ABSTRACT
At the intersection of science and law, forensic science is an intriguing field. It has valuable applications as expert evidence in courts, as leads in police investigations, and as forensic intelligence to link a series of crimes. Further, it can be vital in missing persons cases and disaster victim identification. However, assisting the community and contributing to justice using forensic science in these ways is not as straightforward as it may initially seem. This chapter explores some high-profile examples of flawed forensic science, flawed use of forensic science, and consequent cases of wrongful conviction, which raise important questions about the legitimacy of forensic science. These cases and associated questions highlight the need for critical analysis of the ways in which forensic science is used. They provide a rationale for the emergence of forensic studies, a field that takes forensic science as the object of its analysis. This chapter suggests a developing consensus on the need for forensic studies, and argues for a broad, inclusive and multidisciplinary approach to defining its scope. Highlighting contemporary debates about the use of forensic science, the chapter illustrates how forensic studies research aims to contribute to positive social change. It outlines the five key propositions that underpin critical forensic studies and, in so doing, provides the foundation for how we understand what it means to engage in critical forensic studies.
