Photo: Mikael Wallerstedt
Evidence-based criminal procedure is a new multidisciplinary subject within law which aims to enable practitioners such as police officers, prosecutors, forensic medical doctors and judges to work in evidence-based ways. Criminal case procedures entail both methodological and human sources of error. Examples of methodological sources of error are for example those found in software used to analyse complex DNA-mixtures and technology (cell site analysis) used to estimate a person’s (e.g. a suspects’) whereabouts at a relevant time. Human sources of error are present both in the practitioners operating during the criminal investigation e.g. police officers, forensic analysts and forensic medical doctors, and in those operating during criminal trials such as prosecutors and judges. For example, this research shows that when forensic medical doctors examine identical injuries in identical circumstances they make different observations and draw different conclusions regarding e.g. whether the injuries are due to blunt or sharp force. Also, there are communication issues between forensic analysts and judges, not least when it comes to the probability scales used by the National Forensic Centre (NFC) to describe analytical results in relation to e.g. blood traces, hair examinations, tool marks and shoe prints.
Born: 1986
Interests: Crime, true crime documentaries, forensics, psychology, fitness, travel and food.
Working in academia is a privilege – but it also offers valuable insight into the barriers that prevent researchers not only from carrying out their work effectively, but also from communicating it to the wider world. I’m particularly interested in reaching out with research to practitioners, policymakers and young people. Research funding and internationalisation are also issues I care deeply about.
Latest news from the Young Academy of Sweden, published approximately six times a year. You can unsubscribe at any time.
