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A NATIONAL CODE OF ETHICS IN FORENSIC SCIENCE

المؤلف:  Max M. Houck، Jay A. Siegel

المصدر:  Fundamentals of Forensic Science

الجزء والصفحة:  664

2026-09-12

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A NATIONAL CODE OF ETHICS IN FORENSIC SCIENCE

Many professional fields have developed a consensus code of ethics with robust enforcement provisions. These are often tied to a licensure process that can be used to enforce adherence to the ethics code. Two familiar examples are in medicine and law. Forensic science has no licensure requirement and no agreed-upon code of ethics. To be sure, there are a large number of forensic science organizations that have a code of ethics, including national and regional associations, as well as discipline specific groups. Although there is obviously some overlap between these organizations with respect to the types of behaviors that constitute ethical violations, there are also significant differences. The major problem with this patchwork system is the lack of consequences for violators. The only serious consequence for violating the ethical code of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, for example, is expulsion; this does not prevent the scientist from continuing to practice in the forensic science field, nor does it necessarily stop the unethical behavior. Unethical forensic scientists can cause significant damage to the whole justice system and there are few practical ways to stop it. The 11th recommendation of the NAS Committee report on forensic science is that there be a national code of ethics that is tied to certification. In order for this to have any real effect on the bad actors, however, there must be real consequences for serious ethical violations, up to and including loss of the right to practice forensic science, and offer expert testimony in court. Since the NAS report came out in 2009, there has been much discussion about creating a national code of ethics and a few small attempts to do so. The major prob lem is that there is no national organization that speaks for all forensic scientists with one voice, analogous to the American Bar Association for attorneys or the Ameri can Medical Association for doctors. The recently formed National Commission on Forensic Science will attempt to forge a consensus for a national code of ethics and hopefully the United States Congress will provide some funding and perhaps legislation to move this effort along. A national code of ethics with strong enforcement will go a long way to help reduce the number of ethical violators and advance the forensic sciences to the level of other professional fields.