8127/frame/fm

 
The Future of 
 
Forensic Science
To characterize the past accurately is difficult enough, but to attempt to 
predict the future is to tempt error… Whether DNA analysis and related 
methods of genetic engineering will be of value is more problematic; as 
sensitive as these methods are, the amount of DNA present in most biological 
evidence may be below practical detection limits. It would be good to be 
proven wrong on this matter because the DNA technology would open a new 
dimension in genetic-marker analysis.
 
—George Sensabaugh
 
“Forensic Science Research: Who Does It and Where Is It Going?” in Forensic
Science, Geoffrey Davies, Ed.
This quote effectively demonstrates just how tenuous and unreliable any
predictions about the future may be. Especially in the current climate, where
technology is advancing at warp speed, it is sometimes all one can to do to
hang on to the trailing edge, never mind forecast future directions. It is an
interesting accident that this book is being written at the dawn of a new
millennium. Pundits in all disciplines have spent the last year attempting to
summarize what has been and prophesy what will be. Forensic science is no
exception. For example, 
 
The
 
CACnews
devoted an entire issue to essays about
the future of forensic science by prominent experts from around the world.
Most of those writers wisely avoided the obvious — everything will get
smaller, faster, better, and cheaper (or at least you will continue to pay the
same price for more). Although funding and technology transfer received
due acknowledgment, the topics of greatest concern were criminalistics edu-
cation, the loss of generalist knowledge, and the professionalization of foren-
sic science, all subjects that we discuss at length in this book. If criminalistics
is to evolve into a truly autonomous, respected profession, these aspects must
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