• Can Juries Rely on Forensic Experts?
    5 replies, posted
[URL="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/criminal-justice/real-csi/can-juries-rely-on-forensic-experts/"]PBS Article Here[/URL] [quote]Forensic psychologists and psychiatrists who testify in court tend to slant their findings based on who hired them, according to a new study released this week. Researchers paid 108 forensic psychologists and psychiatrists to review identical case files on sex offenders. Some of the experts were told that they were working for the defense, while others were told that they worked for the prosecution. Those working for the prosecutor found the offenders were at higher risk of attacking another victim, the study found. Those working for the defense assigned lower-risk scores.[/quote] Not really surprised, it was still a good read though.
No shit? The Defense defends and the prosecution prosecutes. That's how the court system works.
[QUOTE=Paul McCartney;42158829]No shit? The Defense defends and the prosecution prosecutes. That's how the court system works.[/QUOTE] Read the article. That is absolutely not how it is supposed to work. The defense attorney defends, the prosecution prosecutes, and forensic experts provide a neutral, unbiased account. The facts should stand on their own, especially given how much weight their testimony has. The jury decides guilt or innocence, not the forensic psychologists.
[QUOTE=catbarf;42158855]Read the article. That is absolutely not how it is supposed to work. The defense attorney defends, the prosecution prosecutes, and forensic experts provide a neutral, unbiased account. The facts should stand on their own, especially given how much weight their testimony has. The jury decides guilt or innocence, not the forensic psychologists.[/QUOTE] And if you're working for one side and you end up doing a shitty job, you get a mark on your record. The article is talking about forensic experts brought in by one side or the other.
maybe forensic experts should only be called as a third party, organized by the judge or something rather than being a member of either side
To clarify: This is talking about forensic psychologists and psychiatrists NOT forensic analysts dealing with evidence. [quote]“I don’t see any reason to believe that forensic psychiatrists and psychologists are any more prone to bias than other types of forensic scientists,” he said. “Every professional who works in the justice system really does need to be attuned towards this pull towards allegiance. This is probably universal for any profession that’s asked to do their work for one side or the other.”[/quote] Implying that forensic evidence analysts tamper data is a bad thing to do. If they tamper with evidence, the entire case gets thrown.
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