Monday, April 12, 2010

STRENGTHENING FORENSIC SCIENCE

A recent (2009) report by the National Academy of Sciences (PDF):


If nothing else, I'd recommend chapters three through six as essential reading. The Federal Rules of Evidence and related case law covered in Chapter Three are relevant to every United States citizen. The purpose, method, and scope of science is misunderstood by far too many, and Chapter Four provides a great resource towards which the uninformed might be directed (this also ties in with law, insofar as jury instruction and the judge as "gatekeeper" are concerned). Chapter Five is a useful primer/history of forensic science, but is likely redundant for anyone who has taken an introductory forensic anthropology class. Chapter Six is essentially a plea for greater research, more rigorous standards/practices, and greater autonomy for science laboratories.

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