Signs of how the Sydney Declaration article is received in the forensic science literature

Abstract

The Sydney Declaration is an initiative led by an informal group of forensic scientists with diverse backgrounds. It offers a vision of forensic science based on the trace, as a vestige of a past event related to security or a possible law violation. An article published in Forensic Science International (FSI) introduces to this view [1]. Our investigation delves into how the forensic science literature has received this article (the SD article), nearly two years after its publication. One of the main challenges of this exploratory study was to define the appropriate scope of forensic scientific literature, within which the SD article must be located. In general, the publishing domain is quickly evolving, with many competing players, while still being structured around standard academic disciplines. The forensic literature, meanwhile, is scattered and poorly connected. This reflects the fragmentation of practice and research in forensic science, and the difficulty of situating a scientific activity in such a way as to bring out its forensic substance. Nonetheless, the SD article fills a gap. By deciphering the critical concept of trace, it highlights how pivotal forensic science is in addressing societal challenges. Scholarly literature expresses clear quantitative interest in the SD article. It has received significant qualitative citations on multiple levels and dimensions, in a highly relevant manner and in accordance with its aim of providing a forensic foundation for various debates that have been conducted separately, notably over the last fifteen years.