Practical Solutions to Cognitive and Human Factor Challenges in Forensic Science

Abstract

The growing understanding of the central role of human factors and cognition in forensic science has paved the way to develop and implement practical solutions to enhance work in forensic laboratories. Cognitive insights provide relatively simply practical solutions to minimize bias by increasing examiners’ independence of mind. These derive from understanding the spectrum of biases—not only those that can arise from knowing irrelevant case information, but also biases that emerge from base rate regularities, working ‘backwards’ from the suspect to the evidence, and from the working environment itself. Cognitive science’s contribution to forensic work goes beyond fighting bias, it suggests ways to enhance examiners’ work with technology (distributed cognition), as well as how best to select candidates during recruitment. Taking human cognition into account, such as with a triage approach and case managers, can enhance the quality and effectiveness of the work carried out by forensic examiners. This paper details practical solutions that emerge from a cognitive perspective that understand human expertise and performance. Such cognitively informed approaches should be integrated within forensic work on an ongoing basis.