LABORATORY ERROR

• Jurisdiction: Australia

LABORATORY ERROR

[80A.300] Overview

Scientific evidence is only as good as the people and systems that produce it. Many forensic science laboratories have adopted quality assurance programs and are regularly inspected by accrediting bodies (eg, the National Association of Testing Authorities, Australia, and the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors - Laboratory Accreditation Board) to demonstrate that their testing procedures adhere to accepted standards. Nevertheless, the possibility of human error cannot be entirely eliminated.

Errors in test results may be classified as either false positives or false negatives. A report of a DNA match between two samples that actually have different profiles is an example of a false positive. A false negative occurs when a report excludes a person as the source of a DNA sample that actually came from that person. False negative results may be a concern to the community, in that they may allow guilty persons to evade detection. However, false positive results are of more...