A call for open science in forensics

Area of Science:

• Open Science
• Forensic Science
• Legal Studies

Background:

• The established open science canon includes public engagement, democratic access, knowledge gain efficiency, technology sharing, and impact assessment.
• A sixth school, due process, is introduced, emphasizing the legal right to discover potentially exculpatory scientific evidence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish due process as a constitutional mandate for open science when scientific evidence is involved.
• To illustrate the significance of due process in open science through a forensic science case study.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of a case study involving a federally funded forensic investigation on firearms examiner accuracy.
• Examination of data withholding practices and their impact on criminal proceedings.

Main Results:

• Summary statistics from the forensic investigation suggested high accuracy, but the scientific community's call for data release was opposed for three years.
• Withholding underlying data during criminal proceedings, while summary statistics were used for evidence admissibility, was deemed a violation of due process.
• The withheld data hinted at potential flaws in experimental design and analysis.

Conclusions:

• Due process necessitates open science, especially when scientific evidence is used in legal contexts.
• The study advocates for registered and open "forensic trials" analogous to clinical trials to ensure transparency and accountability in forensic science.
• Implementing open forensic trials can enhance the validity and reliability of forensic methods and evidence.