This article suggests 10 ways that the Web site of the National Clearinghouse for Science, Technology, and the Law (NCSTL) can be used as a resource for judges, lawyers, scientists, law enforcement officials, academics, and others who want information about the nexus between law, science, and technology.
Sponsored by a grant from the National Institute of Justice, the Web site is free to all users. Those who register can save searches or stop in the middle of a session and come back to it later. One of the uses of the Web site is to search the database, which contains thousands of bibliographic records for forensic and criminal justice resources. A second use is browsing the calendar for dates, locations, and descriptions for conferences and seminars on a wide range of forensics. A third use is reading the NCSTL quarterly newsletter, "It's Evident," which features articles on the latest topics and trends in forensic science. A fourth use of the Web site is to find expert witnesses in a particular field or locate background information on an expert witness. A related fifth use is preparing expert witnesses for trial. "Expert Testimony: Resources for Expert Witnesses" discusses the deposition and trial processes as well as other topics and references to other resources for presenting testimony. A sixth use of the Web site will soon be available, namely, an interactive course about policies, procedures, and protocols in serving as an expert witness. Other uses of the Web site are online attendance at live seminars at the Stetson University College of Law, which houses the NCSTL; links from general forensic information to specific resources; access to many bibliographies; and access to information on forensics-related organizations, educational programs, and a directory of State crime labs.
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