Undergraduate Course: Evidence: Interpretation and Evaluation (LAWS10109)
Course Outline
| School | School of Law |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 40 |
ECTS Credits | 20 |
| Summary | While the majority of cases that reach the courts are decided on questions of fact, not law, the interpretation and evaluation of evidence is not taught as part of traditional courses in evidence law. This course fills this gap, by introducing students to general concepts from the forensic sciences, ranging from witness psychology to DNA evidence and forensic computing, and to the theories and methods that govern their interpretation in a legal setting. The interaction between science and law will be analysed from theoretical, legal and pragmatic perspectives. Looking both at topical legal cases and scientific developments, we ask the following questions: How can we evaluate different types of evidence, what makes one form of evidence more reliable than another, and to what extend do the rules of legal procedure support or are in conflict with our best scientific theories? How can scientists communicate their ideas to lawyers and jurors? How has misinterpretation of evidence resulted in miscarriages of justice, and how can we prevent them? No prior scientific knowledge is required, apart from a willingness to engage with the writing style typical for the natural sciences. |
| Course description |
Not entered
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
at the end of the course, students should
- have developed an understanding of the way in which forensic scientists approach questions of evidence, and the potential and problems presented by using scientific evidence in a court setting
- have acquired an ability to interpret and evaluate different types of evidence, including statistical and probabilistic evidence
- developed problem-solving and diagnostic techniques in the application of evidential principles to concrete facts, including being able to analyse scientific arguments in a legal setting
- be able to deal both effectively and expeditiously with the sorts of factual evidence problems that surface regularly in trials and other legal proceedings.
- be able to think both logically and methodically about evidence in litigation.
- be acquainted you with some of the broad philosophical, political, social, ethical, moral, and economic issues presented by the existence of various types of evidence and the legal rules that govern their use in litigation
- have acquired relevant IT and library skills to research independently topics from a broad range of forensic disciplines
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Prof Burkhard Schafer
Tel: (0131 6)50 2035
Email: B.Schafer@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mrs Heather Haig
Tel: (0131 6)50 2053
Email: Heather.Haig@ed.ac.uk |
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