Not-So-Neutral Forensic Science

The phrase "forensic science" may have a bland, neutral sound to it. But in recent years, some labs have started skewing test results and manipulating the processes behind it.

That's why the National Academy of Sciences is calling for the creation of an independent agency to monitor and set standards for forensic science used in our courts.

If you needed a reminder of how badly we need this reform, look no further than this excellent four-part series in the Raleigh News & Observer, which paints an ugly picture of how forensic analysts and officials have falsified results and tested selective evidence — all to get evidence that supports state prosecutors' theory of a crime. Thanks to the paper's work, officials across the state are calling for a shakeup of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.

And it's not just North Carolina. Similar controveries and lab closings have swept through countless state and city labs in recent years — from Houston to Boston to San Francisco.

And those are just the problems with forensic science that actually make the headlines. In reality, there are plenty of other issues simmering beneath the surface. 

As the NAS found in a report last year, DNA profiling is the only forensic test that's received greater levels of scrutiny and has been empirically tested in scientific laboratories. Others — like microscopic hair comparison, bite mark comparison and even fingerprints — are routinely used in police investigations and in court, yet haven't been subjected to empirical tests for accuracy.

Courts badly need a north star on forensics — somewhere to turn for information on what forms of testing to trust. We need independent crime labs, not labs tied too closely to prosecutor’s offices or police departments.

An independent federal agency could start this process in motion. Right now, the Just Science Coalition is pushing Congress to back the formation of such a federal forensic agency to improve the accuracy of our criminal justice system. Will you join the coalition by signing their petition here?

[Full disclosure: The Innocence Project, where I work when I’m not blogging here, is a founding member of the Just Science Coalition. Views expressed here are mine alone.]

Photo Credit: xmatt