Why Is Confidentiality Important in Forensic Science?

Confidentiality is important in forensic science.

Forensic science has revolutionized how criminals are captured and identified. The methods for collecting and identifying a person's DNA at a crime scene continue to improve and make it harder to get away with heinous acts. Like all sciences, though, there is the potential for abuse, and confidentiality is paramount for several reasons.

Parental Testing

Forensic science is most commonly linked with law enforcement, but there are instances when it is used in the private sector. Paternal testing establishes whether a man is the true father of a child and provides unimpeachable evidence for a child custody case. The results of the test can be embarrassing, however, especially if a child was conceived through an extramarital affair. It's the duty of a laboratory assistant to keep the results confidential and to respect the privacy of the parents.

Criminal Evidence

Forensic science can be the only evidence in a criminal case that links a suspect to the crime. Police investigators may not want the results of the test released to the public until an arrest is made. If a laboratory assistant reveals the details of a criminal investigation, it can tip off a suspect, who will either flee to avoid arrest or stock up on weapons and wait for the arrival of police. Neither situation ends well.

Bias

Forensic science is ultimately a human enterprise and must be guarded against tainting and bias. A laboratory assistant typing a semen or hair sample to extract DNA should not know whether he is testing the suspect or the victim, nor should the particulars of the case be revealed. If the details of a sex crime against a child are laid out, for instance, then the laboratory assistant might feel obligated to rig the sample to point the finger at the suspect.

Tainting the Jury

A suspect in a crime should always be considered innocent until proven guilty. It's up to defense lawyers and prosecutors to make sure that a jury of the suspect's peers are not biased or tainted before the evidence is presented. If a laboratory assistant breaks the confidentiality of the results before a trial begins, then jurors will have a preconceived notion that the suspect is guilty.

DNA Database

Some states have developed a DNA database to identify criminals. A person convicted of a felony in Florida, for example, is required to give a sample of DNA to this database so that if he commits another crime police will have a quick way to identify him. It's arguable, though, whether it is an invasion of privacy. A person who was at the scene of a crime but did not commit it would still be identified as a suspect, which could be embarrassing.

References

• The National Academies Press: DNA Technology in Forensic Science