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Criminal Justice: The flaws of forensic science (Sponsored by Criminal Justice Journalists)

• Melissa Harris The Baltimore Sun
• Patrick Kent Maryland Public Defender's Office
• Thomas Mauriello University of Maryland
• Robert Shaler Pennsylvania State University

Controversial criminal cases can turn on forensic evidence – everything from fingerprints to ballistics to bite marks. This year, a National Academy of Sciences study concluded that much court testimony on forensic issues lacks scientific proof, and that crime labs should be overhauled. Hear from a member of the study panel, an academic, a defense lawyer and a journalist who covers courts, about how reporters can cover forensics accurately and find reliable sources to interpret critical evidence.

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