The Dialogue Between Forensic Scientists, Statisticians and Lawyers about Complex Scientific Issues for Court

Details

Ressource 1Download: 9782889660490.pdf (953.41 [Ko])
State: Public
Version: Final published version
License: CC BY 4.0
Serval ID
serval:BIB_608E0D3B38A0
Type
Book:A book with an explicit publisher.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
The Dialogue Between Forensic Scientists, Statisticians and Lawyers about Complex Scientific Issues for Court
Publisher
Frontiers Media SA
Address of publication
Lausanne
ISBN
9782889660490
ISSN
1664-8714
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2020
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Editor
Pope Sue, Biedermann Alex
Language
english
Abstract
Since DNA analysis became part of forensic science in the mid-1980s, its impact on investigation of crime and at court has been immense. In a few years the technique became the gold standard for evaluative evidence, overtaking some other evidence types, and replacing others completely. Part of this impact was due to formal statistical calculations, replacing subjective opinions, on the weight of evidence provided for the prosecution and defence views. The technology has improved quickly with ever more sensitive tests being introduced; the statistical interpretation of increasingly complex DNA results has not been as swift. The absence of a forum for inter-disciplinary discussion between developers and end users has led to methods being developed by statisticians, with little input from the working forensic scientists. It is forensic scientists who will be using the software, and typically have little opportunity to discuss with lawyers the data impact and presentation for non-scientific audiences such as Judges, magistrates and juries. There is a danger for courts in these interpretations — which are produced by a black box — where the reporting forensic scientist has little input and less understanding. It is time for a dialog between the scientists producing the DNA results, the statisticians developing the calculation methods and software and, the lawyers who present the findings to the court.
Keywords
Criminal jurisprudence, Expert evidence, Likelihood Ratios, DNA evidence, Source code
Open Access
Yes
Funding(s)
Swiss National Science Foundation / BSSGI0_155809
Create date
08/10/2020 19:54
Last modification date
09/10/2020 6:09
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