Congressional report cites uf for teaching attorneys about forensic science

The best way to prepare lawyers and judges in forensic science evidence is through scientific courses, reports the National Research Council, citing the University of Florida forensic continuing legal education course for offering attorneys a way to learn what they need to know.

Released in February, the congressionally mandated report from the National Research Council, "Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward," has found serious deficiencies in the nation's forensic science system and has called for major reforms.

"The report shows a national need for educating judges and lawyers in scientific principles and methods in criminal investigations and civil litigation," said Ian Tebbett, Ph.D., a UF College of Pharmacy professor and director of its forensic science online program.

"Lawyers and judges often have insufficient training and background in scientific methodology, and they often fail to fully comprehend the approaches employed by different forensic science disciplines and the reliability of forensic science evidence that is offered in trial," according to the NRC report.

In the section on education and training in forensic science, the report states, "Another avenue for education would be courses taught by forensic science education programs, but geared to continuing education participants rather than full-time students. The University of Florida, for example, offers a distance learning, continuing education course for Florida lawyers that is certified by The Florida Bar Association and that covers a variety of forensic science topics."

The UF forensic science course for lawyers is approved by the Florida Bar for 30 hours of CLE credit, including five hours of ethics credits and 25 hours of criminal trial credits. Offered online by UF's forensic science program at www.forensicscience.ufl.edu/law, the course is taught by Bernard A. Raum, J.D., MFS, a former prosecutor and adjunct professor of forensic evidence at the University of Florida Levin College of Law. The two-part course consists of 19 modules that address topics ranging from forensic anthropology and toxicology, biological evidence and crime scene investigations to DNA, ethics, fingerprints and competency of counsel.

"The Congressional report emphasizes the national importance of strengthening forensic science education in the United States and through a joint effort, the UF colleges of pharmacy and law are on the right track," said Tebbett. This example is one facet of a much larger effort of the UF forensic science online master's programs that educates forensic students worldwide, he said.