When courtroom science goes wrong — and how stats can fix it

Regina Nuzzo

doi:10.1146/knowable-101118-4

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CREDIT: MAKI NARO

Society

Comic

When courtroom science goes wrong — and how stats can fix it

COMIC: Bite marks, shoe prints, crime-scene fibers: Matches to suspects are often far shakier than courtroom experts claim. Better statistical methods — among them, a little beast known as the “likelihood ratio” — can cut down on wrong convictions.

By Regina Nuzzo Illustrated by Maki Naro 10.12.2018

10.1146/knowable-101118-4

Regina Nuzzo is an award-winning stats communicator, professor and writer. At night she dreams about becoming a caped statistical superhero. Follow her at @ReginaNuzzo

Maki Naro is an award-winning feral cartoonist and science communicator. You can reliably find him online, where he tweets from the handle @sciencecomic

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<p class="article-info">
Comic</p>
<h1>When courtroom science goes wrong — and how stats can fix it</h1>
<p class="article-subhead">COMIC: Bite marks, shoe prints, crime-scene fibers: Matches to suspects are often far shakier than courtroom experts claim. Better statistical methods — among them, a little beast known as the “likelihood ratio” — can cut down on wrong convictions.</p>
<p class="article-byline">
<span class="author-byline">By Regina Nuzzo</span>
<span class="pub-date">10.12.2018<span>
</p>
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