In this final episode of the 2025 season of Crime and the Courtroom, host John Collins takes a candid and uncompromising look at a growing challenge within the forensic science community: the accelerating push toward standardization. While standards have long played a vital role in improving consistency and strengthening laboratory management, Collins argues that the pendulum may now be swinging too far. Drawing on decades of experience as a forensic scientist, laboratory director, and professional coach, he examines how overly rigid standardization can unintentionally suppress creativity, erode professional judgment, and undermine the very expertise that forensic science depends on.

Through comparisons to medicine, education, and the history of European integration, Collins explores how well-intentioned standardization efforts in many fields have produced unexpected and sometimes damaging consequences. He also confronts persistent misconceptions about wrongful convictions and challenges the narrative that forensic science is a leading cause of injustice. This episode is both a warning and a call to action: a reminder that while quality systems and accreditation are essential, the soul of forensic science lies in the experts who think, notice, decide, and deliver answers when lives are broken by crime. Whether you are a scientist, attorney, policymaker, or simply someone who cares about justice, this season finale invites you into an honest, overdue conversation about the future of a profession that touches every corner of the criminal justice system.

Season: 5 Episode: 103 Duration: 50:54 YOUTUBE CHANNELS Main Podcast Channel Highlights Channel

FROM OUR SPONSOR Learn About the Innovators at Promega International Symposium on Human Identification

REFERENCED RESOURCES

Growth of the European Union

Innocence Project Report on First 200 Exonerations

The Wrongful Conviction of Forensic Science - By Collins and Jarvis

ABOUT YOUR HOST

John Morrey Collins is a leadership and expertise coach specializing in working with clients in authoritative, high-stakes occupations, but with a primary emphasis on serving leaders, professionals, and organizations that support our complicated systems of criminal and civil justice. John started his private practice, Critical Victories, in 2013 after retiring his award-winning, 20-year career as a forensic laboratory scientist and executive administrator, having served as the Director of Forensic Science for the State of Michigan. His forensic technical expertise was in the examination and testing of firearms and firearm-related evidence, having provided expert courtroom testimony in approximately 130 criminal trials, including death penalty cases and Daubert hearings. John is also the author of three books on forensic science and criminal justice reform. In 2022, he released his fourth book, "The New Superior – A Better Way to Be the One in Charge," which is available in print and audio. John's many career highlights include his part in the forensic investigation of the Atlanta serial bombings, which included the bombing of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, as well as his 2013 participation in a historic meeting with the US Attorney General and other firearm experts to discuss the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. John has a master's degree in organizational management and is formally certified as a Senior HR Professional by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). In 2012, John was trained as a professional coach by the College of Executive Coaching, and he became certified as a Gallup Strengths Coach in 2022. He lives and works near Detroit, Michigan.

For more books and other information, please visit www.criticalvictories.com.

In this episode, John tells the full story about his battle with hearing loss, how it started, and what steps are now being taken to give him back his hearing. It is a story involving a serious accident in a forensic laboratory many years ago - sometime around 1995 - and one that provides some important lessons about safety, leadership, and personal accountability in the workplace.

Season: 5 Episode: 102 Duration: 47:29 YOUTUBE CHANNELS Main Podcast Channel Highlights Channel

FROM OUR SPONSOR Learn About the Innovators at Promega International Symposium on Human Identification

