Equal Opportunity?: The Impact of Specialized Tournaments on Forensics Pedagogy, Forensics Professionals, and the Forensics Laboratory

Among the most significant changes in the evolution of forensic activities has been the growth of specialized participation, with students, educators, and programs focusing on debate or individual events. The manifestations of this specialization are seen in the decreasing number of tournaments offering opportunities for students to compete in both categories of competition. While some preservation of broad-based participation is seen with the growing popularity of parliamentary formats, the move away from broad-based participation is clear. This trend is argued to be alarming due to its negative impact on forensics pedagogy, the training of forensics educators, and the forensics laboratory. Suggestions for compromise are offered