Chapter 15 - The road to redemption: An agenda for reform

Abstract

Forensic science conducted in both forensic laboratories and in medicolegal offices is under siege by various stakeholders of criminal justice, as well as by commentators and the media, for alleged breaches in technique leading to errors, wrongful convictions, and accusations of malfeasance and fraud; and for various shortcomings related to a lack of resources, manpower, education and training, funding, and infrastructure. This chapter reviews the current thoughts, writings, research, and initiatives related to the reform of forensic science. Forensic science expert evidence that is erroneous and fraudulent has been found to be one of the major causes, and perhaps the leading cause, of erroneous convictions of innocent persons. The outcome of forensic science reform is to achieve accuracy, reliability, and validity in all forensic laboratory examinations and analyses, as well as in all medicolegal death investigations and autopsies. Consolidation of forensic facilities, placement of forensic laboratories under the supervision of the courts, accreditation, institution of a mandatory regime of proficiency testing, provision for open access for all parties in a criminal action, and use of separate facilities by the antagonists in a criminal process are the recommended issues.