47.0k views
2 votes
To permit positive identification, testing procedures used by a forensic scientist must meet what 2 conditions.

a) Precision and accuracy
b) Speed and cost-effectiveness
c) Complexity and simplicity
d) Sensitivity and specificity

User Ansharja
by
8.5k points

1 Answer

2 votes

Final answer:

Testing procedures in forensic science must meet the conditions of sensitivity and specificity to ensure accurate and exclusive identification of evidence.

Step-by-step explanation:

To permit positive identification, testing procedures used by forensic scientists must meet two key conditions: sensitivity and specificity. Sensitivity refers to the ability of the test to detect even minute levels of the target substance, which means a test with high sensitivity will have a low probability of producing a false negative result. In contrast, specificity refers to the test's ability to exclusively detect the target substance, avoiding cross-reaction with irrelevant substances, therefore a test with high specificity will have a low rate of false positives. In the context of forensics, this ensures that the evidence is accurately tied to the individual in question, without mistakenly implicating someone else.

User David Boskovic
by
7.3k points