Developing the Academic Programs in Forensic Sciences: A Consistent Need to Achieve Professionalism in Forensic Work and to Serve the Criminal Justice

Abstract

As a result of the rapid global challenges related to the nature of the crime over the past two decades and the criminal justice systems’ need for forensic graduates and practitioners who possess the necessary knowledge, skills, and capabilities and demonstrate high levels of professionalism, it is now more essential than ever to truly invest developing the education and training systems in the field of criminal justice and forensic sciences. This development should include the academic programs, the curricula, the pedagogical approaches, the assessment methods, and the practice-based facilities available, the research environment, and the partnerships in place between the educational institutions and the industry stakeholders (e.g., forensic laboratories, police departments, forensic science centers, research institutes, etc.). This study provides a comprehensive worldwide review of forensic educational approaches and accreditation programs/frameworks. The aim of such a review is to prompt Arab forensic academic institutions to engage into a deeper educational and curricular conversation about how to continuously develop, review, and advance their academic and training programs to meet the needs of the forensic science community and their local judicial system. This review strongly argues for creating an Arab forensic accrediting body that can work closely with the various forensic academic and training institutions across the Arab world on creating a set of standards and educational frameworks that are benchmarked against international standards while maintaining the local contexts in each Arab country. The aim of these standards and educational frameworks is to ensure consistency among the Arab countries in terms of program and course learning objectives, curricula, teaching methods, and assessment practices in a manner that addresses the required practical forensic skills, capabilities, and competencies; emphasizes workplace best practices; and prompts continuous training, research and development, and sustainable growth for both the forensic practitioners and forensic centers and laboratories.