Neuroscientific and Biometric Methodologies in Forensic Contexts: A Critical Review

Giuseppe Manuel Festa; Iginio Sisto Lancia

doi:doi:10.11648/j.pbs.20251402.14

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Neuroscientific and Biometric Methodologies in Forensic Contexts: A Critical Review

Giuseppe Manuel Festa^*

, Iginio Sisto Lancia

Published in Psychology and Behavioral Sciences (Volume 14, Issue 2)

Received: 5 April 2025 Accepted: 14 April 2025 Published: 29 April 2025

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Abstract

There has been registered a significant increase of neuroscientific and biometric methodologies applied to forensic procedures in recent years. This paper describes some of innovative techniques in the forensic field, such as: Polygraph with the Control Question Test and Infrared Technology, Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Event-Related Potentials, Brain Fingerprinting Technology, Positron Emission Tomography, Polygraph with Guilty Knowledge Test, Autobiographical-Implicit Association Test, Machine Learning, Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy, Regional Cerebral Blood Flow. These methodologies are directed towards the investigation of specific areas of psychological-forensic interest. In particular, here will be disclosed methodologies aimed at identifying lies, detecting recidivist behaviours and identifying memory traces. The techniques outlined in their main aspects are of different types and can help in understanding human behaviour in forensic proceedings. Still, these techniques are actually under development and experimentation. They are promising in providing useful data in legal field but require further scientific validation, and their use is always recommended as an integration of other traditional evidence and methods. In the context of legal psychology, the techniques described appear to be valuable complementary tools in the pursuit of truth. It will be interesting to follow any future directions of research, with a specific request for studies that vary, depending on the characteristics of the defendant and on the nature of legal proceedings. In conclusion, this work presents a comprehensive review of emerging neuroscientific and biometric methodologies applied to forensic contexts. The topic is timely and relevant, and offers to readers a valuable overview of technologies and machine learning applications in forensic psychology.

Published in	Psychology and Behavioral Sciences (Volume 14, Issue 2)
DOI	10.11648/j.pbs.20251402.14
Page(s)	43-51
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Neuroscientific Methodologies, Forensic Psychology, Lies, Recidivist Behaviors, Memory Traces

References

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Festa, G. M., Lancia, I. S. (2025). Neuroscientific and Biometric Methodologies in Forensic Contexts: A Critical Review. Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, 14(2), 43-51. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pbs.20251402.14

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Festa, G. M.; Lancia, I. S. Neuroscientific and Biometric Methodologies in Forensic Contexts: A Critical Review. Psychol. Behav. Sci. 2025, 14(2), 43-51. doi: 10.11648/j.pbs.20251402.14

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AMA Style

Festa GM, Lancia IS. Neuroscientific and Biometric Methodologies in Forensic Contexts: A Critical Review. Psychol Behav Sci. 2025;14(2):43-51. doi: 10.11648/j.pbs.20251402.14

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@article{10.11648/j.pbs.20251402.14,
  author = {Giuseppe Manuel Festa and Iginio Sisto Lancia},
  title = {Neuroscientific and Biometric Methodologies in Forensic Contexts: A Critical Review
},
  journal = {Psychology and Behavioral Sciences},
  volume = {14},
  number = {2},
  pages = {43-51},
  doi = {10.11648/j.pbs.20251402.14},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pbs.20251402.14},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.pbs.20251402.14},
  abstract = {There has been registered a significant increase of neuroscientific and biometric methodologies applied to forensic procedures in recent years. This paper describes some of innovative techniques in the forensic field, such as: Polygraph with the Control Question Test and Infrared Technology, Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Event-Related Potentials, Brain Fingerprinting Technology, Positron Emission Tomography, Polygraph with Guilty Knowledge Test, Autobiographical-Implicit Association Test, Machine Learning, Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy, Regional Cerebral Blood Flow. These methodologies are directed towards the investigation of specific areas of psychological-forensic interest. In particular, here will be disclosed methodologies aimed at identifying lies, detecting recidivist behaviours and identifying memory traces. The techniques outlined in their main aspects are of different types and can help in understanding human behaviour in forensic proceedings. Still, these techniques are actually under development and experimentation. They are promising in providing useful data in legal field but require further scientific validation, and their use is always recommended as an integration of other traditional evidence and methods. In the context of legal psychology, the techniques described appear to be valuable complementary tools in the pursuit of truth. It will be interesting to follow any future directions of research, with a specific request for studies that vary, depending on the characteristics of the defendant and on the nature of legal proceedings. In conclusion, this work presents a comprehensive review of emerging neuroscientific and biometric methodologies applied to forensic contexts. The topic is timely and relevant, and offers to readers a valuable overview of technologies and machine learning applications in forensic psychology.
},
 year = {2025}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Neuroscientific and Biometric Methodologies in Forensic Contexts: A Critical Review

