Costa Rica: Department of Forensic Sciences Publishes Scientific Article on Mitigating Bias in Forensic Laboratories

On December 17, ICITAP’s Global Forensic Science Unit provided an update on the impact of its assistance to Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigations Organization (OIJ) Department of Forensic Sciences (DFS). In December 2024, scientists from the Costa Rica’s DFS published an article entitled “A practical approach to mitigating cognitive bias effects in forensic casework” in the Forensic Science International: Synergy journal. The Synergy journal is an international open access journal showcasing the most cutting-edge interdisciplinary research and policy and management analysis in forensic science. The article focuses on the practical implementation of training, linear sequential unmasking, and blind proficiency testing strategies for mitigating bias and results that were demonstrated by the DFS’ Questioned Documents section, and serves as a foundation for expanding those strategies to full-scale implementation. Although recent research has raised awareness of human factors in forensic science, very few laboratories have successfully implemented significant countermeasures to mitigate bias in their procedures. The development of this pilot plan was supported by a study tour facilitated by ICITAP to allow members of the DFS to visit US laboratories that are leading the field in this area, including in-depth discussions with executive leadership and observation of how mitigating protocols are applied in day-to-day operations and integrated into organizational culture. This article is the DFS’ second publication in Synergy, where they previously published an article about their successful implementation and results of ICITAP-supported Lean Six Sigma training. The OIJ DFS is an accredited laboratory that serves as a regional role model for Central America and has consistently demonstrated their dedication to improving their service as a forensic provider through projects focused on efficiency and program management. ICITAP works in Central America in partnership with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotic and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).