title: Sampling in forensic comparison problems.
abstract: When someone breaks glass a number of tiny fragments may be transferred to that person. If the glass is broken in the commission of a crime then these fragments may be used as evidence. If a large number of fragments are recovered from the suspect, then it may be more efficient for the forensic scientist to examine a subset of these fragments. Such sampling incurs information loss. This paper will derive an expression that allows a partial quantification of this loss. The loss of such information due to the examination of a subset of recovered material arises with many forms of evidence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics, University of Auckland, New Zealand. curran@stat.auckland.ac.nz
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Curran
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Triggs
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Buckleton
mesh_terms: D005554:Forensic Medicine; D005898:Glass; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D013997:Time Factors