Move Fast and Strengthen Justice: A framework for responsible technology adoption

Forensic science is undergoing rapid technological expansion driven by advances in artificial intelligence, automation, and data-intensive investigative tools. While these innovations offer significant promise, their adoption has frequently outpaced the development of governance structures necessary to ensure scientific validity, procedural justice, and public trust—a pattern familiar in technology adoption within the criminal legal system. This paper applies the Gartner Hype Cycle as an analytic framework to examine the risks associated with implementing forensic science technologies before appropriate safeguards are in place. It argues that minimizing harm, promoting integrity, and sustaining public confidence require proactive adoption practices that integrate scientific rigor, justice-centered considerations, and mechanisms for institutional repair.