Toward a common language for quality issues in forensic science

• Published in: WIREs. Forensic science Vol. 4; no. 4; pp. e1452 - n/a
• Main Authors: Heavey, Anna L., Turbett, Gavin R., Houck, Max M., Lewis, Simon W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken, USA John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01-07-2022; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Chemistry; common language; communication; Disclosure; errors; Forensic science; Forensic sciences; Interdisciplinary aspects; Public domain; quality issues; Transparency
• ISSN: 2573-9468; 2573-9468
• DOI: 10.1002/wfs2.1452

The call for transparency with regards to the disclosure of errors in forensic science has permeated dialogues within the field, the legal arena and the public domain. While the challenges of meeting this need have been debated, no consistently accepted approach to recording or disclosing critical issues in forensic science has been developed. Part of the solution may lie in the quality system structures already present in forensic service providers world‐wide. However, while quality systems themselves may be standardized, the language used within them is not. We argue that the development of a common language for quality issues in forensic science may provide the key to unlocking this crucial information to support collaboration, continuous improvement, and the fundamental understanding of “error” in forensic science.
This article is categorized under:
Forensic Chemistry and Trace Evidence > Trace Evidence
Jurisprudence and Regulatory Oversight > Communication Across Science and Law
Jurisprudence and Regulatory Oversight > Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Forensic Chemistry and Trace Evidence > Presentation and Evaluation of Forensic Science Output
The language of quality management systems could hold the key to understanding and communicating errors in forensic science.