Intro Flashcards
Define opprobrium
Harsh criticism or censure
How does opprobrium relate to forensic science?
Life isn’t fair; you have bodily autonomy AND you still need to conduct yourself appropriately in different environments
Give some examples of how you may conduct yourself professionally.
What you wear, how you speak, knowing your audience, how you act
What are morals?
Concerned with the principles of behaviour; goodness/badness of human character
What are ethics?
A system of moral principles influencing conduct; idealistic behaviour or standards
Differentiate between morals and ethics
Morals = pertains to individual values
Ethics = Pertains to group of individuals
Why are ethics and professionalism important to forensic scientists?
Knowing what is ethical and professional protects you in your job.
What is ethical adaptation?
Many people bend their moral values depending on the situation
Give an example of ethical adaptation
“Big companies have so much money, it’s not really stealing”
What are some misconceptions about ethics and how they pertain to forensic science?
Ethics are black and white (something is either right or wrong); forensic scientists are ethical by nature
Give some examples of unethical conduct in forensic science.
Misrepresentation of professional credentials
Dry labbing
Not doing a job to the best of your ability
Cognitive bias
Poor use of terminology
Improper court testimony
What is dry labbing?
Not actually doing the lab work and just making up the results
What are examples of cognitive bias?
Confirmation bias
Contextual bias
What is confirmation bias?
Twisting results to fit the scenario you’ve been given/ignoring results that don’t match
What is contextual bias?
Interpreting results inaccurately based on context
Give some examples of unethical court testimony
Lying
Confusing methods of explaining
Not putting in lay terms
Advocacy
What is advocacy? Why is it unethical to do as an expert witness?
Deliberately twisting testimony to side with the side you are presenting for (as an expert witness, you should be impartial)
Why does being privately employed as a forensic scientist stir up some ethical questions?
Pay often depends upon the trial outcome - are you going to say things just so you win, even if they aren’t truthful?
Why does being publicly employed as a forensic scientist stir up some ethical questions?
Can be accused of bias because you work for the government
Always working for the same side
Explain the ethical issues with the use of genealogy databases for convicting murders.
Relatives upload their genetic info, police compare this to DNA obtained from crime scene and can make an ID of the relative as the perpetrator. But this relative did not consent to their DNA being uploaded. Which do we value more - privacy or conviction?
What are the main goals of studying ethics?
Not meant to dictate actions but to offer tools and direction for dealing with situations.
Protect rights and needs of professions or groups when situations are not straightforward.
Give background to the April Tinsley case.
1988 - Tinsley is abducted, raped and murdered.
Killer taunted police and threatened young girls
In 2004, he begins leaving notes and used condoms on girl’s bicycles
How was April Tinsley’s murderer found?
DNA from condoms matched DNA from Tinsley’s body
Police used genealogy database and it was a close match to two brothers
Focused on John Miller, sampled DNA from discarded garbage to crime scene
What questions should you ask when naming an article/seminar?
Is the title appropriate and respectful?
How would a layperson or family members of the deceased perceive the title?
Am I presenting myself and my work as a forensic professional?
