Shattering the Perception of Forensic Science: A Review of the National Academy of Science\u27s Report and Its Impact on the Field of Forensic Science

In 2009, the National Academy of Sciences released a report entitled Strengthening Forensic Science: A Path Forward. Since then, the forensic science community has made efforts to address the issues considered in the report. This report has led to an increased pressure on many scientists to create a “perfect science” that could be easily explained and used in a court room. Analysis of the responses of many professionals, both within and outside of the forensic science community, indicates that the report in itself was far too critical of the field as a whole and, as a result, has caused more problems than it is fixing due to the misapplication of the document in court. In order to truly improve the forensic science community, and continue to have it be a crucial aspect of the criminal justice community, it is necessary to critically evaluate the report and the many responses to it in order to clear up misconceptions and ensure that the forensic science community as a whole does not suffer from the misapplication of this document