FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK... Carol Henderson

This issue of It’s Evident is the first issue in 2008! Holidays have come and gone and the new year is before us. Here’s what happened in the last quarter of 2007:

• NCSTL.org's “one-stop-shop” database has grown to over 60,000 records and continues to develop and consolidate forensic-based information;
  
  
• The NCSTL receives regular media coverage. Last quarter, I appeared on the Montel Williams Live Show, “True Crime: Deadly Deception”, November 1, 2007, and another appearance was scheduled for January 17, 2008.
  
  
• The NCSTL participates in scholarly activities and this accomplishment was not reported in the Spring, 2007 issue. Research Attorney, Catherine Guthrie, and Research Director, Diana Botluk, wrote articles for the Stetson Law Review: Center for Excellence in Advocacy Symposium. The law review was published in Spring 2007, Volume 36, Number 3. Ms. Guthrie's article, The Swinton Six: The Impact of State v. Swinton on the Authentication of Digital Images, is on page 661 and Ms. Botluk's article, The National Clearinghouse for Science, Technology and the Law: Supporting the Role of Forensic Science in the Administration of Justice, is on page 609.
  
  
• 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, and attend conferences nationally and internationally. .
  
  The past quarter was busy with meetings and conferences. I participated in: 1) the ASCLD 35th Annual Workshop and Symposium held in Orlando, Florida, October 1-4, 2007; 2) the IACP 114th Annual Conference & Exposition held at New Orleans, October 12-15, 2007; 3) the 15th International Forensic Science Symposium, Lyon, France, from October 22-26, 2007; 4) the Council of Scientific Society Presidents meeting, Washington, DC, December 1-4, 2007; 5) the National Academy of Science Committee Meeting, “Identifying the Needs of the Forensic Science”, Washington, DC, December 6, 2007; 6) the National Institute of Justice Forensic Policy Summit, Washington, DC, December 17-18, 2007.
  
  On October 16, 2007, Director of Technology and Distance Education, Dr. Susan Zucker, presented “Podcasting: Friend or Foe” at the E-Learn Conference, Quebec City, Quebec; Research Attorney, Jeff Chesen, presented “CSI Effect: Fact or Fiction” at the Florida Division of the International Association for Identification (FDIAI) Educational Conference 2007 on October 25; Research Attorney, Betty Fitterman, presented “Digging up Dirt on Experts-Cross Examination of Expert Witness Workshop”, Bradenton, FL, October 26, 2007. I presented information on the NCSTL to Judges from the Bahamas on December 14, 2007.

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

RESEARCH FOCUS
Elder Abuse: A Determination of Death
Angela Lack, Law & Science Fellow

Every year, nearly 700,000 to 1.2 million elderly people are subjected to mistreatment or abuse. People age 80 and older who are dependent on others for basic care, especially women, are particularly vulnerable to elder abuse. Many factors lead to the mistreatment of the elderly including: elderly persons’ need for care giving; dependency of people on the elderly; mental impairments; isolation; inadequate living arrangements; inability to perform daily functions; frailty; family conflict; poverty; alcohol or drug abuse of the caregiver; or other socioeconomic issues.

Elder abuse is a problem throughout the United States. Each state has its own guidelines and laws. Full Paper

TECHNOLOGY CORNER
Cyber Forensics: Part II
Dr. Susan Zucker, Director Technology & Distance Education

Cyberspace is the newest locus of criminal activity and it is the location where cyber forensic investigations take place. Cyber activity has become a significant portion of everyday life.

The surge in virtual reality environments and computer mediated communications via web pages, online documents, email, news group archives, archived files, and chat rooms have introduced new forms of deviance, crime, and social control. Thus, the scope of criminal investigation has also been broadened. Full Paper

Cyber Forensics: Part I was published in the January, 2007 issue of It's Evident and is part of the IACP (International Association of Chiefs of Police) database. Full Paper

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

Happy New Year! NCSTL is growing by leaps and bounds.

In 2007, NCSTL's third year online, it had almost three times as many visitors as in its first year. While the majority of NCSTL users hail from the United States, NCSTL has been visited by people in 116 countries since its inception in 2005. Find out more

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

Welcome, 2008 ...

In the last quarter of 2007, multimedia projects were uploaded to www.ncstl.org and lots of new information was added to the webstite. 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.