Anyone who has witnessed the aftermath of a violent crime knows the trauma and uncertainty left in its wake. From the anguish and turmoil felt by relatives and loved ones, to the responsibilities of property owners where the crime occurs, there are countless questions that must be answered – all from people under intense stress. […]
Read MoreThe victims of major crimes might think they stand alone, but this is not the case in Georgia where victims’ advocates work hard on their behalf. The advocates are there to ensure that victims compensation and other rights are not overlooked during a criminal case. These professionals, often employed by law enforcement agencies and district […]
Read MoreAs technology changes the way crimes are committed in America, those working in crime scene investigation are finding they have to adapt and expand their methods to close cases. Even in small-towns like Conyers, Ga., a crime scene investigator now uses an array of high-tech tools to help catch the bad guys. Crime scene investigator […]
Read MoreThe Georgia Bureau of Investigation was recently named the recipient of the 2009 August Vollmer Excellence in Forensic Science Award. The annual honor, bestowed by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, is given to an agency that shows exemplary use of forensic technology. The bureau earned the honor for its marijuana training program, which […]
Read MoreThe Georgia Bureau of Investigation has changed its approved GSR kit supplier from Sirchie to Tri-Tech Inc. According to GBI, the new kits will get better quality results and take less time for analysis. There are new collection procedures with the Tri-Tech, so crime scene technicians should carefully read the instructions before using a kit […]
Read MoreThe recent issue of Forensic Magazine included a column explaining problems created by suspect use of Anti-Digital Forensics. ADF is “an approach to manipulate, erase, or obfuscate digital data or to make its examination difficult, time consuming, or virtually impossible,” as explained by John J. Barbara, Crime Laboratory Analyst Supervisor with the Florida Department of […]
Read MoreAccording to the Mooresville (NC) Tribune, jurors took less than 15 minutes to convict a suspect in a gun and drug case after testimony by the head of Iredell County’s new crime lab. Sheriff Phil Redmond told the paper that it would have taken at least 18 months for the state crime lab to analyze […]
Read MoreLocal organizations have three months to plan for NCVRW. The theme for this year’s event, which runs April 26 to May 2, is “25 Years of Rebuilding Lives: Celebrating the Victims of Crime Act.” The colors this year are cranberry red and blue. VOCA was passed in 1984 under President Ronald Reagan, creating the Office […]
Read MoreMake sure victims find your agency when they need help after an incident. The Office for Victims of Crime operates an online directory searchable by agency, location, and types of services offered. Most local agencies that have received federal grants for victim services are automatically listed in the search engine. Others need to apply for […]
Read MoreGeorgia Coroners’ Association President Ralph Wilson says he’s wants to talk about launching the group’s unidentified persons database at the next executive meeting in Macon. “I’m fixing to push it,” he said Jan. 28. The association has a link on its Web site for submitting information to an unidentified decedent database, but “to this point, […]
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