Is It Forensics or Is It Junk Science?

[Jilly_in_VA]

by Sophia Kovatch, Pamela Colloff and Brett Murphy


It’s been decades since the intersection of forensic science and criminal justice first became a pop culture phenomenon, popularized by countless TV shows, movies and books. But the public’s growing awareness of forensic techniques obscures a far more complex field that’s chock full of bogus science — and the people who champion it, often for profit.

For years, ProPublica has reported on these dubious techniques as they’ve wormed their way into every corner of our real-life criminal justice system.

So, what’s legitimate forensic science and what’s junk? Let’s start with the basics.

What Is Junk Science?

Junk science refers to any theory or method presented as scientific fact without sufficient research or evidence to support it. Some types of junk science have virtually no supporting evidence, while others are oversimplifications of real but complex science findings.


https://www.propublica.org/article/understanding-junk-science-forensics-criminal-justice

[Scrivener7]

1. There's a book called the Cadaver King and the Country Dentist that

covers this in some really interesting detail.

[ck4829]

2. You know, if we have to ask that question, then it really shouldn't be used in the evidence process

Sounds like there could be some doubts, you know, reasonable ones.

[NNadir]

3. There's a lot of "junk science" around.

I see it quite often, usually when journalists "interpret" science, claiming to rule on what says and doesn't say.

My standard joke is that one cannot get a degree in journalism if one has passed a college level science course with a grade of C or better.

I'm seldom disabused of the idea.

[AZ8theist]

4. Junk Science?? HA!!

We're SWIMMING IN BULLSHIT.

Creationism
Moon landing deniers
Holocaust deniers
Anti evolution
Flat Earth
Anti vax
Anti trans
Election "rigging"
Ukraine is part of Russia
Jesus
God
Religion: