How are bite mark forensics a poor measure of determining whether a suspect matches the evidence found?

Question

How are bite mark forensics a poor measure of determining whether a suspect matches the evidence found?

In: Other

Answer 1

1. Human skin doesn’t preserve marks very well.
2. In practice, the process of matching bite marks often involves pressing a mold of the suspect’s teeth into the bite marks, which can alter the marks (and make it appear that the teeth match even when they don’t).
3. There’s no objective standards for qualifying matching, and very little in the way of consistent training for practitioners.

If you want a fascinating (and terrifying) look at the “science” of bite marks and several other types of “forensics” that aren’t nearly as accurate as often claimed, there’s a great book by Radley Balko called *The Cadaver King and the Country Dentist* which really goes through how the whole “science” of bite mark analysis came about.