- Provide training and education on forensic DNA, crime scene investigation, evidence identification, preservation and collection, ethics, and courtroom testimony to law enforcement, attorneys, forensic scientists, and other criminal justice professionals (e.g., SANE, victim/witness coordinators, physicians)
- Develop and deliver onsite or online training programs in a variety of forensic science and legal topics to be customized to the needs of the client
- Provide DNA consultation for criminal, civil and paternity cases
- Provide pre-trial preparation and litigation and testimony support for cases involving complex scientific evidence
- Provide facilitation for the development of consensus-based training tools for the criminal justice community
- Provide assistance in strategic planning (short term and long term) to maximize the investigative value of forensic DNA evidence including coordination among police agencies, crime laboratories, courts, jails and probation/corrections/parole
- Serve an advisory function to state and/or local entities considering obtaining “directed” federal funds
- Serve an advisory role for forensic science degree programs seeking FEPAC accreditation
Past Projects
Consulted with a variety of organizations including the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the Office of Victims of Crime (OVC), the National Forensic Science Technology Center (NFSTC), the West Virginia University (WVU) Forensic Science Initiative, the Virginia Institute of Forensic Science and Medicine, and the National Clearinghouse for Science, Technology and Law (NCSTL) at Stetson University College of Law, to facilitate and coordinate the development of interactive training and education tools and publications for the criminal justice community. Past projects include the development of a CD-Rom on DNA evidence for officers of the court, a CD-Rom on digital evidence, 2 guides on Internet crime and high technology investigations, a guide for computer forensic curricula, and the organization of several national conferences on science, technology and the law, the development of a searchable scientific and legal data clearinghouse, the development of training criteria for on-site inspectors of forensic science education programs, the development of 2 separate training curricula on DNA for defense attorneys, the development of a legal guide for forensic and testifying experts .
Current Projects
- Drafting a report based on a survey of forensic laboratories to study the effect of the Paul Coverdell grant program (funded by NIJ through the Library of Congress (LOC)
- Project Manager and Co-Principal Investigator: Working Group on Presenting Forensic Science Evidence Using Quantitative and Qualitative Terms (QQWG) (funded by NIST through PSU)
- Drafting online training modules and will deliver online training for the legal aspects of latent print examination (funded by NIJ through the Virginia Tech University) Drafting online training modules and will deliver onsite training for Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (funded by NIJ through NCSTL)
- Also conduct training on DNA for the SANE/SART DNA for Law Enforcement Program and the COPS Office DNA program.
Pending Projects
- Applying for a grant under the National Scientific Foundation to develop an online ethics course for undergraduate forensic science students through PSU
- Submitted a proposal to the PSU Dickinson School of Law for a Scientific Evidence Course
- Submitted several proposals to various law schools to co-sponsor day-long forensic science programs for local attorneys