Probability and Forensic Evidence

Ronald Meester is Professor in probability theory at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. He is co-author of the books Continuum Percolation (1996), Random Networks for Communication (2008), and Wiskunde in je vingers (in Dutch, 2015) and has written around 120 research papers on topics including percolation theory, ergodic theory, philosophy of science, and forensic probability. Klaas Slooten works as Statistician at the Netherlands Forensic Institute and at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam where he is Professor by special appointment. He has published around 30 articles on forensic probability and statistics. He is interested in the mathematical, legal, and philosophical approaches to the evaluation of evidence.

• 1. Some Philosophy of Probability, Statistics, and Forensic Science; 2. Evidence and the Likelihood Ratio; 3. The Uncertainty of the Likelihood Ratio; 4. Forensic Identification; 5. The Bayesian Framework in Legal Cases; 6. Bayesian Networks; 7. DNA; 8. Statistical Modeling and DNA Mixture Evaluation; 9. p-Values of Likelihood Ratios; 10. From Evidence to Decision; 11. The Interpretation of DNA Database Matches; 12. Familial Searching; 13. Belief Functions and their Applications; 14. Recommendation Reports; References; Index.

'This is a foundational introduction to the statistical interpretation of forensic evidence. It should be considered an essential reference for anyone considering study or research in this area. The language and exposition are crystal-clear and leave no room for uncertainty of thinking.' James Curran, University of Auckland