Current state and barriers to global adoption of forensic evaluative reporting of findings given activity-level propositions

This article examines the current state and challenges surrounding the global adoption of evaluative reporting of forensic findings given activity-level propositions. Evaluative reporting provides a structured and objective assessment of findings that can be used in judicial proceedings. The assessment of findings given activity-level propositions addresses ‘how’ and ‘when’ questions about the presence of forensic evidence. This is often the question of interest to the fact-finder. Practitioners are finding that they face such questions on the witness stand with increasing frequency. Despite its importance, widespread adoption has been hampered by several barriers. This article explores various concerns raised by the forensic community in different jurisdictions. This includes reticence toward suggested methodologies, concern about a lack of robust and impartial data to inform probabilities, regional differences in regulatory frameworks and methodology, and the availability of training and resources to implement evaluations given activity-level propositions. Suggestions are made for overcoming these barriers and fostering greater global integration of activity-level evaluative reporting. By addressing these barriers, the credibility and utility of forensic evaluations (of evidence considering activity-level propositions) in both legal and investigative contexts can be improved internationally.