Creating perceptual experts in Australia's policing and security agencies. This project aims to create the next generation of experts in Australia’s policing and national security agencies, by improving crime scene evidence interpretation. Agencies are under pressure to develop more rigorous training practices that go beyond mere intuition and tradition. This project will use a novel approach that directs learning toward the most diagnostic perceptual cues. Expected outcomes include a solid empi ....Creating perceptual experts in Australia's policing and security agencies. This project aims to create the next generation of experts in Australia’s policing and national security agencies, by improving crime scene evidence interpretation. Agencies are under pressure to develop more rigorous training practices that go beyond mere intuition and tradition. This project will use a novel approach that directs learning toward the most diagnostic perceptual cues. Expected outcomes include a solid empirical basis for national training programs designed to create experts that are accurate, reliable, and continuously improving. Improving the training of experts will ensure the integrity of forensics as evidentiary tools available to police, lead to more reliable courtroom convictions and help safeguard Australia from terrorism and crime.Read moreRead less
Early Career Industry Fellowships - Grant ID: IE230100380
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$390,574.00
Summary
Enhancing comprehension of forensic science in the justice system. Failures to effectively communicate the accuracy and reliability of forensic evidence to courts can lead to unreliable convictions and miscarriages of justice. This project aims to understand how best to distil complex information about error and uncertainty in forensic expert opinion evidence for enhanced comprehension of forensic science in the justice system. Outcomes include evidence-based strategies for communicating error a ....Enhancing comprehension of forensic science in the justice system. Failures to effectively communicate the accuracy and reliability of forensic evidence to courts can lead to unreliable convictions and miscarriages of justice. This project aims to understand how best to distil complex information about error and uncertainty in forensic expert opinion evidence for enhanced comprehension of forensic science in the justice system. Outcomes include evidence-based strategies for communicating error and uncertainty in forensic science and an accessible online dashboard for visualising known error rates in forensic disciplines. The knowledge gained from the project will help forensic experts to calibrate how they present their conclusions to courts for improved comprehension and evaluation of forensic evidence.Read moreRead less
The cost of keeping gruesome images from the world. This project aims to investigate one of society’s most invisible ‘frontline’ trauma workforces—the online content moderators responsible for limiting the public’s exposure to distressing and sensitive content on social media. Using a series of rigorous experiments, and cutting-edge psychological and physiological assessment techniques, the research will advance our understanding of the impact of indirect trauma on mental health. Expected outcom ....The cost of keeping gruesome images from the world. This project aims to investigate one of society’s most invisible ‘frontline’ trauma workforces—the online content moderators responsible for limiting the public’s exposure to distressing and sensitive content on social media. Using a series of rigorous experiments, and cutting-edge psychological and physiological assessment techniques, the research will advance our understanding of the impact of indirect trauma on mental health. Expected outcomes include novel empirical evidence for preventative strategies that will predict, monitor and reduce negative mental health outcomes. This will provide significant global benefits to people with indirect trauma experiences, such as defence and forensic personnel.Read moreRead less
Computational methods for population-size-dependent branching processes. Branching processes are the primary mathematical tool used to model populations that evolve randomly in time. Most key results in the theory are derived under the simplifying assumption that individuals reproduce and die independently of each other. However, this assumption fails in most real-life situations, in particular when the environment has limited resources or when the habitat has a restricted capacity. This project ....Computational methods for population-size-dependent branching processes. Branching processes are the primary mathematical tool used to model populations that evolve randomly in time. Most key results in the theory are derived under the simplifying assumption that individuals reproduce and die independently of each other. However, this assumption fails in most real-life situations, in particular when the environment has limited resources or when the habitat has a restricted capacity. This project aims to develop novel and effective algorithmic techniques and statistical methods for a class of branching processes with dependences. We will use these results to study significant problems in the conservation of endangered island bird populations in Oceania, and to help inform their conservation management.Read moreRead less
Improving the diagnosticity of eyewitness memory choices. Eyewitness identification error is common and costly. This project aims to improve the quality of information provided by eyewitnesses, and the ability of police officers and triers of fact (e.g., juries, judges) to evaluate this information. Laboratory investigations will determine how best to test memory and confidence to achieve this aim. A new class of cognitive models will provide a unified account of response accuracy, response time ....Improving the diagnosticity of eyewitness memory choices. Eyewitness identification error is common and costly. This project aims to improve the quality of information provided by eyewitnesses, and the ability of police officers and triers of fact (e.g., juries, judges) to evaluate this information. Laboratory investigations will determine how best to test memory and confidence to achieve this aim. A new class of cognitive models will provide a unified account of response accuracy, response time, and confidence, suitable for application to computerized testing scenarios. The models and testing methods validated in the laboratory will be refined for application in eyewitness memory settings, facilitating better evaluation of identification evidence, and potentially reducing wrongful convictions.Read moreRead less
Understanding third hand exposure of Australian people to methamphetamine. In Australia, there is high community concern around inadvertent exposure to methamphetamine residues in contaminated houses. In this proposal, an interdisciplinary research team aim to engage with public health authorities and public housing industry to conduct collaborative research on total exposure to methamphetamine in contaminated indoor environments. The project will assess exposure pathways (via air, dust, surface ....Understanding third hand exposure of Australian people to methamphetamine. In Australia, there is high community concern around inadvertent exposure to methamphetamine residues in contaminated houses. In this proposal, an interdisciplinary research team aim to engage with public health authorities and public housing industry to conduct collaborative research on total exposure to methamphetamine in contaminated indoor environments. The project will assess exposure pathways (via air, dust, surfaces) and link them with methamphetamine levels in samples from occupants (urine, hair). The project is expected to significantly enhance our understanding of how third hand exposure leads to internal exposure in humans. This knowledge provides evidence for policies on residential indoor exposures and remediation strategies.Read moreRead less