PROJECT OVERVIEW

In most EU Countries, defence in criminal trials is allowed to carry out tests on exhibits, but only very few experts are still available apart of the police. Moreover serious problems of communications do occur between experts and jurists. On the other hand, jurists aren’t able to understand problems and language of experts, and often incorrectly demand a yes/no answer.
For these reasons we thought to prepare both jurists with knowledge of science and forensic science, able to understand experts and to effectively deal with tests and their results, and experts with forensic skills, i.e. with a fairly good knowledge of criminal law and criminal procedure and of forensic applications of analytical techniques as well. As the main problem of the reciprocal communication are differences in logics and languages, the courses will be held mainly with attendants in a unique class, even with different purposes for scientists and non scientists.
A part of the course will also be devoted to the specific purposes of the two categories. In the first part scientists will study criminal law whereas non scientists will study the bases of the sciences.
Moreover, in the last part of the course, an individual specialisation is provided. Such a Master course has been running in Parma for 7 years.
It will last 60 credits and will be held in Parma, Messina, Cottbus and Budapest. Theoretical classes will be given and laboratory courses as well.
A web site will be set up both for advertising purposes and for internal information and communication exchange. A pilot course will start in Cottbus in October 2009 and it will be developed in the four towns from October 2010. After the pilot course, we expect that several further universities will join the project of this consortium and will help to reach the final goal of this action: the setting of a European standard level for the handling of scientific data in the courts and the improving the criminal law enforcement in Europe.