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                            Funding & Awards
 Jurors'' Judgments About Forensic Identification Evidence
Award Information
Awardee
              Arizona State University
Award #
              2008-DN-BX-0003
Funding Category
              Competitive
Location
                    Tempe, AZ
Awardee County
              Maricopa
Congressional District
              9
Status
              Closed
Funding First Awarded
              2008
Total funding (to date)
              $496,450
Original Solicitation
              NIJ FY 08 ORE Social Science Research in Forensic Sciences
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2008, $496,450)
The impact of forensic science evidence on jurors' judgments is an important emerging question for empirical research on science in the criminal justice system. Unlike DNA evidence, forensic identification evidence (fingerprints, bitemarks, toolmarks, handwriting, footwear impressions,
tire tracks, etc.) draws its strength largely from the subjective judgment of examiners who testify about whether or not questioned crime scene marks and known exemplars share a common origin. Yet remarkably little is known about what factors affect the way jurors think about and
use identification evidence when making their decisions. The proposed study will investigate this issue in a series of realistic yet highly controlled empirical studies with members of the Arizona jury pool in a research program that has two phases. Phase I (Studies 1, 2, and 3) will investigate whether and how jurors' judgments are affected by testimony and judicial instruction pertaining to the reliability of the opinion evidence. Phase II (Studies 4, 5, and 6) will investigate whether and how the evidentiary context in which forensic identification evidence is offered affects jurors' judgments. A subset of studies will be replicated using judges as the research participants. Investigating factors that affect factfinders' use of identification evidence will provide insight into the most effective ways to communicate the value of this evidence in a court of law.
ca/ncf



  
Grant-Funded Publications
        
                      Science, Technology, or the Expert Witness: What Influences Jurors' Judgments About Forensic Science Testimony?
                  Communicating Forensic Science

  
Date Created: September 17, 2008
    
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