Forensic science has evolved over the years, and it remains a valuable factor in many a court decision. For the National Institute of Justice, this discipline has always played “a vital role in the criminal justice system by providing scientifically based information through the analysis of physical evidence”.
In this sense, lawyers will have to realize just how crucial it is to brush up on their knowledge of forensic science. Doing so allows for a lot of benefits in the course of their practice. And it’s always best to know as much as possible about this field at law school.
With that being said, here are the top reasons why law students should put a lot of focus on forensic science.
Technological innovations
As we go through the digital age, we can never downplay the role of technology in civil and criminal law. The reason for this is that adoption of software, and other digital tools have been prevalent among a majority of law firms. Case management systems, among others, are becoming more vital regarding providing clients ease of access and enabling attorneys to better launch class action suits. But aside from providing convenience and better efficiency for law firms and the clients they’re representing, technology is also useful in the field of forensics.
Case analysis using XRD services and serological methods are evolving. The market for such technologies continuously provides the legal industry innovative solutions to complex cases. In turn, this has encouraged law students to become more cognizant of the forensics field for them to strengthen their cases.
Legal backlash
Without a doubt, forensics belongs to the same category of sciences as genetics. For one, its legal and moral dimensions make it difficult to avoid repercussions directed toward your firm and your client’s reputation.
There has been an innumerable amount of cases where forensic science has failed to provide an accurate picture of a particular criminal act. Legal and scientific experts have cast doubt on the use of such methods as hair and blood testing and ballistic tests, pointing out the supposed lack of confidence in the results they provide.
The use of forensic science is prone to mishandling, and forensic attorneys will have to face severe legal backlash if evidence collection and analyses are done haphazardly. To avoid such a scenario, it is always best to become aware of the standards in forensics practice early on.
A shift to a more scientific practice
Accuracy has always been an issue in litigation, and forensics has always been the burden of proof that would ultimately result in a conviction. For that, the law has turned to science to devise better means to launch a suit.
The discipline will evolve as new methods are introduced. With that being said, it is crucial for law students to realize that these methods will require a great deal of background knowledge in the fields of chemistry, biology, and physiology. We can then expect forensics to branch out to these fields and urge professionals to become more aware of this increasing reliance on the scientific method.