Abstract
This paper builds on the FoRTE conceptual model presented in part I to address the forms of knowledge that are integral to the four components of the model. Articulating the different forms of knowledge within effective forensic reconstructions is valuable. It enables a nuanced approach to the development and use of evidence bases to underpin decision-making at every stage of a forensic reconstruction by enabling transparency in the reporting of inferences. It also enables appropriate methods to be developed to ensure quality and validity.It is recognised that the domains of practice, research, and policy/law intersect to form the nexus where forensic science is situated. Each domain has a distinctive infrastructure that influences the production and application of different forms of knowledge in forensic science. The channels that can enable the interaction between these domains, enhance the impact of research in theory and practice, increase access to research findings, and support quality are presented. The particular strengths within the different domains to deliver problem solving forensic reconstructions are thereby identified and articulated. It is argued that a conceptual understanding of forensic reconstruction that draws on the full range of both explicit and tacit forms of knowledge, and incorporates the strengths of the different domains pertinent to forensic science, offers a pathway to harness the full value of trace evidence for context sensitive, problem-solving forensic applications.
Highlights
The need for research in forensic science that addresses theory and principles to underpin the discipline is not new [1]
Within the FoRTE model [9] the forms of knowledge present within each component is a critical factor because the model incorporates both high quality, empirical evidence bases to underpin each stage of the forensic process, and the expertise required for case sensitive inferences that contribute to the forensic reconstruction
This paper built on the FoRTE model presented in part I [9] that set out a conceptual approach for understanding the role of trace evidence in forensic reconstruction
Summary
The need for research in forensic science that addresses theory and principles to underpin the discipline is not new [1]. The FoRTE model that outlines the role of trace evidence within the forensic science process, and the critical components for effective forensic reconstruction inferences, has been presented in part I of this paper [9]. Incorporating the roles of the intersecting domains of practice, research, and policy/law into the model situates a conceptual approach in reality, and thereby enables the different requirements of each domain to be incorporated into the forensic reconstruction process. By drawing upon the diverse forms of knowledge integral to forensic reconstruction, and the approaches to knowledge production, and individual and institutional characteristics, it is possible to begin to articulate paths for going forward These paths need to be those that harness the strengths of the intersecting domains to present an effective approach for forensic reconstruction that is able to assist both the theory and practice of forensic science
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