Forensic Science: Cognitive Biases In The Criminal Justice System
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Forensic Science: Cognitive Biases Criminal Justice studies are the examination of crime prevention, punishment, and the rehabilitation of those who commit crimes within the criminal justice system. It draws upon criminology, sociology, psychology, and economics to examine the legal system and determine the best processes that are used to achieve the following two goals: the protection of citizens’ safety from crime, and the protection of citizens’ rights. Sometimes aspects of the criminal justice system are unable to achieve these goals due to flaws in the system. One aspect of the criminal justice system that can be frequently flawed is forensic science. “The study of forensic science is the use of science to answer legal questions and it…show more content… It is defined as the tendency to interpret new evidence as confirmation of one's existing beliefs or theories. “The term forensic confirmation bias is best used to summarize the class of effects through which an individual’s preexisting beliefs, expectations, motives, and situational context influence the collection, perception, and interpretation of evidence during the course of a criminal case” (Kassin, Dror, & Kukucka, 2013). Forensic examiners can be persuaded in their evaluation of evidence by confirmation biases. Often forensic examiners are influenced by tunnel vision or, a focus on one suspect that leads investigators to seek out and favor inculpatory evidence, while overlooking or discounting any exculpatory evidence that might exist. This can be developed by several different factors such as information given to examiners about the case or a suspect or the context of the case (Dror,…show more content… & Dror, I.E. (2011). Special abilities and vulnerabilities in forensic expertise. In The Fingerprint Sourcebook, ch. 15, 1-23.Washington DC: NIJ Press.
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