGHT ON IDENTITY THEFT
Year of Preventing Identity Crime: It Can Happen to Anyone—Even Chiefs
William Berger, Chief of Police, Palm Bay, Florida; IACP Past President and NCSTL Advisory Council Member
Linked directly to Police Chief Magazine where this article was published.

Seldom do we, in the law enforcement profession, carry the mantel of crime victim. However, that is exactly what happened to this author; I am one of the millions of victims of identity crime. Read more

FROM THE RESEARCH DESK...
Diana Botluk, Director of Research

The past few months have brought many changes to the Research Department. Find out more.

NCSTL's BOOKS & SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
Visit the NCSTL's Book Collection @ Stetson College of Law and the NCSTL's Special Collections. Borrow from the collections.

TECHNOLOGY AND DISTANCE EDUCATION NEWS
Dr. Susan Zucker, Director Technology & Distance Education and Publisher of It's Evident

During the first quarter of 2008, many elements were added to the NCSTL Education and Training section. Find out more

NCSTL ACTIVITIES and PRESS: Find out where NCSTL staff has been and what we’ve been doing, as well as information about our publications, professional associations, and the press coverage we have received.