Science and the law: Primers for courts (The Royal Society)

Summary

The Royal Society's science and the law programme brings together scientists and members of the judiciary to discuss and debate key areas of common interest and to ensure the best scientific guidance is available to the courts. 

The judicial primers project is a unique collaboration between members of the judiciary, the Royal Society and the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Designed to assist the judiciary when handling scientific evidence in the courtroom, the primers have been written by leading scientists, peer reviewed by practitioners, and approved by the Councils of the Royal Society and the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

Each primer presents an easily understood and accurate position on the scientific topic in question, as well as considering the limitations of the science, challenges associated with its application and an explanation of how the scientific area is used within the judicial system. The primers are created under the direction of a Steering Group chaired by Dame Anne Rafferty and distributed to courts in conjunction with the Judicial College, the Judicial Institute, and the Judicial Studies Board for Northern Ireland.

Content

• Primer: Forensic collision investigation
• Primer: Understanding ballistics
• Primer: The use of statistics in legal proceedings
• Primer: Forensic gait analysis
• Primer: Forensic DNA analysis