title: Earmarks as evidence: a critical review.
abstract: The use of earmarks as evidence in criminal trials appears to be expanding, but there is something of a dearth of peer-reviewed scientific publications to support the pursuit. This paper is a critical review of the current literature in which we emphasize the weaknesses of the present state of knowledge. Some research directions are proposed to gather statistical knowledge of the within-source and between-source variability of earmarks and earprints. Its ultimate goal is to be able to assess likelihood ratios in relation to this type of evidence.
authors.affiliation: The Forensic Science Service, Solihull.
authors.forename: I C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Champod
authors.forename: I W
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: Evett
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kuchler
mesh_terms: D004423:Ear / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male