REFERENCED RESOURCES

None

ABOUT YOUR HOST

John Morrey Collins is a leadership and expertise coach specializing in working with clients in authoritative, high-stakes occupations, but with a primary emphasis on serving leaders, professionals, and organizations that support our complicated systems of criminal and civil justice. John started his private practice, Critical Victories, in 2013 after retiring his award-winning, 20-year career as a forensic laboratory scientist and executive administrator, having served as the Director of Forensic Science for the State of Michigan. His forensic technical expertise was in the examination and testing of firearms and firearm-related evidence, having provided expert courtroom testimony in approximately 130 criminal trials, including death penalty cases and Daubert hearings. John is also the author of three books on forensic science and criminal justice reform. In 2022, he released his fourth book, "The New Superior – A Better Way to Be the One in Charge," which is available in print and audio. John's many career highlights include his part in the forensic investigation of the Atlanta serial bombings, which included the bombing of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, as well as his 2013 participation in a historic meeting with the US Attorney General and other firearm experts to discuss the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. John has a master's degree in organizational management and is formally certified as a Senior HR Professional by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). In 2012, John was trained as a professional coach by the College of Executive Coaching, and he became certified as a Gallup Strengths Coach in 2022. He lives and works near Detroit, Michigan.

For more books and other information, please visit www.criticalvictories.com.

As we near the end of our 5th season, John Collins first takes a moment to discuss his upcoming surgery and his battle with hearing loss following an accident that occurred in a laboratory where he worked while he was in his early 20s. He then discusses "command coaching," which is an application of coaching at the initial points of promotion for sworn law enforcement commanders, and how the development of police leaders MUST prioritize high-resolution self-awareness as a key factor in future success. In order to earn the trust and respect of team members, sworn commanders must know who they are from the inside out before they will have the ability to navigate the most difficult situations and personalities they will face in their leadership careers. As John explains, the "staff and command" model of leadership education is made weak when opportunities to help police officers truly understand themselves and their natural tendencies are wasted.

Issues on Trial - Tell us what you think!

Season: 5 Episode: 101 Duration: 49:44 YOUTUBE CHANNELS Main Podcast Channel Highlights Channel

FROM OUR SPONSOR Learn About the Innovators at Promega International Symposium on Human Identification

REFERENCED RESOURCES

Book: The New Superior - A Better Way to Be the One in Charge

ABOUT YOUR HOST

John Morrey Collins is a leadership and expertise coach specializing in working with clients in authoritative, high-stakes occupations, but with a primary emphasis on serving leaders, professionals, and organizations that support our complicated systems of criminal and civil justice. John started his private practice, Critical Victories, in 2013 after retiring his award-winning, 20-year career as a forensic laboratory scientist and executive administrator, having served as the Director of Forensic Science for the State of Michigan. His forensic technical expertise was in the examination and testing of firearms and firearm-related evidence, having provided expert courtroom testimony in approximately 130 criminal trials, including death penalty cases and Daubert hearings. John is also the author of three books on forensic science and criminal justice reform. In 2022, he released his fourth book, "The New Superior – A Better Way to Be the One in Charge," which is available in print and audio. John's many career highlights include his part in the forensic investigation of the Atlanta serial bombings, which included the bombing of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, as well as his 2013 participation in a historic meeting with the US Attorney General and other firearm experts to discuss the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. John has a master's degree in organizational management and is formally certified as a Senior HR Professional by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). In 2012, John was trained as a professional coach by the College of Executive Coaching, and he became certified as a Gallup Strengths Coach in 2022. He lives and works near Detroit, Michigan.

For more books and other information, please visit www.criticalvictories.com.

In the 100th episode of Crime and the Courtroom, host John Collins pauses the celebration to examine the shooting death of Charlie Kirk in Utah and what it reveals about public safety, due process, and the health of civic life. Drawing on his experience in the Atlanta Olympic bombing investigation, Collins unpacks how early speculation and "wing violence" narratives can distort reality, feed polarization, and obscure root causes. He introduces the "event horizon" metaphor—the point where isolation, echo chambers, and performative media pull vulnerable people past reason—and argues that rigorous, respectful debate is a safeguard, not a threat. The episode considers the responsibilities of leaders, influencers, and platforms, and what this moment demands from parents, educators, and citizens: stronger critical-thinking skills, healthier information habits, and steadier support for law enforcement and the rule of law. If you care about clarity and courage in a noisy age, this conversation offers both context and a path forward.

Issues on Trial - Tell us what you think!

