Government uses science to make better decisions to serve and aid its citizens. Most governmental scientific endeavors have their own agency, like the U.S. Geological Survey or the National Forest Service, with their own remit and some level of control over their missions. Why then are forensic science organizations housed within law enforcement agencies? It is well-known that Edmund Locard created the first forensic laboratory in 1912 under the administration of the Lyon Police Department. But why there? Why not at a university, like at the University of Lyon where he trained and worked cases under Andre Lacassagne? Locard’s decision, and his later successes, fixed the foundation for forensic organizations for decades. But are the modern and organizational implications when non-scientists oversee and control scientific pursuits? Why has independence of forensic science been so difficult to pursue, let alone achieve? This presentation will discuss the history of forensic science provision and offer an opinion on the reasons for forensic science being subsumed under law enforcement agencies.

Strange Bedfellows: Why is Forensic Science Inside Law Enforcement Organizations?

Fall 2022 abstracts, posters, and presentations will launch in mid-September.

ACS Fall 2022

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.