No abstract

Attorneys, judges, and juries often rely on the conclusions of forensic scientists from a variety of fields to understand how an incident occurred and who was involved. The distorted conceptual framework created by cognitive bias can influence those conclusions in subtle but powerful ways. Some common factors tending to implicate bias in any forensic examination are particularly prominent in many aspects of fire investigation. These factors include an imprecise method heavily reliant on human interpretation, an examination conducted in the field rather than a laboratory, and a lack of genuine independence from law enforcement. This article explores the most common forms of cognitive bias found in the field of fire investigation, provides case‐study examples, and gives recommendations on how these biases might be minimized.