ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines the value of considering forensic science as a holistic process, the importance of evidence bases to underpin each part of that process, and the significance of incorporating both empirical data and expertise (encompassing explicit and tacit forms of knowledge) into both those evidence bases and the decision-making that is integral to the production of forensic reconstructions. It has been acknowledged that the different institutions within the domains of science, law/policy, policing/forensic services generate and accumulate knowledge in different ways and that this diversity impacts the way that the different actors within those domains interact with one another with a concomitant impact on forensic science. In order to harness the value of forensic science as a multifaceted discipline in crime detection and prevention applications, the creation of channels that enable the ultimate aim of transparent, reproducible and accurate forensic reconstructions are necessary. These channels should enable the interaction between actors and domains, ensure the impact of research in practice, assure access to research, and safeguard quality.
