On the application of forensic science in Austria

Forensic science is commonly defined as the use of methods to collect, analyse and interpret traces left by criminal actions. This definition highlights the interdisciplinary nature of forensic science. Because of this intrinsic characteristic, forensic science is widely considered as a patchwork of different scientific disciplines. This conception lead to a sectorisation of the discipline in specialised fields (e.g. forensic chemistry or biology) and to a lack of proper identity, which causes forensic science to be scrutinized and challenged worldwide. Communication issues between forensic scientists and stakeholders (e.g. investigators and justice members) aggravate the situation and cause distrust in forensic methodologies. Thus, research in forensic science is needed to strengthen its application and improve communication. Therefore, the European Network for Forensic Science Institutes (ENFSI) has published a guideline on forensic reporting, proposing the use of recognized statistic methods. However, numerous European countries, including Austria, showed reservations about the relevancy of this approach and scepticism about the need for forensic science renewal. This project aims thus at studying and understanding the current position and application of forensic science in Austria, regarding especially DNA, fingermarks and handwriting findings. Careful literature review as well as surveys, interviews and observations of trials with relevant forensic experts, investigators and justice members will be conducted. This should allow obtaining precise information and opinions about current strengths and weaknesses associated with the application of forensic science in Austria. In this context, the potential of an implementation of the ENFSI guideline will also be discussed. The obtained results should allow formulating proposition of optimisation regarding the application of forensic science in the Austrian practice. The choice to focus this project on Austria is particularly interesting, because if such a rather sceptic country as Austria accept considering and maybe even implementing the resulting propositions of optimisation, it could help promoting similar axes of reflections in other countries, which is currently needed. Finally, this fundamental research in forensic science will be the first one conducted in Austria at an academic level since Gross pioneer of the discipline back in the early 1900s which could lead to further positive developments in a near future, as for example the creation of an Austrian academic forensic program.

The proposed project aimed at observing, analysing and understanding the current position and application of forensic science in Austria. This research focused on identifying current strengths and weaknesses associated with the actual (inter)personal communication about the use and evaluation of physical traces (e.g. DNA, fingermarks...) among the Austrian actors of forensic science (i.e. investigators, forensic practitioners, justice members) in order to propose practice oriented measures regarding the application of forensic science at large and the appraisal of traces linked with a criminal activity. The choice to focus on Austria has been made for two main reasons. First, as Austria is one of the cradles of forensic science thank to Hans Gross, it was historically interesting to study the situation more than a century after the work of this pioneer. Furthermore, after carful observations and study of the Austrian system during my first postdoc research project, it could be determined that no complete forensic science education is proposed at an academical level in Austria and that no research and development institute is focusing on forensic science. This is probably due to the fact that forensic science is mainly confined in a hierarchical and conservative police environment in Austria. Thus, as the necessary structures to investigate the questions mentioned above are lacking, it seemed relevant to propose a research project focusing on these issues. However, I only conducted the project for about five months, as I interrupted it twice in order to gain international and national practical experience in the field of forensic science. In fact, I had the opportunity to work for the United Nations on Drugs and Crime in the field of crime scene investigation for three months and in the Crime Scene Office of the Austrian federal police (Bundeskriminalamt, .BK) for eight months, before I got the opportunity to be enrolled as a forensic expert by the .BK at the beginning of 2019. I accepted the offered position and had thus to definitively interrupt my FWF postdoc project. In my current position at the .BK, I actually continue to follow the aims of my FWF research project by proposing changes in the actual work processes and trying to promote the development of research projects in the field of forensic science. I hope that my efforts will lead to the creation of a forensic science institute devoted to education, research and development and working in collaboration with the police, as already established in other European countries (e.g. Switzerland, Holland, Sweden).