PW Allen Award

The PW Allen award is presented to the most meritorious research paper published in Science & Justice each year.

The PW Allen Award is given in memory of Phillip W Allen. Phillip W Allen was Vice President of the Society from 1976-1978. Phillip was instrumental in bringing to market the first micro cameras. These were first used by the Metropolitan Police in the Spaghetti House Seige in the late 70’s. The company continues to manufacture and sell a range of anti-terrorism equipment. They include explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) bomb search and detection; bomb technician tools; and Electronic Counter Measures (ECM) equipment used to stop remote detonation of bombs.

Description

Awarded annually to the best or most meritorious research paper published in the Society’s Journal in the preceding year as decided by the Council of the Society.

The Society would normally award PW Allen award once a year.

Criteria

The award winner is an “Editor’s choice” as chosen by the Editor in Chief of the Society’s Journal and ratified by the Council of the Society. The “Editor’s choice” is chosen from research publications published in Science and Justice within a given year considered using the following criteria:

  • Impact of the work on forensic science
  • Novelty of the research
  • Quality of the science

Authors of papers may include members of both academia and practice.

The Award

For CSFS non-members the award is in the form of one year’s Affiliate membership of CSFS.

For CSFS members the award is in the form of either one year’s gratis on their membership subscription.

Council members who are authors or co-authors of eligible papers should be recused from the ratification process.

Previous Winners

  • 2025 H Monkman, R vOorschot, MGoray – Paws for a moment: investigation of bi-directional transfer of human DNA during a short human-dog interaction and subsequent indirect transfers
  • 2024 A Smale, J Speir – Estimate of the Random Match Frequency of Acquired Characteristics in Footwear: Part I – Impressions in Blood & Part II  – Impressions in Dust
  • 2023  M Liden, M Almazrouei – Blood, Bucks and Bias: Reliability and biasability of crime scene investigators’ selection and prioritization of blood traces
  • 2022  E. Kolla, V Adamova and P Vertal – Simulation-based reconstruction of traffic incidents from moving vehicle mono-camera
  • 2021   N Sunde –  What does a digital forensics opinion look like? A comparative study of digital forensics and forensic science reporting practices
  • 2020  E. Mattijssen, C. Witteman, C. Berger and R. Stoel – Cognitive biases in the peer review of bullet and cartridge case comparison casework: A field study
  • 2019 S Debus-Sherrill, M Field Familial DNA searching – an emerging forensic investigative tool
  • 2018 N Smit, RM Morgan, D Lagnado A systematic analysis of misleading evidence in unsafe rulings in England and Wales
  • 2017 L Ostojic, E Wurmbach Analysis of fingerprint samples, testing various conditions, for forensic DNA identification
  • 2016 S Gherghel, RM Morgan, CS Blackman, K Karu, IP Parkin Analysis of transferred fragrance and its forensic implications
  • 2015 S Cadd, M Islam, P Manson, S Bleay Fingerprint composition and aging: A literature review
  • 2014 G Reed, K Savage, D Edwards, N NicDaeid Hyperspectral imaging of gel pen inks. An emerging tool in document analysis
  • 2013 N Attard Montalto, J Ojeda, B J Jones Determining the order of depostion of natural latent fingerprints and laser printed ink using chemical mapping with secondary ion mass spectometry
  • 2012 M Grima, M Butler, R Hanson, A Mohameden Firework displays as sources of particles similar to gunshot residue
  • 2011 R Palmer, G Polwarth The persistence of fibres on skin in an outdoor deposition crime scene scenario
  • 2010 R Puch-Solis, I Evett, S Pope Calculating likelihood ratios for a mixed DNA profile when a contribution from a generic relative of a suspect is proposed
  • 2009 R Palmer, W Hutchinson, V Fryer The discrimination of (non-denim) blue cotton
  • 2008 J Buckleton, C Triggs, F Taroni, C Champod, G Wevers Experimental design for acquiring relevant data to address the issue of comparing consecutively manufactured tools and firearms
  • 2007 TW Biermann Blocks of colour IV: The evidential value of blue and red cotton fibres
  • 2006 PA Bull, RM Morgan Sediment fingerprints: A forensic technique using quartz sand grains
  • 2005 C Champod, IW Evett, G Jackson Establishing the most appropriate databases for addressing source level propositions
  • 2004 O Ribaux, P Margot Case-based reasoning in criminal intelligence using forensic case data
  • 2003 I Pretty, LD Addy Associated postmortem dental findings as an aid to personal identification
  • 2000 J DeHaan, SJ Campbell, S Narbakhsh Combustion of animal fat and its implications for the consumption of human bodies in fires
  • 1996 CGG Aitken, T Connolly, A Gammerman, G Zhang, D Bailey, R Gordon, R Oldfield Statistical modelling in specific case analysis
  • 1994 DA Castle, B Gibbins, P Hamer Physical methods for examining and comparing transparent plastic bags and cling film
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