Using procedural justice to understand, explain, and prevent decision-making errors in forensic sciences

It has been estimated that in the United States there are 20,000 false felony convictions a year due to deficiencies in the forensic science and criminal justice systems (Koppl, 2010c). As many of these errors can be attributed to flaws in the processes by which forensic science decisions are made, the principles of procedural justice are a useful lens for analyzing these processes and recommending improved practices. In this secondary analysis of current research, decision-making processes in forensic sciences are analyzed using Leventhal's six criteria for establishing procedural justice. Specifically, we assesses the current state of forensic science, explain how some industry practices may be prone to error and bias, and provide practical suggestions for improving industry practices to better adhere to the principles of procedural justice. In addition, the implications of this analysis for practitioners outside of forensic sciences are discussed.