Australian Institue of Criminology

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Enhancing fairness in DNA jury trials

Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 392

Jane Goodman-Delahunty and Lindsay Hewson
ISSN 1836-2206
Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, March 2010

Abstract

Controversies over how the law should regulate the presentation of expert testimony on DNA forensic science were explored in an experimental study comparing traditional verbal with audiovisual modes of delivery. The study found pre-trial DNA knowledge, as assessed in 3,611 jury-eligible Australians, was limited. However, showing jury members an expert tutorial on DNA profiling evidence significantly improved their DNA knowledge. This paper discusses these results and the procedures that could be adopted by courts and policymakers to enhance justice in criminal cases in which DNA is introduced.

This paper was commissioned by the Criminology Research Council.