Informational Scientific Primers for Officers of the Court: Intended to Strengthen Use of Forensic Science Evidence

Published

March 26, 2025

Author(s)

JP Jones, Laurel Farrell, Lisa M. Benson

Abstract

Officers of the Court including judges and attorneys can benefit from receiving information from neutral sources to inform their understanding of foundational scientific and forensic science principles. Inspired by a request from Congress and a National Research Council report, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Forensic Science Program has prepared 17 short primers covering aspects of quality, statistics, and communication. This information is intended as an entry point for Officers of the Court on scientific topics that can enable more informed use of forensic science evidence in cases they are facing.

Citation

Special Publication (NIST SP) - 1500-28

Report Number

1500-28

NIST Pub Series

Special Publication (NIST SP)

Pub Type

NIST Pubs

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.1500-28

Local Download

Keywords

accreditation, algorithms, certification, communications, documentary standards, error rates, frequency data, human factors, likelihood ratios, limitations, measurement uncertainty, method performance statistics, method validation and verification, metrological traceability, officers of the court, performance monitoring, population statistics, primers, probability, quality assurance, quality control, reports, statistics, and statistical sampling.

Citation

Jones, J. , Farrell, L. and Benson, L. (2025), Informational Scientific Primers for Officers of the Court: Intended to Strengthen Use of Forensic Science Evidence, Special Publication (NIST SP), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, [online], https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.1500-28, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=958064 (Accessed April 3, 2025)