The interpretation of forensic conclusions by professionals and students: Does experience matter?
Are professionals better at assessing the evidential strength of different types of forensic conclusions compared to students? In an online questionnaire 96 crime investigation and law students, and 269 crime investigation and legal professionals assessed three fingerprint examination reports. All r...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Forensic Science International: Synergy |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589871X23001249 |
| _version_ | 1797398578801410048 |
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| author | Elmarije K. van Straalen Christianne J. de Poot Marijke Malsch Henk Elffers |
| author_facet | Elmarije K. van Straalen Christianne J. de Poot Marijke Malsch Henk Elffers |
| author_sort | Elmarije K. van Straalen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Are professionals better at assessing the evidential strength of different types of forensic conclusions compared to students? In an online questionnaire 96 crime investigation and law students, and 269 crime investigation and legal professionals assessed three fingerprint examination reports. All reports were similar, except for the conclusion part which was stated in a categorical (CAT), verbal likelihood ratio (VLR) or numerical likelihood ratio (NLR) conclusion with high or low evidential strength. The results showed no significant difference between the groups of students and professionals in their assessment of the conclusions. They all overestimated the strength of the strong CAT conclusion compared to the other conclusion types and underestimated the strength of the weak CAT conclusion. Their background (legal vs. crime investigation) did have a significant effect on their understanding. Whereas the legal professionals performed better compared to the crime investigators, the legal students performed worse compared to crime investigation students. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T01:27:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9f3ae70c9b424becb5df64abd6b95d93 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2589-871X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T01:27:31Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forensic Science International: Synergy |
| spelling | doaj.art-9f3ae70c9b424becb5df64abd6b95d932023-12-10T06:17:13ZengElsevierForensic Science International: Synergy2589-871X2023-01-017100437The interpretation of forensic conclusions by professionals and students: Does experience matter?Elmarije K. van Straalen0Christianne J. de Poot1Marijke Malsch2Henk Elffers3Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Forensic Sciences, P.O. Box 1025, 1000 BA Amsterdam, the Netherlands; VU University Amsterdam, Criminology Department, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Corresponding author. Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Forensic Sciences, P.O. Box 1025, 1000 BA Amsterdam, the Netherlands.Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Forensic Sciences, P.O. Box 1025, 1000 BA Amsterdam, the Netherlands; VU University Amsterdam, Criminology Department, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Police Academy of the Netherlands, Apeldoorn, the NetherlandsNetherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement NSCR, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Open University, Heerlen, the NetherlandsNetherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement NSCR, Amsterdam, the NetherlandsAre professionals better at assessing the evidential strength of different types of forensic conclusions compared to students? In an online questionnaire 96 crime investigation and law students, and 269 crime investigation and legal professionals assessed three fingerprint examination reports. All reports were similar, except for the conclusion part which was stated in a categorical (CAT), verbal likelihood ratio (VLR) or numerical likelihood ratio (NLR) conclusion with high or low evidential strength. The results showed no significant difference between the groups of students and professionals in their assessment of the conclusions. They all overestimated the strength of the strong CAT conclusion compared to the other conclusion types and underestimated the strength of the weak CAT conclusion. Their background (legal vs. crime investigation) did have a significant effect on their understanding. Whereas the legal professionals performed better compared to the crime investigators, the legal students performed worse compared to crime investigation students.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589871X23001249Forensic conclusionsCriminal justice professionalsInfluence of experienceEvidence interpretationCommunicating uncertainty |
| spellingShingle | Elmarije K. van Straalen Christianne J. de Poot Marijke Malsch Henk Elffers The interpretation of forensic conclusions by professionals and students: Does experience matter? Forensic Science International: Synergy Forensic conclusions Criminal justice professionals Influence of experience Evidence interpretation Communicating uncertainty |
| title | The interpretation of forensic conclusions by professionals and students: Does experience matter? |
| title_full | The interpretation of forensic conclusions by professionals and students: Does experience matter? |
| title_fullStr | The interpretation of forensic conclusions by professionals and students: Does experience matter? |
| title_full_unstemmed | The interpretation of forensic conclusions by professionals and students: Does experience matter? |
| title_short | The interpretation of forensic conclusions by professionals and students: Does experience matter? |
| title_sort | interpretation of forensic conclusions by professionals and students does experience matter |
| topic | Forensic conclusions Criminal justice professionals Influence of experience Evidence interpretation Communicating uncertainty |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589871X23001249 |
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