Education

Biography

Lawrence A. Presley is assistant professor in the Liberty University Criminal Justice department and has had a distinguished career in forensic science and law enforcement. Prior to the FBI, he worked for the Michigan State Police and Oakland County Sheriff’s Department as a crime laboratory scientist. After earning Master degrees in both Chemistry and Criminal Justice, Larry enjoyed a 21-year career in the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He served in the Detroit Field Office and Laboratory Division. He worked in the Trace Evidence Unit and was one of the first Agents assigned to the DNA Analysis Unit. He later became Chief of the DNA Analysis Unit. Larry received an FBI commendation for his contribution to the successful investigation and prosecution of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. He then became the first Chief of the Laboratory Division Quality Assurance Unit and was part of the FBI Laboratory’s first accreditation team. His final posting for the FBI was as the Supervisory Special Agent in the Laboratory Division Training Unit at Quantico, Virginia. After leaving the FBI, Larry became the Director of the Criminalistics Department at NMS Labs, and he also spent six years as Director and Assistant Professor of the Graduate Forensic Science Program at Arcadia University. Larry then moved on to serve as an Expeditionary Forensic Laboratory Lead Scientist/Chief for three years for the United States Army’s Forensic Exploitation Directorate, receiving awards from both the U.S Secretary of Defense and NATO for his service in Afghanistan. He then served as a Managerial Criminalist with the NYPD Police Laboratory in New York. Larry is currently an Assistant Professor in criminal justice at Liberty University. Larry has served as the President of the Mid-Atlantic Association of Forensic Scientists, Chair of the Criminalistics Section of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, Board member of the American Board of Criminalistics, Editorial Board member for Forensic Research and Criminology International Journal, and Accreditation Council member of the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation. Larry is a published author on numerous forensic topics and has spoken extensively to professional investigative and forensic organizations. Larry is married and has four sons. His wife Kathy, father-in-law, and brother-in-law have all worked for the FBI. Larry loves skiing and traveling when he has time.

Research Interest

Criminal Investigations, Crime Scene Investigations, Forensic Science, Terrorism

Scientific Activities

Professional Experience

Awards,Certifications

Professional Memberships

1. American Academy of Forensic Sciences – Fellow, Chair – Criminalistics Section 2000-01.
2. Secretary – Criminalistics Section 1999-2000, Program Chair – Criminalistics Section 1998-99.
3. American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors (ASCLD) (former member).
4. American Society for Testing and Materials – E-30 Committee (former member).
5. College of American Pathologists Forensic Identity Committee (1996-2001).
6. Council of Forensic Science Educators [COFSE] (2008-10 Secretary).
7. DNA Advisory Board (1995-99).
8. Mid-Atlantic Association of Forensic Scientists-Life Member (President 1997-99).
9. Northeastern Association of Forensic Scientists (2007-10).
10. American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) – Accreditation Council.
11. American Board of Criminalistics – Examination Committee Member, Board of Directors, Vice-President (1996-2008), previous Fellow, current Diplomate.
12. (TWGED) Technical Working Group on Education in the Forensic Sciences (2001-2002).
13. American Society of Criminology (member).

