by Gideon Joubert, PARATUS
After years of research, Dr. David Klatzow’s monumental work regarding ballistic fingerprinting is finally published. Titled Defective Science, it is a must-read for any citizen concerned with justice and law enforcement. In it Dr. Klatzow thoroughly debunks the pseudoscience of ballistic fingerprinting.
Seeing as ballistic fingerprinting of all licenced firearms were an integral part of the previously proposed FCA amendments, this is a very important development. It essentially destroys the credibility of such practice in its entirety. There have been persistent rumours that ballistic fingerprinting may very well be in the new amendments, which are yet to see the light of day. If this is true, then Dr. Klatzow’s book comes at an incredibly opportune (and fortunate) moment.
His conclusions are as follows:
- Firearms do not always leave unique markings on the ammunition which is fired through them. Therefore, ballistic fingerprinting is unreliable as a forensic tool.
- The practice of comparative ballistic science is highly subjective and provides ample opportunity for bias.
- The ballistic fingerprint of a firearm can be changed using simple procedures and common materials.
- The ballistic fingerprint of a firearm can anyway change over its lifetime.
- An effective national ballistic imaging database is not feasible, as the variables of ballistic fingerprinting are too great.
- The possibility of false matches multiply with the size of the ballistic imaging database. This raises the spectre of miscarriage of justice, particularly among the poorest of the poor.
- The cost/benefit ratio of a national ballistic imaging database is exceptionally high. Too much money would be spent for too little benefit.
It is in your best interest to understand exactly how Dr. Klatzow came to these conclusions. Therefore, I have attached the entire book in PDF format right here: Defective Science – Dr David Klatzow
Please give it a read, and share it with your friends, family, colleagues, and whomever else you want to. The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Policing has already received their copies. One Member of Parliament commented as follows: “This will most certainly cause a commotion.” I believe that the authorities will be unable to ignore Dr. Klatzow’s research, and that his work has possibly saved us all from a great calamity.
Dr. Klatzow, you have our gratitude.
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