Season: 5 Episode: 100 Duration: 38:08 YOUTUBE CHANNELS Main Podcast Channel Highlights Channel

FROM OUR SPONSOR Learn About the Innovators at Promega International Symposium on Human Identification

ABOUT YOUR HOST

John Morrey Collins is a leadership and expertise coach specializing in working with clients in authoritative, high-stakes occupations, but with a primary emphasis on serving leaders, professionals, and organizations that support our complicated systems of criminal and civil justice. John started his private practice, Critical Victories, in 2013 after retiring his award-winning, 20-year career as a forensic laboratory scientist and executive administrator, having served as the Director of Forensic Science for the State of Michigan. His forensic technical expertise was in the examination and testing of firearms and firearm-related evidence, having provided expert courtroom testimony in approximately 130 criminal trials, including death penalty cases and Daubert hearings. John is also the author of three books on forensic science and criminal justice reform. In 2022, he released his fourth book, "The New Superior – A Better Way to Be the One in Charge," which is available in print and audio. John's many career highlights include his part in the forensic investigation of the Atlanta serial bombings, which included the bombing of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, as well as his 2013 participation in a historic meeting with the US Attorney General and other firearm experts to discuss the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. John has a master's degree in organizational management and is formally certified as a Senior HR Professional by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). In 2012, John was trained as a professional coach by the College of Executive Coaching, and he became certified as a Gallup Strengths Coach in 2022. He lives and works near Detroit, Michigan.

For more books and other information, please visit www.criticalvictories.com.

Judges hold tremendous power in the American criminal justice system, and possibly more power than we realize. In this episode of Crime and the Courtroom, John Collins shares his thoughts about a trend being encountered by expert witnesses whose testimony is being limited or controlled by judges. In some cases, the identification of latent prints or firearms is being rejected, and judges are instead instructing expert witnesses on what they can or cannot say. Is this even permissible? John also discusses what he describes as "the nuclear option," a tactic that judges could adopt, if they chose to, that could force the reorganization and restructuring of the forensic science profession in the United States. This is an episode you won't want to miss.

Issues on Trial - Tell us what you think about this issue

Season: 5 Episode: 99 Duration: 1:08:40 YOUTUBE CHANNELS Main Podcast Channel Highlights Channel

FROM OUR SPONSOR Learn About the Innovators at Promega International Symposium on Human Identification

REFERENCED RESOURCES

On Being a Scientist - 3rd Edition

United States v. Mitchell

Brandon Mayfield Case

ACE-V Method

ABOUT YOUR HOST

John Morrey Collins is a leadership and expertise coach specializing in working with clients in authoritative, high-stakes occupations, but with a primary emphasis on serving leaders, professionals, and organizations that support our complicated systems of criminal and civil justice. John started his private practice, Critical Victories, in 2013 after retiring his award-winning, 20-year career as a forensic laboratory scientist and executive administrator, having served as the Director of Forensic Science for the State of Michigan. His forensic technical expertise was in the examination and testing of firearms and firearm-related evidence, having provided expert courtroom testimony in approximately 130 criminal trials, including death penalty cases and Daubert hearings. John is also the author of three books on forensic science and criminal justice reform. In 2022, he released his fourth book, "The New Superior – A Better Way to Be the One in Charge," which is available in print and audio. John's many career highlights include his part in the forensic investigation of the Atlanta serial bombings, which included the bombing of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, as well as his 2013 participation in a historic meeting with the US Attorney General and other firearm experts to discuss the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. John has a master's degree in organizational management and is formally certified as a Senior HR Professional by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). In 2012, John was trained as a professional coach by the College of Executive Coaching, and he became certified as a Gallup Strengths Coach in 2022. He lives and works near Detroit, Michigan.

For more books and other information, please visit www.criticalvictories.com.

