Forensic science under siege the challenges of forensic laboratories and the medico-legal death investigation system - Pyrek, Kelly (Elsevier / Academic Press, 2007)
Forensic science laboratories' reputations have increasingly come under fire. Incidents of tainted evidence, false reports, allegations of negligence, scientifically flawed testimony, or - worse yet - perjury in in-court testimony, have all served to cast a shadow over the forensic sciences. Instances of each are just a few of the quality-related charges made in the last few years. Forensic Science Under Siege is the first book to integrate and explain these problematic trends in forensic science. The issues are timely, and are approached from an investigatory, yet scholarly and research-driven, perspective. Leading experts are consulted and interviewed, including directors of highly visible forensic laboratories, as well as medical examiners and coroners who are commandeering the discussions related to these issues. Interviewees include Henry Lee, Richard Saferstein, Cyril Wecht, and many others. The ultimate consequences of all these pressures, as well as the future of forensic science, has yet to be determined. This book examines these challenges, while also exploring possible solutions (such as the formation of a forensic science consortium to address specific legislative issues). It is a must-read for all forensic scientists. * Provides insight on the current state of forensic science, demands, and future direction as provided by leading experts in the field * Consolidates the current state of standards and best-practices of labs across disciplines * Discusses a controversial topic that must be addressed for political support and financial funding of forensic science to improve
Includes bibliographical references and index
Forensic science: celebrated and vilified -- The stakeholders in forensic science: roles, perspectives, and expectations -- An introduction to the U.S. forensic laboratory system -- The U.S. forensic laboratory system under siege -- The reality of the U.S. forensic laboratory system -- An introduction to the U.S. medico-legal death investigation system -- The U.S. medico-legal death investigation system under siege -- The real story of the U.S. medico-legal death investigation system -- The courts: battlefield for the truth and a changing paradigm -- Not all science is created equal -- DNA: convicting the guilty, exonerating the innocent -- The evidence trilogy and forensic science -- The stakeholders in court: judges, juries, experts, and attorneys -- The champions of forensic science: advocacy and funding efforts -- The road to redemption: an agenda for reform -- New initiatives and the future of forensic science -- Looking out for decedents and defendants: taking a cue from health care