Policy & Advocacy

Promoting Forensic Science Reform

Following the 2009 National Academies' report, Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward, on the many scientific deficiencies in forensic science disciplines, the ASA has been active in urging Forensic Science reform.

The following activities are informed by the ASA Forensic Science Ad Hoc Advisory Committee, which includes Joseph Gastwirth, GWU; Constantine Gatsonis, Brown University; Karen Kafadar, Indiana University; Chris Saunders, South Dakota State University; Bruce Spencer, Northwestern University; Cliff Spiegelman, Texas A&M; Hal Stern, UC Irvine; Bruce Weir, University of Washington; and Sandy Zabell, Northwestern University.

• Statement on forensic science, endorsed by the Board in April, 2010, endorsing Strengthening Forensic Science report and delineating the role of statistics in effective forensic science reform.
• Letters to Members of Congress on forensic science reform: Letters (search "forensic science")
• Meetings on Capitol Hill and with key government agencies
• ASA cosponsors American Chemical Society Congressional briefing on Forensic Science reform, 9/26/12.
• Sessions on forensic science at Joint Statistical Meetings and other meetings
  • 2011 JSM presentations:
    • Shooting blanks: The experiments justifying firearm/toolmarks, Cliff Spiegelman
    • The NAS Recommendations for Evaluation of the Forensic Disciplines, Constantine Gatsonis
  • 2012 JSM presentations:
    • Incorporating Uncertainty into Likelihood Ratios for DNA Evidence, Bruce Weir
    • An Overview of the Current Use of Uncertainty Statements in Court and the ASA Efforts to Help Reform Forensic Science, Cliff Spiegelman
    • Adventures in Forensic DNA: Cold Hits, Familial Searches, and Mixtures, Sandy Zabell
  • 2013 AAAS annual conference presentation: Critical Role of Statistics in Development and Validation of Forensic Methods
• ASA Community Blog Entries
  • Senator Leahy Introduces Forensic Science Reform bill, 2/2/11
  • ASA President Sends Letters to Senate Committee Chairmen on Forensic Science Reform, 4/4/11
  • Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee Holds Second Hearing on Forensic Science, 4/4/12
  • Senate Science Committee Chair Introduces Bill to Advance Forensic Science Reform, 7/19/12
• Invited Amstat News columns:
  • Weak Forensic Science Has High Cost, Clifford Spiegelman, March 2010
  • Putting the Science in Forensic Science, Clifford Spiegelman, Adina Schwartz, and Kate Philpott, August 2011

ASA is involved in forensic science reform because of ASA members who have served on National Academies' (or NIST) forensic science panels:

• 2004 Forensic Analysis Weighing Bullet Lead Evidence, Karen Kafadar and Clifford Spiegelman
• 2008 Ballistic Imaging, John E. Rolph (Chair), Alicia Carriquiry, David L. Donoho, William F. Eddy, Vijay Nair, Daryl Pregibon.
• 2009 Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward, Constantine Gatsonis (co-Chair) and Karen Kafadar
• 2011 Review of the Scientific Approaches Used During the FBI's Investigation of the 2001 Anthrax Letters, Karen Kafadar
• 2012 Latent Print Examination and Human Factors: Improving the Practice through a Systems Approach (NIST), Hal Stern

Contact ASA Director of Science Policy Steve Pierson with any inquiries: (703) 302-1841.