Publications

1. Presley, L.A., (October 1978) Criminalistics: A Historical Perspective, The Peace Officer, Vol. 21, No. 2, p.43.
2. Presley, L.A., (December 1979) Evaluation of a Portable Gas Chromatograph for Arson Analysis: Column Selection, Arson Analysis Newsletter, Vol. 3, No. 5, p. 18.
3. Mudd, J.L. and Presley, L.A. (October 1988) Quality Control in DNA Typing: A Proposed Protocol, Crime Laboratory Digest, Vol. 15, No. 4, pp. 109-13.
4. Waye, J.S., Presley, L.A., Budowle, B., Shutler, G.G., and Fourney, R.M. (1989) A Simple and Sensitive Method for Quantifying Human Genomic DNA in Forensic Specimen Extracts, BioTechniques, Vol. 7, No. 8, Sept, pp. 852-55.
5. Guidelines for a Quality Assurance Program for DNA Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis. By J.J. Kearney, Chairman, FBI Laboratory, Washington, D.C., Subcommittee members: J.L. Mudd, Chairman, J.M. Hartmann, M.C. Kuo, M.S. Nelson, L.A. Presley, W.C. Stuver, Crime Laboratory Digest, Vol. 16, No. 2, Apr-Jul, 1989, pp. 40-60. Also in Kirby, L.T. (1990) DNA Fingerprinting: An Introduction, New York: Stockton Press, pp. 261-78.
6. Adams, D.E., et al. (1991) DNA analysis by restriction fragment length polymorphisms of body fluid stains subjected to contamination and environmental insults, Journal of Forensic Sciences, Vol. 36, No. 5, pp. 1284-96.
7. Presley, L.A. and Adams, D.E. (1990) Studies of chemical and biological contamination, environmental exposures and biological fluid mixtures in DNA analysis, Proceedings of the International Symposium on the Forensic Aspects of DNA Analysis, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., pp. 219-22.
8. Adams, D.E., Presley, L.A., Deadman, H.A. and Lynch, A.G. (1990) DNA Analysis in the FBI Laboratory, Proceedings of the International Symposium on the Forensic Aspects of DNA Analysis, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., pp. 173-77.
9. Presley, L.A., et al. (1990) A review of cases submitted for DNA analysis in the FBI Laboratory, in Advances in Forensic Haemogenetics 3, Berlin: Springer-Verlag, pp. 140-42.
10. Budowle, B., et al. (1991) Fixed bin analysis for statistical evaluation of continuous distributions of allelic data from VNTR loci for use in forensic comparisons, American Journal of Human Genetics, Vol. 48, pp. 841-55.
11. Comey, C.T., Budowle, B., Adams, D.E., Baumstark, A.L., Lindsey, J.A. and Presley, L.A. (1993) PCR Amplification and Typing for the HLA DQ alpha Gene in Forensic Samples, Journal of Forensic Sciences, Vol. 38, No. 2, Mar, pp. 239-49.
12. Presley, L.A., Lindsay, J.A., Baumstark, AlL., Dixon, A., Comey, C.T. and Budowle, B. (1992) The Implementation of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) HLA DQ alpha Typing by the FBI Laboratory, Proceedings from the Third International Symposium on Human Identification, Promega Corporation, Madison, WI, pp. 245-69.
13. Presley, L.A., Baumstark, A.L., and Dixon, A. (1993) The Effects of Specific Latent Fingerprint and Questioned Document Examinations on the Amplification and Typing of the HLA DQ alpha Gene Region in Forensic Casework, Journal of Forensic Sciences, Vol. 38, No. 5, Sept, pp. 1028-36.
14. Presley, L.A. and Budowle, B. (1994) “The Application of PCR-Based Technologies to Forensic Analysis” in Griffin, H.G. and Griffin, A.M. (eds.), PCR Technology Current Innovations, Boca Raton: CRC Press, pp. 259-76.
15. Presley, L.A., et al. (1993) The Significance and Use of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Analysis in Forensic Casework in the United States, in Advances in Forensic Sciences, Volume 6, Forensic Haemogenetics / B. Jacob; W. Bonte in cooperation with W. Huckenbeck, Berlin: Verlag, Koster, pp. 193-99.
16. Presley, L.A., et al. (1996) Technical Working Groups in Forensic Science: A Mechanism of Quality Assurance Standardization, Crime Laboratory Digest, Vol. 23, No. 1, pp. 9-12.
17. Presley, L.A. and Mudd, J. (1996) The Development of Quality Assurance Measures in Forensic DNA Typing, in Advances in Forensic Haemogenetics 6, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York: Springer-Verlag, pp. 675-77.
18. Presley, L.A. (1999) The Evolution of Quality Standards for Forensic DNA Analysis in the United States, Profiles in DNA, Vol. 3, No. 2, Sept 1999, pp. 10-11.
19. Presley, L.A. (2000) DNA Fingerprinting, World Book 2000 and World Book Online at http://www.worldbookonline.com.na.ar.fs.ar726775.htm.
20. Noblett, M., Politt, M., and Presley, L.A. (2000) “Recovering and Examining Computer Forensic Evidence”, Forensic Science Communications, Oct, Volume 2, Number 4.
21. Taylor, R.B., Goldkamp, J.S, Weiland, D., Breen, C., Garcia, R.M., Presley, L.A., and Wyant, B.R. (2007) Revise Policies Mandating Offender DNA Collection, Criminology and Public Policy, Vol. 6, No.4, November 2007, pp 851-862.
22. Presley, L.A., Hass, M. and Quarino, L. (2009) The Forensic Science Assessment Test (FSAT): A Potential Tool for the Academic Assessment of Forensic Science Programs, Forensic Science Policy and Management: An International Journal, Vol. 1, Issue 2, May 2009, pp. 74-84.

