Fundamental Research to Improve Understanding of the Accuracy, Reliability, and Measurement Validity of Forensic Science Disciplines

March 2, 2010 - The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is the research, development, and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and a component of the Office of Justice Programs (OJP). NIJ provides objective, independent, evidence-based knowledge and tools to enhance the administration of justice and public safety. NIJ solicits applications to inform its search for the knowledge and tools to guide policy and practice.

NIJ seeks qualified applicants to conduct research to improve the understanding of the accuracy, reliability, and measurement validity of the forensic science disciplines (specific disciplines stated below). In this solicitation, the term “validity” refers to the extent of the truth of an inference based upon scientific measurement. In other words, what is the extent to which relevant scientific evidence supports an inference as being true or correct? This solicitation does not address subjective, qualitative, or legal analyses of validity.

With this solicitation, NIJ intends to extend prior work that examines methods used by forensic scientists to develop a more complete understanding of the scientific basis of physical, chemical, biological, digital, or other forensic evidence. Studies are also needed to develop quantifiable measures of the reliability and accuracy of forensic analyses. Such studies should examine various processes within forensic methods, from the initial acceptance and examination of evidence for probative value and quality to the final assessment of forensic results. NIJ encourages applicants to propose new approaches, including quantitation of methods that are currently qualitative in nature.

Researchers may also examine potential systemic errors in forensic practice. Similar to professionals in other fields, forensic scientists may be subject to human observer bias, whether it is related to contextual bias, perceptual errors, or other factors. NIJ encourages applicants to propose studies that examine potential human or systemic errors in forensic practice, including studies that examine the interaction between forensic practitioners and other criminal justice practitioners.

NIJ seeks a full understanding, to the greatest extent feasible, of quantifiable measures of uncertainty in the conclusions of forensic analyses, regardless of the sources of uncertainty. Such studies should establish limits of reliability and accuracy that forensic methods can achieve due to varying conditions of forensic evidence.

With this solicitation, NIJ does not seek proposals that automate or otherwise improve the efficiency of forensic methods (with the understanding that improvements in knowledge or practice of forensic methods may result from the fundamental research that is the goal of this solicitation).

Applicants are encouraged to review prior research work and improve the breadth and methodology of those studies, if necessary, to develop a full understanding of the reliability and accuracy of forensic techniques.

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http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/sl000909.pdf