Towards a uniform framework for reporting opinions in forensic science casework

The Bayesian approach to interpreting evidence is now firmly established within forensic science. Because it provides a logical framework for every type of scientific evidence it naturally leads to a set of unifying principles. These, in turn, suggest the manner in which expert opinions should be communicated to the courts. Weight of evidence is properly conveyed by the use of the word supports together with an appropriate qualifying term. The range of qualifiers that are used can be chosen with reference to the underlying concept of the likelihood ratio. This philosophy points the way to uniform standards for reporting strengths of corroborative opinions throughout the science and in all languages and disciplines.