Proceedings of the International Symposium on Forensic Science Error Management

Published

December 27, 2016

Author(s)

John M. Butler

Abstract

A total of 432 registered participants from 11 countries contributed to a successful first-ever international symposium devoted exclusively to the topic of forensic science error management. Over the three-and-a-half day meeting and across 8 technical tracks and 42 sessions, there were 2 keynote and 10 plenary speakers, 106 oral presentations, 9 panel discussions, and 18 poster presentations. In their keynote address, Brandon Mayfield and Steven Wax, Mr. Mayfield's attorney, providing a gripping tale of the impact that an error in a fingerprint "match" caused Mr. Mayfield and his family. The symposium concluded with a moot court drama and Professor Bill Thompson serving as a "widget identification expert." Science magazine (31 July 2015 issue, 349: 462-463) even ran a short summary of the symposium.

Citation

Special Publication (NIST SP) - 1206

Report Number

1206

NIST Pub Series

Special Publication (NIST SP)

Pub Type

NIST Pubs

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.1206

Local Download

Keywords

forensic science, errors, error management

Citation

Butler, J. (2016), Proceedings of the International Symposium on Forensic Science Error Management, Special Publication (NIST SP), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, [online], https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.1206, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=921569 (Accessed October 7, 2025)