ABSTRACT
Addressing complex crime requires effective interagency collaboration in the criminal justice system from crime scene to court. Ideally, practitioners performing different roles work with professional independence – but not in isolation from the rest of the system. Effective communication is an essential component of collaboration and cooperation. This chapter considers developments in collaborative approaches involving forensic science. It explores institutional arrangements and the potential for bias and perceived bias. The chapter then discusses how findings are communicated to criminal justice practitioners, such as police officers and lawyers, before a case ever proceeds to trial. It is not enough that expert opinion be communicated – it must be understood by those who use it to make decisions about a case. The chapter examines why the communication of forensic science to lay people poses difficulties for forensic scientists. It discusses some of the contentious issues and emerging trends associated with communicating via expert reports, including expressing the strength of evidence or ‘bottom line’ of expert opinion. The chapter outlines, from a critical forensic studies perspective, several key challenges in reaching a consensus on best practices in the communication of forensic science.
