U.S. flag
      An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.
        Here's how you know
      Here's how you know**Official websites use .gov**
            
            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
      **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
            
            A **lock** (
            A locked padlock
            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Menu

      
        close

            
            
                                              About NIJ
        
                    
  
          About NIJ
      
    
          The NIJ Director
          How NIJ Is Organized
          Mission and Guiding Principles
          Research and Development Process
          Strategic Framework
          Assessments of NIJ
          Annual Reports & Reports to Congress
          Staff Directory
          Funding & Awards
        
                    
  
          Funding & Awards
      
    
          Current Funding
          Forthcoming Funding
          Expired Funding
          Awards: Listing of Funded Projects
          Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
          Fellowship & Student Programs
          Travel Scholarships
          NIJ Challenge Program
          Library & Multimedia
        
                    
  
          Library & Multimedia
      
    
          NIJ Journal
          Podcasts
          Publications Listing
          Multimedia Listing
          Rated Practices on CrimeSolutions
          Rated Programs on CrimeSolutions
          Software & Databases
          Datasets
          Patents
          Topics
        
                    
  
          Topics
      
    
          Article Listing
          Corrections
          Courts
          Crime Prevention
          Crimes
          Drugs and Crime
          Equipment and Technology
          Forensic Sciences
          Youth Justice
          Justice System Reform
          Law Enforcement
          Tribal Crime and Justice
          Victims of Crime
          Events
        
                    
  
          Events
      
    
          NIJ 2024 Research Conference
          Scheduled Events
          On-Demand Events
          Research Meetings & Workshops
          NIJ-Hosted Online Training

                            
                                About
          Contact Us
          Subscribe
          Topics A-Z
                  Share
FacebookXLinkedInRedditPinterestEmail Home
                            Funding & Awards
 Development of a probabilistic multiclass model selection algorithm for high-dimension and complex data encountered in forensic pattern and trace evidence.
Award Information
Awardee
              SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY
Award #
              2018-R2-CX-0010
Funding Category
              Competitive Discretionary
Location
                    BROOKINGS, SD
Congressional District
              0
Status
              Closed
Funding First Awarded
              2018
Total funding (to date)
              $149,942
Original Solicitation
              NIJ FY18 Graduate Research Fellowship in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2018, $149,942)
The development of quantifiable measures of uncertainty in forensic conclusions has resulted in the apparition of several ad-hoc methods for approximating the weight of the evidence (WoE). In particular, following developments in the field of biometry in the 1990s, forensic researchers have attempted to use similarity measures, or scores, to simplify the approximation of the weight of high-dimensional and complex evidential data.
Score-based methods have been proposed for numerous evidence types such as fingerprints, handwriting, inks, controlled substances, firearms, and voice analysis. Researchers have designed different score-based statistics to approximate the weight of evidence. In general, score-based methods consider the score as a projection onto the real line and focus on different sampling distributions of the score.
While it has been shown that score-based methods for assigning the WoE do not converge to, or share the same basic properties as, the ""true"" WoE, another statistic has recently come to light. Kernel-based methods preserve the necessary properties of the true WoE, while also maintaining the data reduction advantages of score-based methods via similarity scores: kernel methods consider a transformation of the entire feature space by using a score as a kernel function.
This three-year research project proposes to complete the class of kernel-based algorithms initiated under NIJ Awards 2009-DN-BX-K234 (addressed the ""outlier detection"" problem) and 2015-R2-CX-0028 (addressed the ""common source"" problem) by proposing a fully probabilistic model to approach the ""specific source"" problem. This project will assess the ""specific source"" problem though development of a progressive series of models: first the ""specific source"" problem will be addressed for two fixed classes; the model will then be extended to consider multiple (greater than two) fixed sources; finally, a kernel-based model selection algorithm will be developed to consider a single fixed source (the suspected source) plus multiple random sources. This class of algorithms will make use of kernels to handle the high-dimension and complex data that is commonly encountered in forensic pattern and trace evidence.
Success of this project will have major implications for the forensic science, criminal justice, and statistical communities. The proposed class of algorithms will enable the quantification of most evidence types for the benefit of the forensic science and legal communities in the U.S. and worldwide. In addition, this algorithm will provide a naturally probabilistic, multiclass, and compact alternative to current kernel-based pattern recognition methods such as support vector machines, relevance vector machines, and approximate Bayesian computation methods.
"Note: This project contains a research and/or development component, as defined in applicable law," and complies with Part 200 Uniform Requirements - 2 CFR  200.210(a)(14).
ca/ncf



  
Grant-Funded Publications
        
                      Deconvolution of dust mixtures
                  Defence against the modern arts: the curse of statistics-Part II: 'Score-based likelihood ratios'
                  Two-stage approach for the inference of the source of high-dimensional and complex chemical data in forensic science
                  Communicating forensic evidence: Is it appropriate to report posterior beliefs when DNA evidence is obtained through a database search?

  
Date Created: September 20, 2018
    
          Side navigation
  

        

  
  
              Current Funding
    
      
            
            
            
      Forthcoming Funding
    
      
            
            
            
      Expired Funding
    
      
            
            
            
      Awards: Listing of Funded Projects
    
      
            
            
            
      Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
    
      
            
            
            
      Fellowship & Student Programs
    
      
            
            
            
      Travel Scholarships
    
      
            
            
            
      NIJ Challenge ProgramSimilar Awards
        
                      Internal Affairs Complaint Investigations: A Multi-Site Comparison
                  Optimizing Analytical Parameters for Detection of Chronic and Single Dose Drug Exposure in Forensic Hair Analysis
                  Exploring how survivor perspectives and priorities are reflected in the use and implementation of Extreme Risk Protective Orders to address intimate partner violence
 Top

      National Institute of Justice

        
        
                        About NIJ
                    About NIJ
      
    
                  How NIJ Is Organized
      
    
                  NIJ Director
      
    
                  Research Disclaimer
      
    
                  Funding & Awards
                    Funding & Awards Home
      
    
                  Awards Listing
      
    
                  Current Funding
      
    
                  Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
      
    
                  Resources
                    Events
      
    
                  Podcasts
      
    
                  Publications
      
    
                  Topics
      
    
                  Multimedia
      
    
                  Reuse Policy
      
    
                  Contacts
                    Contact NIJ
      
    
                  Staff Directory
      
    
                  Submit a FOIA Request
      
    
                  File a Civil Rights ComplaintFacebook
          
                      X
          
                      YouTube
  

      810 7th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20531
      
              Secondary Footer link menu
            Accessibility
              Plain Language
              Privacy Policy
              Legal Policies and Disclaimer
              No FEAR Act
              Freedom of Information Act
              USA.gov
              Justice.gov