The Coming Paradigm Shift in Forensic Identification Science

doi:10.1126/science.1111565

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The Coming Paradigm Shift in Forensic Identification Science

Michael J. Saks¹ and Jonathan J. Koehler²

Converging legal and scientific forces are pushing the traditionalforensic identification sciences toward fundamental change.The assumption of discernible uniqueness that resides at thecore of these fields is weakened by evidence of errors in proficiencytesting and in actual cases. Changes in the law pertaining tothe admissibility of expert evidence in court, together withthe emergence of DNA typing as a model for a scientificallydefensible approach to questions of shared identity, are drivingthe older forensic sciences toward a new scientific paradigm.

¹ College of Law, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA.
² McCombs School of Business, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA.

E-mail: saks{at}asu.edu, E-mail: koehler{at}mail.utexas.edu

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