This article provides an overview of recent research concerning the safeguarding of forensic science professionals.
This article, authored by NIJ staff and originally published in Police Chief, a publication of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, summarizes recent research about safeguarding forensic science professionals, vital personnel in the criminal justice system who routinely operate in high-stress environments. Preliminary research suggests that exposure to trauma negatively affects forensic science professionals’ overall health and wellness. The linkage between traumatic exposure and health and wellness has long been established for other justice system professionals (i.e., police and corrections officers). For forensic professionals, however, the evidence collected to date, while significant, just scratches the surface of trauma’s substantial and long-term impacts. Only a coordinated research effort can fill this knowledge gap to fundamentally improve the health and wellness of forensic science professionals. Focused research can reduce the stigma surrounding mental health issues, remove accessibility barriers, identify effective prevention and intervention initiatives, and mitigate occupational stressors. Health and wellness tools that have worked for police and corrections officers may hold promise for forensic professionals but require implementation in the forensic science profession along with rigorous evaluation to discern their effectiveness.