In this episode of Crime and the Courtroom, host John Collins is joined by colleagues Dr. Pamela Marshall, Julie Sikorsky, and Dr. Ray Wickenheiser to discuss their ongoing collaboration, the Forensic Leadership Alliance. The group reflects on their shared work since 2020 in providing leadership development opportunities for forensic scientists, with a focus on coaching, mentorship, and team empowerment. The conversation covers key leadership challenges facing forensic laboratories, including funding instability, cultural dynamics, and professional development. The episode also includes planning updates for their upcoming November workshop at the ISHI 2025 Symposium in Palm Beach, where they will lead sessions on managing uncertainty, fostering leadership, and mentoring the next generation of forensic professionals.

Issues on Trial - Tell us what you think

Season: 5 Episode: 98 Duration: 1:09:52 YOUTUBE CHANNELS Main Podcast Channel Highlights Channel

FROM OUR SPONSOR Learn About the Innovators at Promega International Symposium on Human Identification

REFERENCED RESOURCES

To set up a coaching session at ISHI 2025, please email John at the address provided. Please include your name, agency, and topics that our team can help you with.

ABOUT YOUR HOST

John Morrey Collins is a leadership and expertise coach specializing in working with clients in authoritative, high-stakes occupations, but with a primary emphasis on serving leaders, professionals, and organizations that support our complicated systems of criminal and civil justice. John started his private practice, Critical Victories, in 2013 after retiring his award-winning, 20-year career as a forensic laboratory scientist and executive administrator, having served as the Director of Forensic Science for the State of Michigan. His forensic technical expertise was in the examination and testing of firearms and firearm-related evidence, having provided expert courtroom testimony in approximately 130 criminal trials, including death penalty cases and Daubert hearings. John is also the author of three books on forensic science and criminal justice reform. In 2022, he released his fourth book, "The New Superior – A Better Way to Be the One in Charge," which is available in print and audio. John's many career highlights include his part in the forensic investigation of the Atlanta serial bombings, which included the bombing of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, as well as his 2013 participation in a historic meeting with the US Attorney General and other firearm experts to discuss the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. John has a master's degree in organizational management and is formally certified as a Senior HR Professional by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). In 2012, John was trained as a professional coach by the College of Executive Coaching, and he became certified as a Gallup Strengths Coach in 2022. He lives and works near Detroit, Michigan.

For more books and other information, please visit www.criticalvictories.com.

John Collins examines the growing challenges facing U.S. forensic science laboratories as federal funding programs come under political pressure in Washington. Drawing on decades of experience as a former laboratory administrator and current leadership coach, Collins explores how dependence on federal grants has affected laboratory budgets, priorities, and culture—particularly in agencies where labs are managed by police commanders. He outlines the risks of "supplanting," the importance of independent budget planning, and offers five practical recommendations for law enforcement leaders to better support their forensic operations. This candid discussion provides valuable insight for scientists, administrators, policymakers, and anyone interested in the health and integrity of forensic science in America.

Issues on Trial - Tell us what you think about this issue

Season: 5 Episode: 97 Duration: 41:28 YOUTUBE CHANNELS Main Podcast Channel Highlights Channel

FROM OUR SPONSOR Learn About the Innovators at Promega International Symposium on Human Identification

REFERENCED RESOURCES

Consortium of Forensic Science Organizations

ABOUT YOUR HOST

John Morrey Collins is a leadership and expertise coach specializing in working with clients in authoritative, high-stakes occupations, but with a primary emphasis on serving leaders, professionals, and organizations that support our complicated systems of criminal and civil justice. John started his private practice, Critical Victories, in 2013 after retiring his award-winning, 20-year career as a forensic laboratory scientist and executive administrator, having served as the Director of Forensic Science for the State of Michigan. His forensic technical expertise was in the examination and testing of firearms and firearm-related evidence, having provided expert courtroom testimony in approximately 130 criminal trials, including death penalty cases and Daubert hearings. John is also the author of three books on forensic science and criminal justice reform. In 2022, he released his fourth book, "The New Superior – A Better Way to Be the One in Charge," which is available in print and audio. John's many career highlights include his part in the forensic investigation of the Atlanta serial bombings, which included the bombing of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, as well as his 2013 participation in a historic meeting with the US Attorney General and other firearm experts to discuss the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. John has a master's degree in organizational management and is formally certified as a Senior HR Professional by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). In 2012, John was trained as a professional coach by the College of Executive Coaching, and he became certified as a Gallup Strengths Coach in 2022. He lives and works near Detroit, Michigan.