MajorPresentations:

1. Midwestern Association of Forensic Scientists Annual Meeting, Historical Development of the Forensic Sciences in the United States, Indianapolis, IN, May 1976.
2. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, A Historical Review of Forensic Hair Comparisons, Philadelphia, PA, Feb 1988.
3. Mid-Atlantic Association of Forensic Scientists Annual Meeting, The DNA Typing of Single Forcibly Removed Hairs, Baltimore, MD, May 1989.
4. International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners, DNA Analysis in the FBI Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH, June 1989.
5. Southern Association of Forensic Scientists, Casework Studies and Statistical Evaluation of DNA Profiles, Miami, FL, Sept 1989.
6. American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors, Forensic DNA Analysis Update of the FBI Laboratory, FBI Academy, Quantico, VA, Sept 1989.
7. International Society of Forensic Haemogenetics, A Review of Cases Submitted for DNA Analysis in the FBI Laboratory, New Orleans, LA, Oct 1989.
8. International Association of Forensic Scientists Annual Meeting, The DNA Typing of Single Forcibly Removed Hairs, Adelaide, Australia, Oct 1990.
9. The Australian National University, DNA Typing of Forensic Samples, Canberra, Australia, Oct 1990.
10. National Institutes of Health, Division of Research Grants Study Section Seminar, The Use of DNA Technology in Criminal Investigations, Bethesda, MD, Apr 1992.
11. The 3rd International Symposium on Human Identification, Implementation of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) for Forensic Casework, Scottsdale, AZ, May 1992.
12. Mid-Atlantic Association of Forensic Scientists Annual Meeting – PCR/DNA Workshop, Implementation of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) DQa in the Forensic Laboratory, Richmond, VA, May 1992.
13. The Center for Advanced Training in Cell and Molecular Biology, Catholic University of America, Use of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) DQa in the Forensic Laboratory, RDNA and PCR for Diagnosis, Washington, D.C., June 1992.
14. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, The Use of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) HLA DQa Typing in Forensic Casework, Boston, MA, Feb 1993.
15. The Second International Symposium on the Forensic Aspects of DNA Analysis, Quality Control/Quality Assurance in Forensic DNA Typing, FBI Academy, Quantico, VA, Mar 1993.
16. Mid-Atlantic Association of Forensic Scientists Annual Meeting, The Use of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) DQa Analysis in Forensic Casework, Baltimore, MD, May 1993.
17. International Association of Forensic Scientists Annual Meeting, The Significance and Use of PCR Typing in the United States, Dusseldorf, Germany, Aug 1993.
18. International Association of Forensic Scientists Annual Meeting, Combined DNA Indexing (CODIS) Database for DNA Analysis, Dusseldorf, Germany, Aug 1993.
19. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, DNA Typing of Single Hairs: Contamination and Environmental Studies, San Antonio, TX, Feb 1994.
20. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, Implementation and Consequences of New DNA Technologies in the Forensic Laboratory Workshop, San Antonio, TX, Feb 1994.
21. Mid-Atlantic Association of Forensic Scientists Annual Meeting, The Implementation of Amplitype PM (Polymarker) and D1S80 in to Forensic Casework, Virginia Beach, VA, May 1994.
22. Mid-Atlantic Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society, The Use of Forensic DNA Technology in Criminal Investigations, University of Maryland-Baltimore County, May 1994.
23. World Congress of Forensic Sciences, Advances in DNA Technology and Casework Applications of DNA Technology, Queretaro, Mexico, Oct 1994.
24. International Association of Chiefs of Police, DNA Analysis in Forensic Investigations, FBI Exhibition, Albuquerque, NM, Oct 1994.
25. International Homicide Investigators Association, Forensic DNA Analysis in Criminal Investigations, Reno, NV, Oct 1994.
26. Canadian Society of Forensic Sciences/Northwest Association of Forensic Scientists Annual Meeting and Workshop, Implementation of New DNA Technologies in the Forensic Laboratory and The Courtroom Presentation of Forensic DNA Typing, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Nov 1994.
