Mc. Grieve, A survey on the evidential value of fibres and the interpretation of the findings in fibre transfer cases. Part 2 - interpretation and reporting, SCI JUSTICE, 40(3), 2000, pp. 201-209
The first part of this two part series examined the effect of fibre frequen
cies on evidential value. In the second part the evaluation and reporting o
f fibres evidence is considered. Responses to examples of case scenarios ar
e examined and the degree of variation in assessing the strength of the evi
dence in these were evaluated using a verbal probability scale. Opinions we
re sought on the extent of the information which it might be useful to incl
ude in fibre casework reports. In the light of the results from the survey,
and ideas put forward in publications advocating the use of a Bayesian app
roach to evaluate fibres evidence, some suggestions are made about how impr
ovements in the reporting of fibres evidence may be achieved.