Do math and science generate miraculous advances in criminology, or do they create more problems than they solve? The truth is complicated. Progress in forensic analysis like DNA testing has helped police and prosecutors get to the bottom of crimes that would have remained as mysteries a century ago, and it has also reinforced innocence and reversed wrongful convictions.
But for every irrefutable victory we owe to these disciplines, we seem to uncover difficulties we didn’t even know existed. How useful is probability when judges and juries struggle to grasp the basics? And how do we prevent prosecutors and defense attorneys from using that confusion to impede justice? Can a simple bar graph catch a serial killer? Can we actually trust our own eyes? Can errors in forensics be so severe that they place an innocent person at the scene of a crime nearly 6,000 miles away?
The array of cases in this video document over a century of math and science in the courtroom. From tragic miscarriages of justice to monumental victories for the innocent, these 7 stories demonstrate that progress in criminology is more serpentine than linear.
Intro 0:00-1:43
The FBI Framed Him With Science 1:44 -17:40
Math Caught A Serial Killer 17:41-28:49
The Dangerous Science of Eyewitnesses 28:50-42:24
The Worst Math Ever Used In Court 42:25-51:26
Life In Prison For Your Name 51:27-1:03:43
The Good Side of a Dangerous Math Game 1:03:44-1:14:14
Math Caught $1 Million Dollar Fraud 1:14:15-1:24:38
Conclusion 1:24:39
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Hosted and Produced by Kevin Lieber
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Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/thecreateunknown
Research and Writing by Matthew Tabor
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Editing by John Swan
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJuSltoYKrAUKnbYO5EMZ2A
Huge Thanks To Paula Lieber
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