NAS Report Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward

1
NAS ReportStrengthening Forensic Science in the
United States A Path Forward

• Research Education

2
Recommendation -1 - NIFS

• Promote scholarly, competitive peer-reviewed
  research and technical development in the
  forensic science disciplines and forensic
  medicine
• Develop a strategy to improve forensic science
  research and educational programs, including
  forensic pathology
• Oversee education standards and the accreditation
  of forensic science programs in colleges and
  universities

3
Recommendation - 10

• Attract students to pursue graduate studies in
  fields critical to forensic science
• Authorize funds to NIFS to
• work with organizations educational
  institutions to improve develop graduate
  programs
• scholarship opportunities to attract students
• Improve develop research methods
  methodologies applicable to forensic practice
• attract research universities students in
  fields relevant to forensic science
• establish legal education programs for law
  students, practitioners and judges.

4
Recommendation - 3

• Research to address issues of accuracy,
  reliability and validity in forensic science
  disciplines
• Scientific basis demonstrating validity of
  methods
• Develop establish quantifiable measures of
  reliability accuracy
• Reflect actual practice on realistic case
  scenarios
• Peer reviewed
• Develop quantifiable measures of uncertainty in
  conclusions
• Develop automated techniques of enhancing
  forensic technologies

5
Overview

• Better Educated Forensic Scientists
• Backlogs growing
• Increase in number of jobs
• Retirement/Attrition
• Growth in the profession
• Eliminate the biases fraud
• Eliminate deficiencies stemming from
  apprentice-based education
• Focused Research
• Explore the scientific basis of many forensic
  examinations
• Identify the limitations of forensic tests
• Create reasonable standards for declaring matches
• Innovative solutions to forensic problems
• Increase utilization of automation

6
Educating Forensic Scientists
7
Education Training Serves 3 Purposes
Prepare the next generation of forensic
scientists Guarantee continuing professional
development training Educate users of forensic
science services
8
Origins of U.S. Forensic Science
Police Departments
Forensic Laboratories
Scientists
9
Apprentice-based Education
Educating Forensic Scientists The Traditional
Approach
Education Training
Apprenticeship
Experience
Time
Workshops/Symposia
College Degree
OJT Workshops/Symposia Mentorship
10
Forensic Science Education Program Accreditation
CommissionFEPACAAFS - 2004

• General Standards for all programs
• Undergraduate Program Standards
• Graduate Program Standards

11
FEPAC Undergraduate Graduate Standards
Mission, Goals and Objectives Admission
Requirements Curriculum Program
Director Faculty Success with Respect to Student
Achievement Professional Involvement
12
FSAT Forensic Science Aptitude Test
American Board of Criminalistics
13
Training Continuing EducationTWGED

• Consistent with peer-reviewed standards (SWGS)
• Structure
• Learning objectives
• Instructor qualifications
• Student requirements
• Detailed syllabus
• Performance goals
• Periodic assessments
• Competency elements

14
Educating Forensic Scientists
The AAFS - ASCLD/LAB FEPAC Model
Experience
Certification
Training
Education FEPAC
Chemistry Biology Forensic Chemistry Forensic
Biology Criminalistics Quality Assurance Testimony
Research Problem Solving Criminal Justice
OJT Workshops/Symposia Mentorship Specific
Training Programs
Written Examinations Proficiency
Testing Continuing Education
Regulation Oversight
Measuring Student Competency Student
Pre-Certification Exams
15
Research In Education
Premise

• A critical component of an appropriate forensic
  education
• Critical Thinking problem solving
• In-depth thought about specific forensic problems
• Supports
• faculty student research
• acquisition maintenance of equipment
  research instrumentation
• laboratory renovations
• Research is not the accepted mission of local
  state laboratories
• Service organizations

16
Research
Recommendation 10

• Improve develop grad programs
• Offer attractive scholarships
• Improve research methods methodologies
• Attract research universities
• Attract students in fields relevant to FS

17
ResearchWhat We Know

• Some forensic testing
• Origins not academically based
• Pattern evidence aka experienced-based
  analyses
• Procedures not rigorously validated
• Limitations not considered closely enough
• Not exposed to scientific scrutiny
• Developed by practitioners to serve casework
  needs
• Courts are not an adequate gate-keeper for
  admission of reliable science
• Experienced-based match opinions are not adequate
  to express uniqueness of comparisons

18
Funding Research A Recent Example

• Strengths
• The idea of examining latent prints in situ
  without the application of chemical or physical
  techniques is exciting
• This approach is both innovative and creative
• A method based solely on the topographic relief
  of the print is of interest
• Indicates the potential for a significant
  contribution to the forensic community
• Weakness
• It appears the researchers dont feel that latent
  print examiners are forensic scientists. This
  attitude will not serve them well as they seek
  input from the latent print community.

19
NIJ funding for an individual research or
development project rarely exceeds 500,000
annually, though total funding for projects
requiring multiple years to complete has exceeded
1 million in some cases.
Total Requested 505,535 - 345,607.00 -
357,047.00
20
Funding Research A Second Recent Example

• Strengths
• The dissemination strategy is well-defined and
  appropriate
• Weakness
• The dissemination strategy does not delineate
  what steps are suggested for NIJ to disseminate
  the results of the study.

21
Correcting Existing Deficiencies
Better undergraduate graduate
programs Increased opportunities for continuing
education/training Employ established scientific
knowledge, principles practice learned through
formal education, training research