On June 21st, 2019 the Center for Integrity in Forensic Sciences (CIFS) hosted one of its inaugural events to launch this non-profit organization dedicated to improving the reliability of science in the courtroom. The symposium “Putting Science in Forensic Science” was hosted at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law and supported by the Center on Wrongful Convictions.
This organization, founded by lawyers Dean Strang, Jerry Buting and Keith Findley aim to bring together practitioners, legal professionals and academic scientists to explore the validity and reliability across several disciplines of forensic science. This symposium also included well-known founders of the Innocence Project, Barry Scheck and Peter Neufeld, who gave an overview of forensics and the history of its impact on the criminal justice system. Throughout the day, attendees heard from legal professionals, academic experts and representatives from the Houston Forensic Science Center. Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates (WZ) was represented by Dave Thompson, CFI who had the opportunity to speak on a panel with Keith Findley and Katherine Judson on the intersection of confession evidence and the medical diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome or abusive head trauma.
Other topics of discussion included the reliability of firearm or toolmark testimony and pattern analysis. With plenty of engagement from those in attendance, there was a clear need for support from litigators, judges and government funding in the name of improving the strength of these sciences.
All of the panels focused on the three goals of the organization; education, litigation and partnership. One of the most powerful themes of this group is the intent to impact the criminal justice system in its entirety, rather than focus on any particular “side” of the courtroom.
With support from the experts that were present at the symposium as well as any person that has an interest in improving our justice system, this organization is destined to make a difference in the way we rely on forensic sciences.
