Crime and the Courtroom

Relationships are the raw materials from which teamwork is made. But what happens when problems arise in workplace relationships and what can be done to fix them? John Collins will share his thoughts about relationships within the forensic science environment and will also share a strategy for repairing broken relationships when they start getting in the way of your laboratory's mission. Our Seaso...

Faith is not a subject we typically associate with science, but even scientists rely on their faith to orient themselves in this world and this life. Faith is not the same as religion and is not rooted in certainty. It is something we struggle with. John Collins speaks with his friend, colleague, and fellow coach, Kevin R. Smith, about having faith in our natural strengths, and knowning that they...

In today's episode of the Crime Lab Coach Cast, John discusses the most widely discussed element of personality, which is the extroversion/intoversion spectrum. But there are myths that need to be replaced with facts and healthier attitudes about our desire to socialize and communicate with others. Where do YOU fall on the spectrum, and how do you use it to your advantage? Our Seasonal Sponsor Pro...

John speaks with forensic science veteran, educator, and philosopher, Max Houck, to discuss some of the deeper issues facing forensic science laboratories today. Join Max and John as they tackle issues such as the relationships between laboratories and police agencies, standards, acceditation, the future of forensic science, and some interesting bits of historical fact that brought forensic scienc...

Bad things happen in all occupations, but when nightmares come true, it's vital that your team stick together to come out on the other side better than you were before. In this episode of the CoachCast, John Collins discusses the one mistake and the one fantasy that get in the way of forensic science laboratories seeking to address - and prevent - a crisis or catastrophic failure.  Our Seasonal Sp...

Employees can only motivate themselves, a truth that invites important questions about what both managers and employees should be prioritizing in their efforts to contribute toward a high-energy laboratory team. John Collins, "America's Crime Lab Coach," shares his tips and ideas in this next edition of the Crime Lab COACH Cast. References Promega - 2024 Season Sponsor Talent is Overrated (Book) T...

In this 3rd episode of the 2024 season, John reaches into his bag of coaching strategies to help listeners cope effectively with people having pathologically challenging personalities. References Promega (Season Sponsor) Coping with Difficult People (Book by R Bramson, PhD)

John Collins speaks with Tim Kupferschmid, Chief of Laboratories for the New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Tim is also the current president of the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors. In this episode, Tim shares his thoughts on current events and issues facing today's forensic science laboratories, as well as the issues that will confront laboratory administrators in...

In this first episode of our 4th season, John Collins chats with Mark Stolorow, the former Deputy Director of the Special Programs Office at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), where he was also the Director for OSAC Affairs (Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science). The mission of OSAC is to produce consensus documentary standards and guidelines to i...

In this Crime Lab COACH Cast update, John discusses the newly released 2020 Census of Publicly Funded Forensic Science Crime Laboratories, the upcoming SCOTUS ruling in Smith v. Arizona , and strategies for dealing with artificial intelligence "cheating" when administering essay questions during the application process for new scientists. References Smith v. Arizona 2020 Census of Publicly Funded...

Ann MacPhetridge is the Senior Manager in charge of Genetic Identity Commercialization & Marketing at Promega Corporation. Ann speaks with John Collins about the rewards and challenges of commercializing and marketing within the forensic science marketplace. She also explains the history of the ISHI meeting and the impact DNA scientists have had on the entire forensic laboratory community. Referen...

The top decisions-makers at the Wisconsin DOJ Division of Forensic Science join John Collins to discuss an innovative approach to developing and building support for case submission policies. Nicole Roehm and Jennifer Naugle explain the history of the committee, the benefits of the committee on keeping backlogs down, and what's happening nationally with regards to the establishment of forensic sci...

Indi Young is an expert at teaching clients how to prevent false assumptions from causing damage to themselves and their customers. The author of 3 books, Indi speaks with John Collins about how she evaluates individuals to understand how they think, and why they think it. Perhaps it's time to stop dwelling on bias and begin thinking about mental models and how they can be leveraged to our advanta...

Peter Stout is the president and director of the Houston Forensic Science Center. He and John Collins discuss the current political climate in the Houston criminal justice system, its past challenges, and some potentially game-changing blind-testing strategies being employed by Stout and his team. References Proceedings of the NAS (Forensic Articles Coming Soon) Stout Turned Around Houston Lab (Ne...

After welcoming Promega as the first sponsor of the Crime Lab COACH Cast, John Collins discusses some sensitive advocacy issues related to claims that forensic science disciplines are invalid or unreliable. Are crime laboratories putting out "junk science," or is "junk activism" misportraying the reality of forensic science methods? Maybe both? You be the judge. Sponsorship Links Promega Internati...

John Collins brings you up to speed on some more forensic controversy out of Houston, and shares a valuable interview tip for evaluating the potential of new forensic laboratory scientists to develop into effective expert witnesses. It's a busy day here at the Crime Lab COACH Cast. See you in the studio! References News out of Houston

Pamela Marshall is the Associate Professor and Director of the Forensic Science and Law masters program at Duquesne University. In this episode, John chats with Dr. Marshall about the state of forensic science education in the United States, and what employers in forensic science need to know about the new generation of students who will become tomorrow's workforce. References Duquesne University...

Kermit Channell is the Executive Director of the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory. In this conversation with Director Channell, John Collins asks about his coming retirement, his career in forensic science, the outlook for forensic labs in the next 10 to 20 years, and the priorities laboratory administrators will have as the profession continues to evolve.  References Kermit Channell Retirement Ann...

Your host, John M. Collins, has issued a press release making an official statement on the significance of the recent federal court ruling holding Dr. Henry Lee liable for malpractice in the investigation of a 1985 homicide. John's comments are intended to put the situation, at least preliminarily, into proper context so that recent events aren't use to unfairly attack today's trustworthy, reliabl...

You are naturally wired to lead and influence in a particular way, but do you know what that way is? Do you know how your employees and colleagues are wired? If you don't, you have an amazing opportunity. In this impactful episode of the COACH Cast, John Collins discusses the workshop he facilitated at the 50th annual symposium of the American Society of Crime Laboratory directors. Listen to John...

Random characteristics are the basis of the forensic pattern identification disciplines but, too often, examiners testify about randomness without understanding what it means or if it's even a scientifically legitimate principle. It is legitimate and this episode explains why. References Memphis, Tenn Crime Lab Debate Stochastics article by John Collins International Journal of Stochastics

What happens when a judge tries to influence or intimidate an expert witness into testifying a certain way? John will explain how you can handle this situation. John will also follow up on the previous CoachCast episode on firearm identification and its scientific underpinnings. References Firearm OSAC Firearm Examiner Accuracy - Part 1 Firearm Examiner Accuracy - Part 2  

In Illinois v. Rickey Winfield (15CR1406601), Judge William Hicks blocked firearm identification testimomy (Feb 2023). And, as usual, the significance of the ruling is being misinterpreted and misapplied in some of the media reporting. John Collins tells us what we need to know about this case and what we can learn from it. References Commentary By Radley Balko Court Ruling in Winfield Adina Schwa...

Amy Curtis Jenkins is the founding president of the National Association of Forensic Laboratory Counsel, an emerging membership organization for attorneys specializing in the legal representation of public forensic science laboratories. In this episode, John Collins chats with Amy about embedded legal counsel and the issues they address. References National Association of Forensic Laboratory Couns...