Cognitive bias in forensic science is not an abstract concept, but a creeping virus that, in the worst cases, can infect entire justice systems. To make the workings of this insidious phenomenon more tangible, let’s look at some examples that clearly illustrate the potential impact of cognitive distortions in practice.
At the beginning of my work as an expert, I often noticed on comparison photos of defendants that they had very large pupils – sometimes even despite the light from the flash used. These comparison photos were almost exclusively taken by investigators or judges. This observation piqued my curiosity and prompted me to question the cause of this phenomenon.