A sociological study on people's understanding of forensic DNA analysis in Japan

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H06106
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Sociology/History of science and technology
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Suzuki Mai 東京大学, 地震研究所, 特任研究員 (70761633)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-08-28 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 法科学 / DNA型鑑定 / 科学技術社会論 / 科学技術人類学 / 犯罪捜査 / 裁判 / 国際比較

Outline of Final Research Achievements

While forensic DNA analysis has played an important role in the criminal investigation and the decision-making in a court, it has been revealed that it is difficult for non-experts to understand forensic DNA analysis accurately and to utilize it effectively. This study has focused upon forensic DNA analysis in Japan and examined the following four, how various actors understand forensic DNA analysis differently; how people’s understanding of forensic DNA analysis has changed; what sort of problems have occurred relating to forensic DNA analysis; the characteristics of people’s understanding of forensic DNA analysis in Japan.

Free Research Field

科学社会学