Sexual assault examinations and forensic medical samples.
Sexual assault examinations and forensic medical samples.
复制标题
性侵犯检查和法医样本。
作者：
D. Ranson
美国最近的研究和审查发现，在警察局证据室、法医学实验室、医院和强奸危机中心发现了数以万计的使用过但未经测试的性侵犯检查套件，其中包含医学检查标本。美国国家司法研究所 2007 年进行的一项调查探讨了法医标本未经法医科学实验室测试的一些原因。其中许多问题与调查人员缺乏关于科学信息如何协助调查过程的知识有关，即使随后在审判中没有使用科学信息。成本因素和实验室案例工作超负荷也被认为是重要的。对于医生来说，缺乏检测带来了一些问题，包括法医检查的质量管理和在需要平衡受检查者的公共和私人利益的情况下的知情同意。限制科学测试，即使是情报主导的样本测试分类，也可能对检方和辩方的决策产生不利影响，并最终可能对审判结果产生不利影响。
Recent studies and a review in the United States have identified that tens of thousands of used but untested sexual assault examination kits containing medical examination specimens are to be found in police station evidence rooms, forensic science laboratories, hospitals and rape crisis centres. A 2007 survey undertaken by the National Institute of Justice in the United States explored some of the reasons why forensic specimens are not tested by forensic science laboratories. Many of these relate to lack of knowledge on the part of investigators as to how scientific information can assist the investigation process, even if not used subsequently at trial. Cost factors and laboratory casework overload were also identified as significant. For the medical practitioner, the lack of testing poses issues that include quality management of the forensic medical examination and informed consent in a setting requiring the balancing of public and private benefits for the examinee. Limiting scientific testing, even with intelligence-led triaging of sample testing, could have an adverse effect on both prosecution and defence decision-making and ultimately could adversely affect trial outcomes.