Contextual Bias in the Analysis of Bitemarks
Rachel Zajac, Nikola K.P. Osborne, Jules A. Kieser · Wiley Encyclopedia of Forensic Science · 2015
Abstract Despite the continued use of bitemarks as forensic evidence, there has been growing concern about the reliability of bitemark interpretation, and specifically about the role(s) that contextual information might play in this process. Here, we outline the basic processes involved in bitemark analysis, highlight possible sources of ambiguity and error, discuss the potential for contextual bias, and suggest ways to manage this issue. We also briefly touch on the potential for contextual bias in other forensic contexts that involve the analysis of dentition.