Decision-making in the Forensic Arena

These days, forensic science is ‘hot’. As TV shows like Crime Scene Investigation and Forensic Detectives are commanding top ratings and record numbers of students are enrolling in forensic science courses, interest in the subject continues unabated. In just two years, between 2002 and 2004, the number of forensic science courses at UK universities more than doubled, from 150 to close to 400, and it is still rising. However, while the casual observer of the scene might be forgiven for thinking otherwise, not everything is rosy in the forensic garden. In the real world, forensic science is increasingly criticized for its lack of a scientific basis, as much of what passes for forensic science does not on closer examination qualify as science. If anything, recent insights suggest that decision-making in the forensic arena tends to be fraught with difficulty, as the following examples illustrate