For more books and other information, please visit www.criticalvictories.com.

In this episode of Crime and the Courtroom, host John Collins speaks with Tom Arnold, a leading expert in digital evidence and cyber crime investigation. Mr. Arnold has led major breach investigations involving thousands of servers and has advised agencies including the U.S. Secret Service. He currently teaches at San Jose State University and the University of Nevada Las Vegas, where he helps develop academic programs in digital forensics and cybersecurity. In addition to his technical work, Tom recently authored The Digital Detective: First Intervention, a novel designed to teach cybersecurity principles to young readers. This conversation covers the evolving nature of cyber threats, the role of digital evidence in modern investigations, and what professionals and everyday citizens alike need to know to protect themselves in an increasingly digital world.

Season: 5 Episode: 96 Duration: 54:35 YOUTUBE CHANNELS Main Podcast Channel Highlights Channel

FROM OUR SPONSOR Learn About the Innovators at Promega International Symposium on Human Identification

REFERENCED RESOURCES

Visit Tom Arnold

Buy Tom's Book

ABOUT YOUR HOST

John Morrey Collins is a leadership and expertise coach specializing in working with clients in authoritative, high-stakes occupations, but with a primary emphasis on serving leaders, professionals, and organizations that support our complicated systems of criminal and civil justice. John started his private practice, Critical Victories, in 2013 after retiring his award-winning, 20-year career as a forensic laboratory scientist and executive administrator, having served as the Director of Forensic Science for the State of Michigan. His forensic technical expertise was in the examination and testing of firearms and firearm-related evidence, having provided expert courtroom testimony in approximately 130 criminal trials, including death penalty cases and Daubert hearings. John is also the author of three books on forensic science and criminal justice reform. In 2022, he released his fourth book, "The New Superior – A Better Way to Be the One in Charge," which is available in print and audio. John's many career highlights include his part in the forensic investigation of the Atlanta serial bombings, which included the bombing of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, as well as his 2013 participation in a historic meeting with the US Attorney General and other firearm experts to discuss the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. John has a master's degree in organizational management and is formally certified as a Senior HR Professional by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). In 2012, John was trained as a professional coach by the College of Executive Coaching, and he became certified as a Gallup Strengths Coach in 2022. He lives and works near Detroit, Michigan.

For more books and other information, please visit www.criticalvictories.com.

In this episode, John Collins provides a thought-provoking and direct follow-up to episode #94, which covered the Oregon appellate court ruling in State v. Adams. In Adams, the court rejected the science of firearm identification and reversed the conviction. John explains the recent historical forces that have made forensic science a target of criminal justice reform activists, while providing encouragement to forensic practitioners in maintaining their professionalism and credibility as expert witnesses. He also calls out what he describes as "courtroom science activists" who've made it a professional mission to eliminate credible, legitimate forensic methods from America's courtrooms. In doing so, he poses a daunting question to these activists: Should James Fulton Foster, the innocent man whose conviction was overturned thanks to a firearm identification, been put to death?

