Forensic Science Education Research Articles

O pomyłce sądowej w kontekście wiedzy kryminalistycznej

Pomyłki sądowe zdarzały się w przeszłości, zdarzają się obecnie i zapewne będą mieć miejsce w przyszłości. Sygnały dotyczące ich występowania pojawiały się w literaturze. Aktualnie również są przedmiotem rozważań, nie tylko na gruncie naukowym, lecz także medialnym. Anali-zując problem oraz spoglądając na niego z perspektywy czasu, można zaryzykować stwierdzenie, że pomyłki sądowe służyły postępowi, przełamując pewne schematy i bariery, prowadząc jednocześnie do rozwoju kryminalistyki i procedury karnej. Wśród wielu pytań (co jest powodem pomyłek sądo-wych), jakie nasuwają się po lekturze badań, analiz, ankiet, pojawia się kolejne, dotyczące wymiaru wiedzy kryminalistycznej przekazywanej na polskich uczelniach. Pytanie to przekłada się na kolej-ne, odnoszące się do poziomu wiedzy kryminalistycznej bądź jej braku w pracy organów wymiaru sprawiedliwości. Taki stan generuje kolejne tezy, które nawiązują do nielicznych podnoszonych gło-sów dotyczących stanu kształcenia na poziomie studiów prawniczych. W związku z tym podjęte zo-stały działania mające na celu zestawienie danych odnoszących się do ilości i jakości (formy) zajęć prowadzonych z przedmiotu kryminalistyka na polskich uczelniach oraz aplikacjach prawniczych.

Choose your own murder: Non-linear narratives enhance student understanding in forensic science education

Higher education teaching in the forensic sciences tends to follow a traditional format of lectures followed by practical laboratory sessions. Sometimes this approach is not possible or viewed as not innovative enough. The free, open access software Twine was used with final year undergraduates in forensic and crime scene science in a UK university in order to create an interactive learning experience based around the creation of non-linear stories. Evaluation of this approach demonstrated the positive impact on student understanding when compared to the traditional lecture model. Students found the experience engaging and were keen to use Twine again.

Forensic science and student mobility programs in the Indo-Pacific region: Unveiling the potential of an international and intercultural project in forensic science education

Forensic science is the application of science in a criminal investigation or court of law. Crimes and forensic investigation have always been associated with human society. As an interdisciplinary field, forensic science incorporates areas of both life sciences and social sciences. Until the beginning of the 1900s, forensic science was self-taught and carried out exclusively through law enforcement agencies. In recent years, with the success of crime drama television series, an increased global interest in forensic science-based university courses has been observed. The prevalence of global issues such as international crimes and mass disasters has catalysed the need for international collaboration and to remove global barriers within forensic science. To prepare students for the world of work, it is pivotal that forensic science curricula address the needs of the present-day society and the requirements of the forensic providers (laboratories and law enforcement agencies). The present manuscript describes the first forensic science international curriculum between Australia (Murdoch University) and Malaysia (Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia/UKM Forensics), possible through the New Colombo Plan of the Australian Government. The course outlined here, comprehensively comprised of lectures, workshops and mixed group crime scene simulations, provided Australian and Malaysian students with an authentic, intercultural and cross-jurisdictional learning experience to acquire work-ready skills.

Learning from the Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation in the US

Learning from the Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation in the US

The Professionals Employment System for the Future of Korean Crime Scene Investigation - Focusing on the Forensic Science Education Program -

The Professionals Employment System for the Future of Korean Crime Scene Investigation - Focusing on the Forensic Science Education Program -

Translating Science

The articles in this special issue highlight the ways in which science communication, and in particular translational communication, implicates the nuances of language. This issue is the report of the Task Force on STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) language set up by the International Association of Language and Social Psychology. The articles raise issues about the multiple stakeholders in science and their characteristic language and concepts, in contexts as diverse as health, energy production, forensic science, and science education. They point to the consequences of getting communication wrong, and to the important role of linguistics and language and social psychology in understanding this process. The articles point to a research agenda for language and social psychology researchers in this increasingly important and salient area, as we address major problems in society through the sciences.

Should Higher Education respond to recent changes in the forensic science marketplace?

The evolution of forensic science within the United Kingdom over the past four decades has been rapid and dynamic. This has included policy responses to highly public miscarriages of justice, introduction of commercialisation and pioneering scientific developments such as DNA profiling. However even within this context, changes within forensic science over the last two years has been unprecedented; such as the closure of The Forensic Science Service; a Home Office review of Research and Development within forensic science; the challenges facing fingerprint identification as a result of The Fingerprint Inquiry (Scotland) and the embryonic development of a new professional body for the police force. Correspondingly, development of forensic science within Higher Education (HE) has been substantially transformed from a small number of Masters Courses in forensic science delivered by a small number of universities, to a plethora of undergraduate courses now available throughout the United Kingdom. This rapid expansion of forensic science courses has been openly criticised and debated and it is incumbent upon the university to not only focus on education but also to provide graduates with transferrable skills making them more employment ready. As a consequence HE establishments must be cognisant of and reactive to changes within any associated industry and respond to changes accordingly. However, have the universities delivering forensic science courses fully responded to these recent and unprecedented developments in the history of forensic science within the United Kingdom? This paper will consider the most recent changes to the forensic science marketplace and their ramifications for forensic science education within the HE sector. Challenges which have resulted from the changes will be highlighted and the educational impact on forensic science courses throughout the UK and their future will be evaluated in chronological order.

