“The Intersection between Science and Law”
Dr Xanthé Mallett
Associate Professor of Criminology
University of Newcastle
Date: Thursday, 28 July 2022, 5.15 pm for 5.30 pm AEST
Venue: Newcastle Club, 40 Newcomen Street, Newcastle NSW 2300
Entry: No charge
Society Members, Fellows, and members of the public are welcome
In this Royal Society of New South Wales lecture, world-renowned criminologist Associate Professor Xanthé Mallett will look at the important and evolving relationship between science and the law. Specifically, forensic science, often the cornerstone of a criminal case, will be discussed in terms of reliability and replicability, and what it means when our understanding of ‘weight’ of evidence shifts over time. The case of Kathleen Folbigg will be used to contextualise the discussion, offering access to dialogue around advances in forensic techniques and implications on the criminal justice process for those convicted.
Xanthé Mallett is a Scottish forensic anthropologist, criminologist and television presenter with an international reputation for her work across several areas of research related to forensic anthropology and criminology. Her professional interests are in the area of miscarriages of justice, and the review of cold cases — seeking new evidence to help the police solve difficult cases and bring closure to families. She is the author of several influential books including Reasonable doubt, Cold Case Investigations, and Mothers who Murder.