Associate Professor James Curran

City Room: 303S.267 Science Centre Extn: 88755 Email: curran@stat.auckland.ac.nz Website: http://www.stat.auckland.ac.nz/~curran

My interests are in statistical problems in forensic science. I consult with forensic agencies in New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom, and produce and maintain expert systems software for the interpretation of evidence. I also have experience as an expert witness for DNA and glass evidence, appearing in courts in the United States and Australia.

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RECENT PUBLICATIONS

1. Aitken, C.G.G., Lucy, D., Zadora, G. and Curran, J.M. (2006). Evaluation of trace evidence for three-level multivariate data with the use of graphical models. Computational Statistics and Data Analysis, 50(10) 2571-2588.
2. Buckleton, J., Curran, J.M., and Walsh, S,J. (2006) How reliable is the sub-population model in DNA testimony?. Forensic Science International, 157(2-3) 144-148.
3. Triggs, C.M. and Curran, J.M. (2005). The sensitivity of the Bayesian HPD method to the choice of prior. Accepted subject to minor revision, Science and Justice, March 2006.
4. Walsh, S.J., Mitchell, R.J., Curran, J.M. and Buckleton, J.S. Substructure in the indigenous Australian population and its impact on DNA evidence interpretation. In press International Congress Series, September 2005.
5. Gill. P., Curran, J.M. and Elliot, K. (2005). A graphical (Bayes net) molecular model of the entire DNA STR process to aid interpretation. In press International Congress Series, September 2005.
6. Buckleton, J., Curran, J.M., and Walsh, S,J. (2005). R v Bropho: Careful interpretation of DNA evidence is required for courtroom decision-making. In Press - Australian Law Journal Australian Law Journal 79:709-722.
7. Curran, J.M. (2005). An introduction to Bayesian credible intervals for sampling error in DNA profiles. Law, Probability and Risk 4(1-2): 115-126.
8. Hicks, T., Schutz, F., Curran, J.M., and Triggs, C.M. (2005). A model for estimating the number of glass fragments transferred when breaking a pane: experiments with firearms and hammer. Science and Justice 45(2): 65-74.
9. Bill, M.R., Gill, P., Curran, J., Clayton, T., Pinchin, R., Healy, M. and Buckleton, J. (2005). PENDULUM- A guideline based approach to the interpretation of STR mixtures. Forensic Science International 148(2-3) 181-189.
10. Curran, J.M., Gill, P., and Bill, M.R. (2005) Interpretation of repeat measurement DNA evidence allowing for multiple contributors and population substructure. Forensic Science International, 148(1) 47-53.
11. Gill, P., Curran, J.M. and Elliot, K. (2005). A graphical simulation model of the entire DNA process associated with analysis of short tandem repeat loci. Nucleic Acids Research 33(2):632-643.