abstract:Fiber analysis is a method of identifying and examining fibers used by law enforcement agencies around the world to procure evidence during an investigation. Fiber analysis is also used by law enforcement agencies to place suspects at the scene of the crime.
Instead, to judge by the most comprehensive study on the reliability of forensic evidence to date, the error rate is more than 10% in five categories of analysis, including fiber, paint and body fluids. (Meaning: When the expert says specimen X matches source Y, there's a 10% probability he's wrong.) DNA and fingerprints are more reliable but still not foolproof.