I have to write a critical review on an area of science. I am a forensic student majoring in biology and CSI so what are some controversial issues currently being discussed?
- The area has to contain information in literature
- Have to search online to find new developments in the area, primarily what controversies exist
Select the areas that will provide sufficient scope for critically evaluating the problem. Make sure there is some controversy, uncertainty, and unresolved issues, i.e., not everyone who writes about it agrees with one another.
Your topic should identify a specific and narrowly focused scientific issue (e.g. will NGS be implemented in forensic casework? Can artificial intelligence improve analysis in forensics?)
To develop the title from the topic, you need to make it more specific by identifying its focus and orientation.
Intrathoracic petechial haemorrhages in SIDS (vs. physical asphyxiation by strangulation).
The Definition of Forensic science, completely that area is controversial
Controversial areas in Forensic Science include the following:
Footprint Forensics
Forensic Linguistics
Forensic Hypnosis
Vein-Pattern Analysis
Bite-Marks
Forensic Criminology
Forensic Optography
Most of trace evidence analysis remains controversial due to difficulties with validation.
Bite mark analysis, but many other topics, too. Fingerprint analysis is coming under fire now, too.
If you want a really good overview of what is and isn't good in Forensics, check out the Innocence Files on Netflix. It is very well done, although, sadly, the first cases focus on my home state of Mississippi.
There have been several controversial issues in the last ten years. Here are two of them:
1. Drug testing has been criticised for its lack of accuracy and ability to detect illegal or legal substances. Many tests can give false negatives or false positives (1, 2)
2. Fingerprint analysis has been widely used in criminal investigations for over a century and is considered reliable for identifying suspected criminals. However, there have been several cases where fingerprint analysis has been questioned, mainly due to errors in essential court cases (3)
Reference:
1. Comment dépiste t-on les drogues ? [Internet]. Drogues Info Service. [cited 2023 Mar 23]. Available from: https://www.drogues-info-service.fr/Tout-savoir-sur-les-drogues/Le-depistage-des-drogues/Comment-depiste-t-on-les-drogues
2. Drogue : la pratique des tests salivaires par l’employeur est-elle autorisée ? [Internet]. [cited 2023 Mar 23]. Available from: https://www.juritravail.com/Actualite/drogue-la-pratique-des-tests-salivaires-par-l-employeur-est-elle-autorisee/Id/257554
3. Police-Scientifique.com. La fausse identification de Brandon Mayfield par le FBI [Internet]. Police Scientifique. 2013 [cited 2023 Mar 23]. Available from: https://www.police-scientifique.com/grandes-affaires/la-fausse-identification-de-brandon-mayfield-par-le-fbi/
Bite mark analysis has been under fire and rejected from court as scientific evidence after being qualified as junk science.
I believe our team at NIST Special Programs Office helped write the final word on the forensic scientific foundation of bitemark examination. See:
https://www.nist.gov/spo/forensic-science-program/bitemark-analysis-nist-scientific-foundation-review
You will find additional forensic science topics at:
https://www.nist.gov/spo/forensic-science-program
Good Luck!
This may help:
Article Contemporary issues in forensic science—Worldwide survey results
There have been several controversial issues in the last ten years.
1-GIT decontamination procedures especially of toxicity at rural area
2- overestimation of zinc phosphide poisoning in low income countaries
Few controversial points in my opinion are--
(1) Forensic Medicine/Pathology/Legal Medicine and Forensic Science,these two areas are very much intermingling to each other at many areas. As a consequence of it investigators sometimes face difficulties to proceed speedily to take/give opinions.
(2) Collection of trace evidences particularly in Forensic Medicine/Pathology/Toxicology from suspected crime scene should be done by the specialist doctors in the specific fields,but unfortunately in many occasions it is not happened.
(3) Timing of autopsy particularly in Medicolegal Autopsy is very much controversial in most of areas.
(4) Opinion regarding investigation purposes will be much better if at inquest papers queries are asked in all cases taking lnto consideration of aspects as far as possible at the beginning before starting the ML autopsy.
There are other areas also,but I think these controversies can be sorted out easily. Thanks 🙏
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