Forensic Academy

PDAP’s Forensic Academy training consists of ten virtual sessions per year which typically take place on the second Tuesday of each month. These sessions center around different topics related to criminal defense forensics, such as evidence collection, DNA analysis, ballistics, and more. All Public Defenders – attorneys, investigators, and social service advocates – are welcome to attend.

Forensic Academy programming aims to give Public Defenders the tools they need to defend and utilize forensic evidence within cases. It also provides a deeper look into forensic science as a whole. Sessions typically feature field experts and attorneys who discuss each topic in detail and advise on utilizing or defending against particular kinds of forensic evidence. Anyone who attends eight out of the ten sessions in a year also receives a Certificate in Forensic Evidence.