Three Forensic Nursing Science Simulations

BackgroundThis article describes an innovative approach of developing and implementing three simulation scenarios that focus on forensic nursing science education. MethodsThe scenarios include a blunt force trauma patient, gunshot wound patient, and strangulation assault patient. Students participated in an elective where simulation was implemented to apply new knowledge. ResultsThe students appreciated learning about forensic nursing science within a simulation setting. ConclusionThe article describes scenario details including simulation setup, objectives, and expected outcomes.

To Commemorate the 100thYear Anniversary of Forensic Science Education in China: A Brief Review of the Lives and Achievements of Forensic Science Pioneers from Zhejiang Province

Looking back at modern China's 100-year history of forensic science education, we have found a number of forensic science pioneers from the Zhejiang Province who have made historic contributions to forensic science education. This paper briefly reviews the lives and achievements of these pioneers in chronological order. They include Song-Ming Xu, Ji-Zu Wang, Lv-Gao Chen, Jin-Chang Zhu, Ying-Han Xu, Mei-Yun Wu, Jia-Zhen Zhu, Guang-Zhao Huang, Zhan-Pei Zheng, and Shi-Xian Chen. History is only worth writing about if it teaches us about the future. This historical review sets examples for both current and future forensic pathologists to learn from the contributions of these pioneers.

A Critical Look at Some Needed Reports in the Landscape of Forensic Science Education and Mentorship Training Standards

The following article originally published in the Academy News, Vol. 44, Issue 1 (Jan. 2014), a bi- monthly publication of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, is reprinted with permission and is accessible online at http://aafs.org/sites/default/files/pdf/AcadNews/2014/Jan14.pdf
 Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the articles contained in the Academy News are those of the identified authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Academy.
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Curriculum and course materials for a forensic DNA biology course

The Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC) requires accredited programs offer a "coherent curriculum" to ensure each student gains a "thorough grounding of the natural…sciences." Part of this curriculum includes completion of a minimum of 15 semester-hours forensic science coursework, nine of which can involve a class in forensic DNA biology. Departments that have obtained or are pursuing FEPAC accreditation can meet this requirement by offering a stand-alone forensic DNA biology course; however, materials necessary to instruct students are often homegrown and not standardized; in addition, until recently, the community lacked commercially available books, lab manuals, and teaching materials, and many of the best pedagogical resources were scattered across various peer-reviewed journals. The curriculum discussed below is an attempt to synthesize this disparate information, and although certainly not the only acceptable methodology, the below discussion represents "a way" for synthesizing and aggregating this information into a cohesive, comprehensive whole.

Should Higher Education respond to recent changes in the forensic science marketplace?

The evolution of forensic science within the United Kingdom over the past four decades has been rapid and dynamic. This has included policy responses to highly public miscarriages of justice, introduction of commercialisation and pioneering scientific developments such as DNA profiling. However even within this context, changes within forensic science over the last two years has been unprecedented; such as the closure of The Forensic Science Service; a Home Office review of Research and Development within forensic science; the challenges facing fingerprint identification as a result of The Fingerprint Inquiry (Scotland) and the embryonic development of a new professional body for the police force. Correspondingly, development of forensic science within Higher Education (HE) has been substantially transformed from a small number of Masters Courses in forensic science delivered by a small number of universities, to a plethora of undergraduate courses now available throughout the United Kingdom. This rapid expansion of forensic science courses has been openly criticised and debated and it is incumbent upon the university to not only focus on education but also to provide graduates with transferrable skills making them more employment ready. As a consequence HE establishments must be cognisant of and reactive to changes within any associated industry and respond to changes accordingly. However, have the universities delivering forensic science courses fully responded to these recent and unprecedented developments in the history of forensic science within the United Kingdom? This paper will consider the most recent changes to the forensic science marketplace and their ramifications for forensic science education within the HE sector. Challenges which have resulted from the changes will be highlighted and the educational impact on forensic science courses throughout the UK and their future will be evaluated in chronological order.

Forensic Science Education: Inquiry into Current Tertiary Forensic Science Courses

Abstract Over the past two decades, the field of forensic science has experienced a remarkable development, immense mass media focus, and a substantially enhanced public profile. Consequently, forensic science education has been characterized by a rapid expansion in both the number of forensic science courses and the number of students enrolling in such courses. Despite the concerns such rapid expansion has created, very little remains published on forensic science education and on the curricular and pedagogical approaches adopted in forensic science courses. This article aims to generate a deep understanding about the current status of forensic science education in academia and the curricular and pedagogical frameworks adopted in forensic science courses. In order to fulfill this aim, a document analysis of 190 forensic science courses offered worldwide was conducted. Document analysis generated understandings of and insights into the way higher education institutes organize forensic science education, t...

