National Forensic Science Week Recognizes Contribution of Forensic Practitioners

This week, the Major City Chiefs Association, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Major County Sheriff’s Association, the Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies and the Consortium of Forensic Science Organizations are recognizing August 11-17, 2013 as

National Forensic Science Week

. The Innocence Project would like to commend and celebrate the many women and men who aid criminal investigations as forensic practitioners and medical examiners.

 

The National Academy of Sciences report,

Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward

, has generated national level discussions on the need to support forensic science. Thanks to advocacy from the forensic science community, Congress has taken steps to address the report’s recommendations. The Innocence Project supports these recommendations, particularly those that strengthen forensic techniques through rigorous scientific research and support the establishment of standards and best practices. Victims, innocent defendants, police, prosecutors and courts all gain from an efficient system that minimizes errors and focuses resources on identifying the guilty. If we increase the reliability of criminal evidence by improving the tools and practices available to forensic practitioners, we can prevent wrongful convictions and accelerate the identification of real perpetrators, thereby enhancing public safety.

 

The Innocence Project applauds the efforts of those in the forensic community who continually strive to enhance forensic sciences. We do our part by advocating for crucial financial support through the Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants that provide funding for crime laboratories and medical examiner’s offices, by supporting the newly formed National Commission on Forensic Science, which was created to develop national policy recommendations, and by advocating for federal legislation that creates a scientific framework to guide our country’s investment in the future of forensic science.

 

Through this work, and through future collaborations with other stakeholder efforts, we hope to achieve the future that we and the forensic community seek. And, we hope National Forensic Science Week helps pave the way to that end.