Geoffrey Davies Institute of Chemical Analysis A~~lications and Forensic Science .. Nomeastern Lniversihl Boston. Massachusetts 021 15
I I
Educational Aspects of Forensic Science
Forensic science is a broad field which encompasses all aspects of the application of scientific principles to the establishment of criminal euilt or innocence. includine such specialities as psychiatry, and jurisprnzence. Criminalistics. a subdivision of forensic science. involves the collection and lahoratory examination of physical evidence from a crime scene or as the result of a suspicious occurrence (e.g., an unexplained death) and court testimony on its significance in a particular case (1). Examples of items submitted to the criminalistics laboratory might include a blood sample from a suspected drunken driver, a weapon obtained from a crime scene or suspect, bloodstained clothing, or a suspected forgery. The recent symposium "Educational and Scientific Proeress in Forensic Science" a t the 168th National ACS ~ e e t i in n ~Atlantic City attracted a large audience of professional criminalists, law enforcement officers, researchers, and teachers interested in current progress in criminalistics practice and training (2, 3). This interest reflects the increasing emphasis being placed on the use of physical evidence in the investigative and judicial processes, which has created new opportunities fur chemists in the nation's criminalistics laboratories. The . orooer evidence is an im. consideration of .nhvsical portent societal function and involves the application of manv different scientific orincioles and techniaues. The most important fralures oi special training programs in rriminnlistics. u,hich diffcrentiate them from more traditional science co&es, are that they embody a strong relationship between science and the law. They also emphasize that conclusions drawn from laboratory measurements often depend on other information (e.g., witness statements) and require supporting statistical data (e.g., population frequencies for blood phenotypes (41). The success of such training programs depends on the maintenance of a close relationship between classroom teaching and field practice throuzh freauent consultation with orofessional criminalists a i d through the inclusion of student internships (2). At the svmnosium. Dr. Raloh Turner of Michigan State University provided an overview of criminalistics training and practice, emphasizing the historical foundations which often provide precedence in court testimony, the final phase of a criminalistic investigation. He also pointed out the need for the constant upgrading of field expertise through continuing education. Dr. William McGee described the background and operati
