Posted inFact briefs

Has Milwaukee’s homicide rate nearly doubled in the past two years?

Yes. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel homicide tracker, the number of Milwaukee homicides in 2019 was 111. In 2020, the number rose to 204. 2021 saw 212 homicides, marking a 91% increase in the rate of homicides over two years. As of Oct. 21, the FBI reports there were 184 homicides in 2022 in Milwaukee — 24 more than last year at this time.

Posted inFlawed Forensics, Justice & Safety

Wisconsin’s tainted hair, fiber cases

The Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism has found nine cases in the state involving 12 defendants that featured faulty crime laboratory hair or fiber comparison. Seven cases were flagged by the national task force re-examining cases involving FBI hair and fiber analysts. Two are cases in which DNA testing showed that Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory hair comparisons linking suspects to crime scene hairs were wrong.