Trust in forensic science evidence in the criminal justice system: The experience of marginalised groups

法医科学最初被视为协助调查犯罪的突破性工具，但正在经历信誉危机;政府，政策制定者和学者承认，对法医科学证据的信任和信心受到威胁（英国上议院，2019）。这个新颖的跨学科项目将研究在CJS的边缘化用户中出现的对法医科学证据的不信任，共同设计一种工具来减轻这种不信任。该项目将探讨涉及DNA和数字证据的犯罪的用户观点和经验，深入了解公众如何在端到端犯罪现场到法庭的旅程中围绕法医科学证据的准备，共享和展示形成理解。它将在边缘化社区和比较用户群体中建立对法医科学证据的信任程度，通过四个具体目标减轻不信任。首先，我们将研究现有的证据，围绕法医科学的信任对公众意味着什么，特别是边缘化的用户群体。我们将比较这与利益相关者，政策，从业者和政府的理解是什么信任的手段，以及如何法医科学是在整个CJS使用。接下来，我们将调查利益相关者和法医科学专业人员对科学可能在哪些方面加强调查或案件以及何时可能无法帮助提供答案的观点。第三，我们将共同设计两个互动参与式游戏。第一个将建立不同用户群体愿意信任法医科学证据的阈值，从证据收集到判决。小组互动参与式行动方法的目的是从声音通常被排除在外的边缘化社区和比较群体中获得有意义的观点。作为部分基于法医学作出的裁决的接受者，有必要了解用户如何、何时和何地信任和不信任法医学。第二个参与式游戏将开发用于在线使用，参与者将被邀请探索对CJS当局的信任，收集社区见解，以建立公共用户群体的基线信任水平。这些方法支持研究团队的承诺，使公众在整个设计过程中成为积极的共同设计者：数据收集，分析，构思，设计开发，测试和改进。最后，研究结果将被用来迭代共同设计一个工具的原型-与用户，为用户-来衡量的影响和减轻（不）信任法医科学证据。将在整个项目生命周期内制定工具规格，以确保设计具有相关性、可访问性和理想性，并提供用户输入和支持其设计的证据。潜在的项目效益是多层次的。从理论上讲，该项目将有助于从用户的角度，特别是边缘化社区，围绕法医科学证据的信任目前的辩论。在方法上，它将采用跨学科的混合方法，包括定量调查、定性访谈、焦点小组、设计思维、公民科学、参与性游戏和迭代原型。这些将提供有关用户声音在建立不同CJS社区（用户，CJS工作人员和政策制定者）之间信任的作用的见解。在实践层面上，该项目为利益相关者和用户提供了分析机会，以深入了解法医学中的信任不匹配。调查结果将有助于减轻边缘化的CJS用户之间的不信任，从而减少使用法医科学的紧张局势。

Forensic science was originally seen as a ground-breaking tool for aiding the investigation of crime, though is experiencing a crisis of credibility; government, policymakers, and academics acknowledge that trust and confidence in forensic science evidence is under threat (UK House of Lords, 2019). This novel, interdisciplinary project will examine where (dis)trust in forensic science evidence arises amongst marginalised users of the CJS, co-designing a tool to mitigate this distrust. The project will explore user perspectives and experiences with crimes involving DNA and digital evidence, developing insights into how public understanding is shaped around the preparation, sharing, and presentation of forensic science evidence in the end-to-end crime scene to courtroom journey. It will establish levels of trust in forensic science evidence amongst both marginalised communities and comparison user groups, to mitigate mistrust through four specific objectives. First, we will examine existing evidence around what trust in forensic science means to the public generally, and marginalised user groups specifically. We will compare this with stakeholder, policy, practitioner and government understandings of what trust means and how forensic science is used throughout the CJS. Next, we will investigate stakeholder and forensic science professionals' perspectives on where the science may enhance an investigation or case and when it might fall short of helping to provide answers. Third, we will co-design two interactive participatory games. The first will establish thresholds of where different user groups would be willing to trust forensic science evidence, from evidence gathering to verdict. The purpose of the small group interactive participatory action method is to garner meaningful perspectives from marginalised communities whose voices are typically excluded, and comparison groups. As recipients of decisions handed down partially based on forensic science, it is necessary to understand how, when and where the science is and is not trusted by users. The second participatory game will be developed for online use, where participants will be invited to explore trust in CJS authorities, gathering community insights for the purpose of establishing baseline trust levels across public user groups. These approaches support the research team's commitment to empowering the public as active co-designers throughout design: data collection, analysis, ideation, design development, testing, and refinement. Finally, findings will be used to iteratively co-design a prototype for a tool- with users, for users- to measure the implications and mitigation of (dis)trust in forensic science evidence. Tool specifications will be developed throughout the project lifecycle to ensure a relevant, accessible, and desirable design, delivered both with user input and evidence supporting its design. Potential project benefits are multi-layered. Theoretically, the project will contribute to current debates around trust in forensic science evidence from the user perspective, particularly marginalised communities. Methodologically, it will adopt an interdisciplinary, mixed methods approach, encompassing quantitative surveys, qualitative interviews, focus groups, design thinking, citizen science, participatory games and iterative prototypes. These will provide insights on the role of user voice in establishing trust between different CJS communities: users, CJS staff, and policymakers. At a practical level, the project yields opportunities for analysis across stakeholders and users for an in-depth understanding of mismatches in trust in forensic science. Findings will help mitigate distrust amongst marginalised CJS users, thus reducing tensions in the use of forensic science.