Forensic Science Misconduct

Forensic Errors

When forensic evidence is presented to a jury it is in the form of a qualified or expert person. Seeming the evidence is given by "Experts," jurors routinely give it much more weight than other evidence.

However when misconduct occurs, the weight is misplaced. In some instances, labs or their personnel are too closely tied to police and prosecutors, and therefore not impartial. At other times, a criminalist lacking the requisite knowledge embellishes findings, confident that he will not be caught since the lawyer, judge and jury have no background in the relevant science.

In some cases, critical evidence is consumed or destroyed, so that re-testing to uncover the misconduct is impossible. Evidence in these cases can never be tested again so the truth can never become known.

The identification, collection, testing, storage, handling and reporting of any piece of forensic evidence involves a number of people and procedures. Evidence can be deliberately or accidentally mishandled at any stage of this process.

The risk of misconduct starts at the crime scene, where evidence can be planted, destroyed or mishandled.

T H E I N N O C E N C E P R O J E C T WA

THE FACES OF

EXONERATION

Robin Napper

Crime Forensics and DNA expert

"The most important part of a modern crime investigation is the actual scene. Forensic evidence gathered at the scene, combined with the victimology of the victim, will statistically give investigators a 70% chance of solving the case within 72 hours. Sadly this message has not yet been understood by most Australian Police Services. The scene belongs to the Forensic Scientist, and the investigation to the Police. Until Police relinquish the scientific aspect of the crime scene, and concentrate on the investigative aspects of the case, the chances of forensic bungling will always exist."