Wiarygodność kryminalistycznych metod identyfikacji człowieka w świetle nauki i badań ankietowych
The reliability of forensic methods of human identification in the light of science and survey research

Summary/Abstract: Forensic science and other scientific fields have developed numerous methods for human identification. These are used to determine and verify identity in criminal, civil, and administrative proceedings. The decision to select the appropriate method should enable reliable identification of a person or a corpse. Assessing the credibility of evidence is one of the criteria for assessing the probative value of evidence. Therefore, the procedural body should review expert opinions or identification results with this criterion in mind. Sources of information on this topic include empirical research, analysis of expert opinion practice, descriptions of research methodologies in the literature, and the expert himself who issues the opinion in a given case. Empirical research and analysis of investigative and judicial practice indicate that DNA identification is the most reliable method. The opinions of the surveyed students and science in this regard are consistent. Convergent assessments concern methods of human identification based on scent and presentation of person, which were assessed as unreliable. Students’ knowledge of human identification methods should be continually deepened and professionally updated. Only then will they be able to correctly assess the probative value of the results of identifying a person or body, thus minimizing the risk of a miscarriage of justice.

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