April 19, 2015

Department of Justice and FBI Joint Statement on Microscopic Hair Analysis

The Department has been working together with the Innocence Project to address errors made in statements by FBI examiners prior to December 1999 regarding microscopic hair analysis in the context of testimony or laboratory reports. Such statements are no longer being made by the FBI, and the FBI is also now employing mitochondrial DNA hair analysis in addition to microscopic analysis. However, the Department and the FBI are committed to ensuring that affected defendants are notified of past errors and that justice is done in every instance. The Department and the FBI are also committed to ensuring the accuracy of future hair analysis testimony, as well as the application of all disciplines of forensic science. The Department and FBI have devoted considerable resources to this effort and will continue to do so until all of the cases are addressed.

- More on FBI/DOJ Microscopic Hair Comparison Analysis Review