WHat is Forensic Statistics?

Forensic Statistics is all the statistics involved in crime cases and forensic research. One of the main topics is  evaluation of evidence. Nowadays much evidence is evaluated with Bayesian Statistics. In this approach the strength of the evidence is described by a verbal or numerical Likelihood Ratio. This gives the probability on finding certain evidence if this evidence comes from the crime scene versus the probability on finding this evidence if it did not origin from the crime scene.

Some other fields of Forensic Statistics concern, DNA statistics, Determining the sample size, from, for instance, a large consignment of tablets that are suspected of containing drugs. How many tablets must be sampled for chemical analysis to be sure with a certain probability that these tablets indeed contain drugs (at least for the majority)? Furthermore Classification and discrimination of paper, glass, fibres, hairs, ears, drugs, paint and whatever can be used asd evidence, Identification, Datamining and so on.

A good paper on forensic statistics in Dutch is by Marjan Sjerps:http://www.kennislink.nl/web/show?id=111865
and another one: http://www.nieuwarchief.nl/serie5/deel05/jun2004/pdf/sjerps.pdf#search=%22forensische%20statistiek%22

A student work on Forensic Statistics from the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam is: http://www.few.vu.nl/stagebureau/werkstuk/werkstukken/werkstuk-ijzerman.doc

For more detailed information see also the books section.