Season: 5 Episode: 95 Duration: 1:05:33 YOUTUBE CHANNELS Main Podcast Channel Highlights Channel

FROM OUR SPONSOR Learn About the Innovators at Promega International Symposium on Human Identification

REFERENCED RESOURCES

Episode Transcript (PDF)

Article by Oregonian/Oregon Live

Court Ruling in State v. Adams

Book: Crime Lab Report

James Fulton Foster Exoneration (News Archive)

James Fulton Foster (National Registry of Exonerations)

Article: The Wrongful Conviction of Forensic Science

Article: Contextual Contamination of Forensic Evidence by Post Conviction Litigators

2009 NRC Report on Forensic Science

2016 PCAST Report on Forensic Feature Comparison Methods

The Innocence Project

ABOUT YOUR HOST

John Morrey Collins is a leadership and expertise coach specializing in working with clients in authoritative, high-stakes occupations, but with a primary emphasis on serving leaders, professionals, and organizations that support our complicated systems of criminal and civil justice. John started his private practice, Critical Victories, in 2013 after retiring his award-winning, 20-year career as a forensic laboratory scientist and executive administrator, having served as the Director of Forensic Science for the State of Michigan. His forensic technical expertise was in the examination and testing of firearms and firearm-related evidence, having provided expert courtroom testimony in approximately 130 criminal trials, including death penalty cases and Daubert hearings. John is also the author of three books on forensic science and criminal justice reform. In 2022, he released his fourth book, "The New Superior – A Better Way to Be the One in Charge," which is available in print and audio. John's many career highlights include his part in the forensic investigation of the Atlanta serial bombings, which included the bombing of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, as well as his 2013 participation in a historic meeting with the US Attorney General and other firearm experts to discuss the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. John has a master's degree in organizational management and is formally certified as a Senior HR Professional by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). In 2012, John was trained as a professional coach by the College of Executive Coaching, and he became certified as a Gallup Strengths Coach in 2022. He lives and works near Detroit, Michigan.

For more books and other information, please visit www.criticalvictories.com.

SPECIAL EPISODE: In a June 2025 decision, the Oregon Court of Appeals delivered a controversial ruling on forensic evidence admissibility in State v. Adams, a case involving a 2018 shooting in Portland. The ruling has been interpreted and reported as a categorical rejection of the method of linking spent shell casings to a particular firearm—commonly used for decades. The court argued that the State failed to establish the scientific validity of the method under Oregon's rules of evidence.

In this special edition of Crime and the Courtroom, John Collins shares his thoughts on the ruling, how important it is, and what it might mean for the future of not only firearm identification, but of all of the forensic pattern identification disciplines.

Season: 5 Episode: 94 Duration: 29:31 YOUTUBE CHANNELS Main Podcast Channel Highlights Channel

FROM OUR SPONSOR Learn About the Innovators at Promega International Symposium on Human Identification

REFERENCED RESOURCES

Article by Oregonian/Oregon Live

Court Ruling in State v. Adams

ABOUT YOUR HOST

John Morrey Collins is a leadership and expertise coach specializing in working with clients in authoritative, high-stakes occupations, but with a primary emphasis on serving leaders, professionals, and organizations that support our complicated systems of criminal and civil justice. John started his private practice, Critical Victories, in 2013 after retiring his award-winning, 20-year career as a forensic laboratory scientist and executive administrator, having served as the Director of Forensic Science for the State of Michigan. His forensic technical expertise was in the examination and testing of firearms and firearm-related evidence, having provided expert courtroom testimony in approximately 130 criminal trials, including death penalty cases and Daubert hearings. John is also the author of three books on forensic science and criminal justice reform. In 2022, he released his fourth book, "The New Superior – A Better Way to Be the One in Charge," which is available in print and audio. John's many career highlights include his part in the forensic investigation of the Atlanta serial bombings, which included the bombing of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, as well as his 2013 participation in a historic meeting with the US Attorney General and other firearm experts to discuss the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. John has a master's degree in organizational management and is formally certified as a Senior HR Professional by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). In 2012, John was trained as a professional coach by the College of Executive Coaching, and he became certified as a Gallup Strengths Coach in 2022. He lives and works near Detroit, Michigan.

For more books and other information, please visit www.criticalvictories.com.