27. U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s School, The Use of Forensic DNA Technology in Criminal Cases, Criminal Law New Developments course, Charlottesville, VA, Nov 1994.
28. Eleventh National Symposium on Child Sexual Abuse, DNA Evidence in Child Abuse Cases, Huntsville, AL, Mar 1995.
29. International Society of Forensic Haemogenetics, The Development of Quality Assurance Measures in Forensic DNA Typing, Santiago de Compostela, Spain, Sept 1995.
30. Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences, Quality Assurance in Forensic DNA Typing Workshop, Birmingham, AL, Oct 1995.
31. American Prosecutors Research Institute, Quality Assurance in Forensic DNA Typing, DNA Pilot Training, Alexandria, VA, Nov 1995.
32. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, The Utilization of Quality Assurance Measures in Forensic DNA Typing, Nashville, TN, Feb 1996.
33. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, Technical Working Groups in Forensic Sciences, Standardization in Forensic Sciences Workshop, Nashville, TN, Feb 1996.
34. American Prosecutors Research Institute, Quality Assurance in Forensic DNA Typing, Nashville, TN, July 1996.
35. The Seventh International Symposium on Human Identification, Ensuring High Standards in Forensic DNA Analysis: Addressing Quality Assurance and the 1992 and 1996 National Research Council Reports, Scottsdale, AZ, Sept 1996.
36. American Prosecutors Research Institute, Quality Assurance in Forensic DNA Typing and Forensic DNA Technology Review, Charleston, SC, Nov 1996.
37. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, Ethics in the Practice of Criminalistics – Beyond the Proscriptive, New York, NY, Feb 1997.
38. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, Ensuring ‘Error’ Free and High Quality Results in the Forensic Sciences, New York, NY, Feb 1997.
39. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, Ethics in Forensic Science Workshop coordinator and presenter, New York, NY, Feb 1997.
40. National Forensic Science Training Center, Audits for Managers, St. Petersburg, FL, Mar 1997.
41. American Prosecutors Research Institute, DNA Witness to the Truth – Forensic DNA Testing, Seattle, WA, Apr 1997.
42. Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Biotechnology 2001 Conference, Forensic DNA Testing, Blacksburg, VA, June 1997.
43. National Center for Forensic Science, National Needs Symposium, Insight into Technical Working Groups, Orlando, FL, Aug 1997.
44. International Society of Forensic Haemogenetics Annual Meeting, Forensic DNA Quality Standards, Panel member, Oslo, Norway, Sept 1997.
45. College of American Pathologists Annual Meeting, The Conversant Community Pathologist (A Study of Recent DNA Cases) and A New International Quality System and Its Effect on the Practice of Pathology, Philadelphia, PA, Sept 1997.
46. Congreso Nacional de Medicina Legal y Ciencias Forenses, Quality Assurance, Auditing and Accreditation, Bogota, Colombia, Sept 1997.
47. Northwest Association of Forensic Scientists, Quality Assurance and Audit Workshop, Las Vegas, NV, Nov 1997
48. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, Forensic Expert Witness Court Testimony, Workshop coordinator, San Francisco, CA, Feb 1998.
49. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, The Evolution and Impact of the United States DNA Advisory Board Forensic DNA Testing Standards, San Francisco, CA, Feb 1998.
50. Environmental Protection Agency 17th Annual Conference, Science and the Law, Denver, CO, Apr 1998.
51. National District Attorneys Advocacy Center, DNA Witness to the Truth – Laboratory Standards and Issues, Columbia, SC, July 1998.
52. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, DNA Proficiency Testing as a Quality Assurance Tool, Orlando, FL, Feb 1999.
53. International Association of Forensic Sciences Triennial Meeting, Proficiency Testing as a Quality Assurance Tool in DNA, Los Angeles, CA, Aug 1999.
54. Wyoming State Crime Laboratory, Laboratory Quality Assurance, Cheyenne, WY, Aug 1999.
55. College of American Pathologists Annual Meeting, Practical Guidelines for Your Day in Court, New Orleans, LA, Sept 1999.
56. Naif Arab Academy for Security Services, Forensic Trace and DNA Technologies and Crime Scene Investigations, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Oct 1999.
57. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, DNA 101 Workshop, Reno, NV, Feb 2000.
58. FBI Laboratory Division, Quality Assurance and Safety Unit, Quality Assurance Course – The Quality Mindset, Quantico, VA, April 2000.
59. Mid-Atlantic Association of Forensic Scientists Annual Meeting, Kosovo, A Unique Crime Scene, Atlantic City, NJ, May 2000.
60. FBI Large Vehicle Bomb Post Blast Crime Scene School, China Lake Naval Weapons Station, Ridgecrest, CA, Sept 2000.
61. FBI Large Vehicle Bomb Post Blast Crime Scene School, 29 Palms, CA, April 2001.
62. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, Quality Assurance and the Contamination Issue in Forensic Science, Atlanta, GA, Feb 2002.
63. Mid-Atlantic Association of Forensic Scientists Annual Meeting, Critical Thinking in Forensic Science, Frederick, MD, April 2002.
64. American Society for Industrial Security International 48th Annual Meeting, The Use of Forensic Science in Corporate and Private Investigations, Philadelphia, PA, September 2002.
65. FBI Laboratory 30th Annual Symposium on Crime Laboratory Development, Negotiating for Science Talent Workshop facilitator, St. Louis, MO, September 2002.
66. American Chemical Society, Mid-Atlantic Regional Meeting, Forensic Science, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, June 2003.
67. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, Statistical Process Control in the Interpretation of DNA STR Profiles, Dallas, TX, Feb 2004.
68. Mid-Atlantic Association of Forensic Scientists Annual Meeting, Quality Assurance in Forensic Science, Past, Present and Future, Wilmington, DE, April 2004.
69. Pennsylvania Governor’s Institute for Life Sciences, Forensic Botany, Juniata College, Huntingdon, PA, July 2005.
70. Regional Organized Crime Information Center Annual Homicide Meeting, Forensic DNA Technology in Criminal Investigations, Tulsa, OK, October 2005.
71. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, Assessing Academic Competence in Criminalistics, Seattle, WA, February 2006.
72. American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting, Certification in Criminalistics, Seattle, WA, February 2006.
73. Forensic e-Symposium, The Forensic Institute, Forensic Education Online Conference, Certification, Registration, and Standards, May 2006.
74. Mid-Atlantic Association of Forensic Scientists Annual Meeting, Certification and Competence in Forensic Science, Washington, DC, May 2007.
75. Mendel in the 21st Century Symposium, The Evolution, Status, and Future of Forensic DNA
76. Technology in the United States, Villanova University, September 2008.
77. Northeast Association of Forensic Scientists Annual Meeting, Educators Forum, The Forensic Science Assessment Test (FAST),White Plains, NY October 2008.
78. Pennsylvania Innocence Project, Investigating and Litgating Claims of Innocence, Forensic DNA Evidence and the NAS Report, Continuing Legal Education, Philadelphia, PA September 2009.
79. Northeast Association of Forensic Scientists Annual Meeting, Educators Forum, Quality Assurance in Forensic Science Education, Long Branch, NJ November 2009.
80. Pennsylvania Bar Institute, Critical Evidentiary Issues in Capital Cases, Forensic Science and Evidentiary Concerns, Continuing Legal Education, Philadelphia, PA November 2009.
81. Mid-Atlantic Association of Forensic Scientists Annual Meeting, Strengthening Forensic Science Education, Penn State University, May 2010.
82. Pennsylvania Bar Institute, Contextual Bias in Forensic Sciences, Continuing Legal Education, Philadelphia, PA June 2009.
83. Mid-Atlantic Association of Forensic Scientists Annual Meeting, Academic Research and Forensic Practice, Virginia Beach, VA, May 2011.
84. American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors Annual Symposium, Department of Defense Forensic Research, Development, Testing and Evaluation, Denver , CO September 2011.
85. Pennsylvania Coroner’s Basic Education Course, Forensic DNA Analysis in Establishing Identification and Circumstances of Death, Pennsylvania State Police Academy, Harrisburg, PA, December 2011.
86. Joint Science and Technology Institute, Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Forensic Laboratory Analysis, Aberdeen, MD, August 2012.