Document Type
Article
Publication Version
Accepted Manuscript
Publication Date
2019
Journal or Book Title
Journal of Forensic Sciences
DOI
10.1111/1556-4029.14187
Abstract
Proficiency testing is a key component of quality assurance programs within crime laboratories and can help improve laboratory practices. However, current proficiency testing procedures contain significant limitations and can be misinterpreted by examiners and court personnel (Garrett & Mitchell, 2018). To evaluate some of these limitations, we surveyed latent print examiners (n = 198) after they completed a Collaborative Testing Services, Inc. proficiency test. Additionally, we evaluated test performance and used a quality metric algorithm to evaluate the quality of test prints. Results do not suggest that respondents are dissimilar to the broader examiner population, although they may engage in different behaviors when completing tests versus casework. Findings show that proficiency testing contains prints of high quality and is perceived as both relatively easy and representative of casework. The test discriminated between inexperienced and experienced respondents, and verification procedures were largely ineffective in reducing errors. Objective quality metrics may provide a path forward to improving proficiency testing in a measurable manner.
Copyright Owner
American Academy of Forensic Sciences
Copyright Date
2019
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
Gardner, Brett O.; Kelley, Sharon; and Pan, Karen D.H., "Latent Print Proficiency Testing: An Examination of Test Respondents, Test‐Taking Procedures, and Test Characteristics" (2019). CSAFE Publications. 19.
https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/csafe_pubs/19
Comments
This is a manuscript of an article published as Gardner, Brett O., Sharon Kelley, and Karen DH Pan. "Latent Print Proficiency Testing: An Examination of Test Respondents, Test‐Taking Procedures, and Test Characteristics." Journal of forensic sciences (2019). Posted with the permission of CSAFE.