#120: Bite Marks - A Valid Argument in Support of Forensic Odontology and the Identification of Biters

In this episode of Crime and the Courtroom, John Collins presents a compelling case for what is arguably the most criticized practice in forensic science: identifying a biter from a bite mark. Reviewing the 2009 National Academy of Sciences report, the 2016 PCAST report, the 2023 NIST scientific foundation review, and the American Board of Forensic Odontology's decision to bar identification conclusions, John argues that these authorities got it wrong. The deeper problem, he contends, was never the science alone but the temperament of the experts who practiced it. Overconfidence, arrogance, and an unwillingness to acknowledge error turned a difficult discipline into a source of injustice, and courts were ill-equipped to detect it. John explains why a task being difficult or rare does not make it scientifically invalid. He also explores what courtroom admissibility means and why an expert's temperament may matter as much as the method. This is essential content for forensic scientists, attorneys, judges, policy makers, and researchers. YOUTUBE CHANNELS Main Podcast Channel Highlights Channel REFERENCE LINKS Valid Comparisons (Book and Course) Crime Lab Report (Book) ABFO 2016 Policy Change NIST Study 2009 NAS Report 2016 PCAST Report ABOUT YOUR HOST John Morrey Collins is a leadership and expertise coach who specializes in working with clients in authoritative, high-stakes occupations, with a primary emphasis on serving leaders, professionals, and organizations that support our complicated systems of criminal and civil justice. John started his private practice, Critical Victories, in 2013 after retiring from his award-winning, 20-year career as a forensic laboratory scientist and executive administrator, having served as the Director of Forensic Science for the State of Michigan. His forensic technical expertise was in the examination and testing of firearms and firearm-related evidence, having provided expert courtroom testimony in approximately 130 criminal trials, including death penalty cases and Daubert hearings. John is also the author of three books on forensic science and criminal justice reform. In 2022, he released his fourth book, "The New Superior – A Better Way to Be the One in Charge," which is available in print and audio. John's many career highlights include his part in the forensic investigation of the Atlanta serial bombings, which included the bombing of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, as well as his 2013 participation in a historic meeting with the US Attorney General and other firearm experts to discuss the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. John has a master's degree in organizational management and is formally certified as a Senior HR Professional by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). In 2012, John was trained as a professional coach by the College of Executive Coaching, and he became certified as a Gallup Strengths Coach in 2022. He lives and works near Detroit, Michigan. For more books and other information, please visit www.criticalvictories.com.