A Rendezvous between Forensic Science and Criminology: Toward a Public Forensic Criminology?

Drawing on recent critical debates on the concept of public '-ologies', this chapter discusses the potential and pitfalls of what could be considered an emerging 'public forensic criminology'. First, we discuss why and how a social and a natural science might be interested in participating in a broader public discussion about crime and justice that takes them beyond the boundaries of the academy. In doing so, we discuss what 'going public' means, what is at stake and what might be the role of forensic science and criminology in bridging the gaps between scientific productions, civil demands, policy discourses and professional experiences related to criminality. Then we describe the characteristics of the growing public 'knowledge' of these disciplines, before critically examining how a dialogue between them could contribute to a better understanding of crime-related events. While providing an empirical account of this attempt, we finally outline broader issues facing public forensic criminology and advocate for reflexivity, pluralism and an engagement with human rights along the way.