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Experts on Trial - Hair Disaster

Title page for Experts on Trial podcast with Julia Shaw

Experts on Trial is a new forensic science podcast for BBC Radio 4.


Through the lens of a number of important cases, Dr Julia Shaw tackles some of the issues facing expert witnesses in court.




'Hair Disaster' investigates the reliability of forensic hair analysis and throws a spotlight on the wrongful conviction of George Perrot, who was convicted when he was a teenager.


In this episode, Julia speaks with Millington Hingley's Jo Millington about forensic hair evidence, how difficult it is to convey probabilities and statistics in legal settings, and what we can do to keep badly flawed expertise out of courtrooms.

Julia: Do you think that judges, juries and police understand statistical probabilities when they are presented to them?
Jo: No.
Julia: Do you think there are ways to help them understand?
Jo: Yes.
Julia: Like what? ...

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds - Experts on Trial Episode 2 - Hair Disaster to hear Jo's answer.





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