Profs & Pints Baltimore: Forensic Flaws

Profs and Pints Baltimore presents: “Forensic Flaws,” a critical look at how criminal investigations can go wrong, with Dr. Jeff Kukucka, professor of psychology at Towson University and consultant to crime labs, law offices, and government agencies.

[Doors open at 5. The talk starts at 6:30. The room is open seating.]

Although forensic science often plays a crucial role in solving crimes, it isn’t nearly as foolproof as television shows make it seem. In fact, mistakes by forensic scientists have contributed to over 1,000 wrongful convictions in the United States, with the result often being that innocent people get sent to prison while the real perpetrators remain free to victimize others.

Why do these mistakes happen? The simple answer is that forensic scientists are humans prone to the same flaws in their thinking as the rest of us.

Gain an in-depth understanding of how this happens with Professor Jeff Kukucka, a psychologist whose work sheds light on the human element of forensic science and seeks to optimize how crime labs function and minimize the risk of costly mistakes, including wrongful convictions.