Supreme Court Opinion Cites NAS Forensic Science Report

June 26, 2009 -- A Supreme Court opinion issued yesterday, which ruled that defendants have a right to cross-examine forensic analysts, cites a National Research Council report on forensic science released in February.  The majority opinion noted the report's findings that the reliability of forensic methods varies widely and that forensic labs -- which are usually under the control of law-enforcement agencies -- may feel pressured to sacrifice appropriate methodology for the sake of expediency.

The opinion also cited one of the report's major conclusions:

“The forensic science system, encompassing both research and practice, has serious problems that can only be addressed by a national commitment to overhaul the current structure that supports the forensic science community in this country.”

• Majority opinion, Melendez-Diaz v. Massachusetts
• Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward