Is Forensic Science Worth It?

The usefulness of forensic science continues to be questioned by evaluative studies taking as indicator its judicial contribution, mainly resulting in disastrous conclusions. The used indicators highly underrate and limit the actual contribution of forensic science, which are dependent on the definition, object, role, and integration in the criminal justice process accorded to the discipline. When considering the utility of the clue, different dimensions can be differentiated, within the investigation and beyond. Through a qualitative analysis of robbery cases, utility dimensions such as the identification of suspects (not solely confirmation of already known suspects), the reconstruction of the microsequence of events, the determination of the implication of suspects, could be highlighted, thus drawing a more diverse and complete picture of the value of forensic science.