Written Submission to House of Lords Science & Technology Committee: Forensic Science Inquiry (original) (raw)
Related papers
2018
Unit (FRS0050). 1. Is forensic science contributing to the delivery of justice in the UK? The lack of reliable and easily accessible data on how much 'forensic science' is being undertaken means any answer is based upon 'guesstimates'. With a commercial marketplace with a vested interested in the confidentiality of contracts etc., and police forces not publishing details of internal forensic services, it is almost impossible to know how much forensic science is being carried out. Even were this known, how much it 'contributes' to justice is an even more difficult question-how 'effective' is the contribution of forensic science? Even with the National DNA Database, where annual statistics are published, it is very difficult to ascertain how 'effective' the database is at securing convictions. We know that running the NDNAD costs about £2.5m a year (£3.9m in 2014-15), while police forces must meet the costs of crime scene investigations and DNA analysis. Yet we are still a long way from establishing whether this is actually 'worthwhile'. The limited knowledge of the effectiveness of DNA has been a prominent theme in the three annual reports of the Biometrics Commissioner. The situation is more vague for other scientific disciplines albeit it is clear there has been a massive contraction in forensic science in the UK.
The Relevance of Forensic Science
There is growing consensus that there is a crisis in forensic science at the global scale. Whilst restricted resources are clearly part of the root causes of the crisis, a contested identity of forensic science is also a significant factor. A consensus is needed on the identity of forensic science that encompasses what forensic science 'is', and critically, what it is 'for'. A consistent and cogent identity that is developed collaboratively and accepted across the entire justice system is critical for establishing the different attributes of the crisis and being able to articulate effective solutions. The degree to which forensic science is considered to be a coherent, interdisciplinary yet unified discipline will determine how forensic science develops, the challenges it is able to address, and how successful it will be in overcoming the current crisis.
Expressing the value of forensic science in policing
Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences, 2016
Only a small part of forensic science activities scattered across criminal justice systems is the object of scientific scrutiny, and is taken into account when evaluating the added-value brought by this discipline. These include abductive and inductive species of inferences used in crime investigation, crime analysis and criminal intelligence. The 'scientificity' of these processes may be questioned, but it is not contested that they largely determine the global outcome of justice systems. As a result they cannot be ignored. To unlock the debate, it is proposed to turn the forensic science focus from means (instruments, techniques, methods) to ends (what is the problem, what are the objectives?). This perspective naturally leads to proactive models of policing. It also provides possible frameworks to express various uses of the information conveyed by traces for solving problems. Reframed forensic science contributions are more validly expressed and the current debate can ultimately be transcended.
Forensic science 2020 – the end of the crossroads?
Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences, 2018
Forensic science has been at the crossroads for over a decade. While this situation is a fertile ground for discussion, security problem solving and the sound administration of justice cannot be put on hold until solutions pleasing everyone emerge. In all practical reality, forensic science will continue to be applied because it is simply the most reliable way to reconstruct the past through the exploitation of relics of criminal activities and by logical treatment of the collected information. In this paper, it is argued that instead of exclusively focusing on error management and processes, we should also question the very ontological nature of forensic science. Not only should the dominant conception of forensic sciences as a patchwork of disciplines assisting the criminal justice system be challenged, but forensic science's own fundamental principles should also be better enunciated and promoted so they can be more broadly accepted and understood. Such changes invite operations, education and research to become more collective and interdisciplinary. This is necessary to fully exploit the investigative, epidemiological, court and social functions of forensic science. We ought to ask the question: will forensic science reach the end of the crossroads soon? ARTICLE HISTORY
Forensic Science or Forensic Sciences? Conceptual analysis
Seven Editora eBooks, 2023
Science and justice need to interact to solve different situations. This interaction, however, needs to occur efficiently to avoid generating even more doubts. Scientific evaluation in the legal context must be understood and achieve its purpose. For this, much has been discussed about the nature and purpose of forensic scientific assessment. In this work, the aim was to evaluate what forensic science is and what is the conceptual alignment of this area of knowledge concerning national and international scenarios. We performed a bibliographic review on the subject to understand the fundamental aspects of this theme. Conceptual studies on forensic science are practically non-existent in the national literature. Forensic science was contextualized in its multi, inter, and transdisciplinary aspects. The quantitative results of the bibliographic review showed the urgent need for developing the theme in the national scenario and its alignment with the world understanding. Historical aspects of the development of forensic science were used in the discussion about the conceptualization of the term. Yet, internationally there are constant efforts to define the purpose and scope of forensic science. The Sydney Declaration was recently launched as a guiding document. We concluded that discussion about the concept of forensic science must be constant to improve it at the national level and to align it with international thinking. Hopefully, this work will encourage the discussion of the topic, strengthening the development of forensic science and reinforcing its importance for the administration of justice.