Date of Award
5-2023
Degree Type
Honors College Thesis
Academic Program
Forensics BS
Department
Criminal Justice
First Advisor
Joshua Hill, Ph.D.
Advisor Department
Criminal Justice
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore the progression and potential improvement of forensic science in court. Errors is forensic science have contributed to the problem of wrongful convictions, but research surrounding forensic expert testimony over the last decade is lacking. The way that an expert explains evidence in court is important to gain a broader understanding for how forensic science may fail. The testimonies of forensic experts were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively to further understand the shortcomings in the field at the end of its journey through the criminal justice system. The results showed that the testimonies included a balance of technical terminology, scientific data, and simplified explanations of evidence. The balance of explanations within the testimonies is promising to reaching a level of validity and credibility in the field.
Copyright
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Recommended Citation
Gunter, Parker, "The Contribution of Forensic Science to Wrongful Convictions: An Analysis of Forensic Expert Testimony" (2023). Honors Theses. 911.
https://aquila.usm.edu/honors_theses/911