Abstract Research and Development ('R&D') in forensic science currently focuses on
innovative technologies improving the efficiency of existing forensic processes, from the
detection of marks and traces at the scene, to their presentation in Court. R&D approached
from this perspective provides no response to doubts raised by recent criminological studies,
which question the effective contribution of forensic science to crime reduction, and to
policing in general. Traces (ie forensic case data), as remnants of criminal activity are …