Overuse of the term ‘forensic’

The definition of “forensic” literally means pertaining to the law, however the term has become increasingly overused by the media and consequently the general public.  There are an exhaustible list of techniques from different ologies (read disciplines) such as fingerprinting or archaeological methods that can be used forensically to investigate crimes.

Often the term is misused to describe methods or techniques that are not related to a court of law simply because it is cool.  The distorted use of the term has been amplified by the CSI effect and the media in general, adding to the misinterpretation of your average Joe Bloggs.

My gripe is when television programmes, newspapers and online media make reference to using forensic techniques for other uses…..What? For example using forensic techniques for an archaeological excavation on episodes of Channel 4’s Time Team. Despite the fact that time team has done a lot to bring archaeology to the masses, and for that we should be thankful, if you are no longer using a technique with legal implications then it ceases to be forensic.

Using forensic techniques in other fields actually means using methodologies that have been developed specifically for forensic science in other fields. Meticulously searching for a needle in a haystack does not mean that you are looking for it forensically. Likewise if you happen to come across a bronze age skeleton, say in your back garden, that was supposedly murdered it, this does not automatically warrant the title of forensic but is in fact archaeological since it is more than one hundred years old.

Those who know better should take it upon themselves to make better use of the word “forensic” in its proper context in order to ensure continued precision within the field and outside.