Public beliefs about the accuracy and importance of forensic evidence in the United States |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa;2. Department of Pathology, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa;1. School of Criminal Justice, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland;2. University of Québec at Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Canada;3. Laboratoire de recherche en criminalistique, Trois-Rivières, Canada;1. Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Forensic Sciences, P.O. Box 1025, 1000 BA Amsterdam, the Netherlands;2. VU University Amsterdam, Criminology Department, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands;3. Police Academy of the Netherlands, Apeldoorn, the Netherlands;4. Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement NSCR, Amsterdam, the Netherlands;1. Duke University, United States;2. Towson University, United States;1. Iowa State University, United States;2. Arizona State University, United States |
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| Abstract: | Recent advances in forensic science, especially the use of DNA technology, have revealed that faulty forensic analyses may have contributed to miscarriages of justice. In this study we build on recent research on the general public’s perceptions of the accuracy of 10 forensic science techniques and of each stage in the investigation process. We find that individuals in the United States hold a pessimistic view of the forensic science investigation process, believing that an error can occur about half of the time at each stage of the process. We find that respondents believe that forensics are far from perfect, with accuracy rates ranging from a low of 55% for voice analysis to a high of 83% for DNA analysis, with most techniques being considered between 65% and 75% accurate. Nevertheless, respondents still believe that forensic evidence is a key part of a criminal case, with nearly 30% of respondents believing that the absence of forensic evidence is sufficient for a prosecutor to drop the case and nearly 40% believing that the presence of forensic evidence – even if other forms of evidence suggest that the defendant is not guilty – is enough to convict the defendant. |
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| Keywords: | forensic science forensic evidence CSI effect public perceptions |
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