Inter-rater reliability of vehicle color perception for forensic intelligence

Abstract

The topcoat color of motor vehicles offers vital information while investigating vehicular accidents, especially in instance of hit-and-run, since witnesses seldom perceive and retain the plate details. Differences in color perceptions among individuals with normal vision may lead to confusion in determining the color of the car involved. In this way, witnesses of crash accidents could potentially initiate flawed leads in forensic investigation, and thus affect the administration of justice. In this study, the inter-rater reliability of vehicle color determination by different volunteers was explored. Six individuals observed the topcoat colors of 500 stationary and 500 moving vehicles from five locations, employing a common system of color gradation. The outcome was binary: the vehicle color was either a “match” or “non-match”. This was followed by statistical analysis in terms of the colors’ frequencies and inter-rater reliability, based on which more suitable color descriptions were determined for subsequent comparisons of stationary and moving vehicles. Higher match frequencies and greater inter-rater reliability were observed when color gradations were disregarded. The frequency of correct matches could have been closely related to their relative on-the-road distribution, regardless of the statuses of observed vehicles. It was also found that black and white were associated with a greater number of matches than were intermediate colors, which should be carefully interpreted during forensic investigation to avoid wrong leads. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated the forensic significance of vehicle topcoat color determination, particularly in cases where witness statements are crucial.

Pathological Findings of the Lung at Neonatal Autopsy in Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital Bandung Period 2016-2019

“…A study of the interrater reliability of vehicle color perception for forensic intelligence has discussed similar problems regarding variations in color perception by individuals with normal vision, leading to incorrect determinations. 17 Macroscopic findings will be more reliable if supported by other characteristic, such as lung weight, texture, and topography. In the medical records used for this study, not every sample included all macroscopic characteristics other than color, which limits our study to interpreting macroscopic finding to decide whether the infant was born alive or stillbirth.…”

Forensic Footwear Reliability: Part III—Positive Predictive Value, Error Rates, and Inter‐Rater Reliability*

“…For a four-level system, this varied between 0.80 and 0.77 for nonmates and mates, respectively. After benchmarking, all metrics translated into (21,22) for positive (solid lines) and negative (dashed lines) predictive value as a function of mate-prevalence. As a point of comparison, the vertical line and reported performance metrics highlight PPV and NPV at a mate-prevalence at 62% (which corresponds to the 2011 FBI fingerprint study [13]).…”

“…Despite this, and the fact that Gwet's AC 1 and AC 2 are paradox-resistant, Kappa is still a fairly common metric reported in the literature when examining decision tasks. Table 6 reports just a few examples (16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21) that give a rough idea of the types of tasks amenable to description using IRR, and the magnitude of the resulting agreement coefficients. Although this is helpful to allow for a contextual interpretation of the agreement coefficient computed for footwear experts, it should be noted that few studies appear to benchmark their verbal equivalents.…”

A Review on Intensified ANPR Technology to Identify the Vehicles Involved in Smuggling

“…License plate photos are taken using cameras that are capable of capturing both visible and infrared light [7]. These considering connected transportation networks and smart cities [9]. To guarantee the security and effectiveness of contemporary checkpoints and surveillance systems, it will be essential that it is developed further and integrated into larger security configurations.…”