The logic of inference and decision for scientific evidence

The choice of a normative framework – that is a coherent standard of reasoning – is widely advocated. In the current understanding, such a framework intends to implement several desirable properties for evidential assessment, such as logic, balance, robustness and transparency. Within this general evidential context, this chapter addresses two fundamental questions. The first is ‘How is one to manage scientific information?’, and the second is ‘How is one to justify a decision?’. The focus will be on presenting and discussing the extent to which probability theory and decision theory, can contribute toward answering these questions. This chapter will acknowledge and distinguish between, on the one hand, perspectives on evidence evaluation in forensic science literature and, on the other hand, legal evidence and proof processes on the level of cases as a whole