[Southflanknorthpawsis]

Is it just me or is it unusual for the same person that scientifically analyzes trace evidence to also visit various "crime scenes"?

I always thought collection and subsequent analysis was and should be totally unrelated; thus the deliberate adjective......INDEPENDENT lab.

I have to assume that the reason for indentifying a lab as independent is to show no official association to the police department.

Aren't the two processes contradictory? IOW, one is apparently independent to eliminate any chance of compromise and the other is just the opposite. Weird !!!!

[Freedom2specul8]

Good points southflank...budget cuts? Tradition across the u.s.? What is the industry standard?

[cyncooper]

Is it just me or is it unusual for the same person that scientifically analyzes trace evidence to also visit various "crime scenes"?

I am getting the opposite impression. That cross contaminatin could not have happened as investigators did not go between van Dam and Westerfield homes at all. Others visited different scenes but on different dates, etc.