The trials and tribulations of designing and utilising MCQs in HE and for assessing forensic practitioner competency

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) are a very well known, traditional and accepted method of assessment. The use of MCQs for testing students has produced numerous debates amongst academics concerning their effectiveness as they are viewed as practical and efficient but also perceived as possibly „too easy‟ and potentially unable to appropriately test the higher order cognitive skills that essay questions can assess. The use of MCQs in a forensic science context is currently being investigated, not only for use within forensic science education, but also for the testing of competency of qualified forensic practitioners. This paper describes a Higher Education Academy funded project that is investigating the design and the implementation of MCQs for testing forensic practitioners and the lessons that have been learnt so far, that will assist academics in the development of robust MCQ assessments within forensic science degrees to promote and assess deep learning.

The trials and tribulations of designing and utilising MCQs in HE and for assessing forensic practitioner competency

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) are a very well known, traditional and accepted method of assessment. The use of MCQs for testing students has produced numerous debates amongst academics concerning their effectiveness as they are viewed as practical and efficient but also perceived as possibly „too easy‟ and potentially unable to appropriately test the higher order cognitive skills that essay questions can assess.The use of MCQs in a forensic science context is currently being investigated, not only for use within forensic science education, but also for the testing of competency of qualified forensic practitioners. This paper describes a Higher Education Academy funded project that is investigating the design and the implementation of MCQs for testing forensic practitioners and the lessons that have been learnt so far, that will assist academics in the development of robust MCQ assessments within forensic science degrees to promote and assess deep learning.

Lowering the Drawbridges: Legal and Forensic Science Education for the 21st Century

Abstract Notwithstanding the significant investigatory and prosecutorial benefits of forensic science, the marriage of law and science has most often been represented as discordant: a marriage of “opposites” (Wonder 1989) that's “troubled” (Haack 2009). Yet most critics rely upon cliched representations or “caricatures” (Roberts 2012) to demonstrate how science and law represent two cultures. When official concerns over the potentially deleterious coupling within the criminal justice system have reached a fevered pitch, the fallout has often been a chorus of disapproval addressed to forensic science, but also denigration of legal professionals for being unable or unwilling to forge a symbiotic relationship with forensic scientists. The National Research Council's 2009 National Academy of Sciences Report on forensic science heralds the latest call for greater collaboration between the law and science, particularly in higher education institutions (HEIs). To investigate the potential for interdisciplinary c...

Commentary on: Tregar KL, Proni G. A review of forensic science education programs in the United States: bachelor’s and master’s degrees. J Forensic Sci 2010; 55 (6): 1488–93.

Commentary on: Tregar KL, Proni G. A review of forensic science education programs in the United States: bachelor’s and master’s degrees. J Forensic Sci 2010; 55 (6): 1488–93.

Large Scale Simulation for Education in Forensic DNA Science

Forensic science education is a rapidly expanding field with several universities adding degrees in many forensic science disciplines. Concurrently, with this expansion is a new push for forensic science education in the secondary schools. This generation of students is also very adept at computer generated environments. The logical progression is therefore to provide students and instructors with a simulated environment to immerse students into forensic science investigations. The Island of Tir Ebensëa is a developing system that generates a large scale population and forensic scenarios and places the students as the investigators. Students are provided with a scenario and then generate queries to gain information about the people involved in the case. They can then draw conclusions about the scenario and compare these conclusions to the known answer. The simulation is available to educational institutions.

A Review of Forensic Science Higher Education Programs in the United States: Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees*

As the number of forensic science programs offered at higher education institutions rises, and more students express an interest in them, it is important to gain information regarding the offerings in terms of courses, equipment available to students, degree requirements, and other important aspects of the programs. A survey was conducted examining the existing bachelor's and master's forensic science programs in the U.S. Of the responding institutions, relatively few were, at the time of the survey, accredited by the forensic science Education Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC). In general, the standards of the responding programs vary considerably primarily in terms of their size and subjects coverage. While it is clear that the standards for the forensic science programs investigated are not homogeneous, the majority of the programs provide a strong science curriculum, faculties with advanced degrees, and interesting forensic-oriented courses.

Accreditation of Canadian Undergraduate Forensic Degrees: FEPAC in the Canadian Context

ABSTRACTRecently, two forensic science degree programs offered by the Department of Forensic Science at Laurentian University, the Honours Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science (single concentration) and the Honours Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science and Chemistry (combined concentration), were the first in Canada to receive full accreditation from the Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC). This organization is the only North American body to accredit undergraduate and graduate forensic science programs by means of comparison to a set of educational standards. Although it is stated in their policies and procedures that FEPAC will only accredit programs in the United States, the Department of Forensic Science successfully requested that FEPAC consider accrediting forensic science programs in Canada. As many Canadian forensic laboratories are familiar with undergoing the experience of being accredited through ASCLD (the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors), it is entirely appropriate for Canadian educational institutions to pursue FEPAC accreditation. The purpose of this paper is to familiarize Canadian forensic science practitioners and academicians with FEPAC and to provide a practical guide on successfully completing the accreditation process.