AU  - Giuseppe Manuel Festa
AU  - Iginio Sisto Lancia
Y1  - 2025/04/29
PY  - 2025
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pbs.20251402.14
DO  - 10.11648/j.pbs.20251402.14
T2  - Psychology and Behavioral Sciences
JF  - Psychology and Behavioral Sciences
JO  - Psychology and Behavioral Sciences
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PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2328-7845
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pbs.20251402.14
AB  - There has been registered a significant increase of neuroscientific and biometric methodologies applied to forensic procedures in recent years. This paper describes some of innovative techniques in the forensic field, such as: Polygraph with the Control Question Test and Infrared Technology, Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Event-Related Potentials, Brain Fingerprinting Technology, Positron Emission Tomography, Polygraph with Guilty Knowledge Test, Autobiographical-Implicit Association Test, Machine Learning, Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy, Regional Cerebral Blood Flow. These methodologies are directed towards the investigation of specific areas of psychological-forensic interest. In particular, here will be disclosed methodologies aimed at identifying lies, detecting recidivist behaviours and identifying memory traces. The techniques outlined in their main aspects are of different types and can help in understanding human behaviour in forensic proceedings. Still, these techniques are actually under development and experimentation. They are promising in providing useful data in legal field but require further scientific validation, and their use is always recommended as an integration of other traditional evidence and methods. In the context of legal psychology, the techniques described appear to be valuable complementary tools in the pursuit of truth. It will be interesting to follow any future directions of research, with a specific request for studies that vary, depending on the characteristics of the defendant and on the nature of legal proceedings. In conclusion, this work presents a comprehensive review of emerging neuroscientific and biometric methodologies applied to forensic contexts. The topic is timely and relevant, and offers to readers a valuable overview of technologies and machine learning applications in forensic psychology.

VL  - 14
IS  - 2
ER  -

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Author Information

Giuseppe Manuel Festa

Pontifical Faculty of Educational Sciences «Auxilium», Rome, Italy; Interdisciplinary Institute of Advanced Clinical Training «IACT», Rome, Italy

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http://orcid.org/0009-0004-0768-9899
Iginio Sisto Lancia

Interdisciplinary Institute of Advanced Clinical Training «IACT», Rome, Italy

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http://orcid.org/0009-0004-1719-0549

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APA Style

Festa, G. M., Lancia, I. S. (2025). Neuroscientific and Biometric Methodologies in Forensic Contexts: A Critical Review. Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, 14(2), 43-51. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pbs.20251402.14

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ACS Style

Festa, G. M.; Lancia, I. S. Neuroscientific and Biometric Methodologies in Forensic Contexts: A Critical Review. Psychol. Behav. Sci. 2025, 14(2), 43-51. doi: 10.11648/j.pbs.20251402.14

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AMA Style

Festa GM, Lancia IS. Neuroscientific and Biometric Methodologies in Forensic Contexts: A Critical Review. Psychol Behav Sci. 2025;14(2):43-51. doi: 10.11648/j.pbs.20251402.14

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.pbs.20251402.14,
  author = {Giuseppe Manuel Festa and Iginio Sisto Lancia},
  title = {Neuroscientific and Biometric Methodologies in Forensic Contexts: A Critical Review
},
  journal = {Psychology and Behavioral Sciences},
  volume = {14},
  number = {2},
  pages = {43-51},
  doi = {10.11648/j.pbs.20251402.14},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pbs.20251402.14},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.pbs.20251402.14},
  abstract = {There has been registered a significant increase of neuroscientific and biometric methodologies applied to forensic procedures in recent years. This paper describes some of innovative techniques in the forensic field, such as: Polygraph with the Control Question Test and Infrared Technology, Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Event-Related Potentials, Brain Fingerprinting Technology, Positron Emission Tomography, Polygraph with Guilty Knowledge Test, Autobiographical-Implicit Association Test, Machine Learning, Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy, Regional Cerebral Blood Flow. These methodologies are directed towards the investigation of specific areas of psychological-forensic interest. In particular, here will be disclosed methodologies aimed at identifying lies, detecting recidivist behaviours and identifying memory traces. The techniques outlined in their main aspects are of different types and can help in understanding human behaviour in forensic proceedings. Still, these techniques are actually under development and experimentation. They are promising in providing useful data in legal field but require further scientific validation, and their use is always recommended as an integration of other traditional evidence and methods. In the context of legal psychology, the techniques described appear to be valuable complementary tools in the pursuit of truth. It will be interesting to follow any future directions of research, with a specific request for studies that vary, depending on the characteristics of the defendant and on the nature of legal proceedings. In conclusion, this work presents a comprehensive review of emerging neuroscientific and biometric methodologies applied to forensic contexts. The topic is timely and relevant, and offers to readers a valuable overview of technologies and machine learning applications in forensic psychology.
},
 year = {2025}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Neuroscientific and Biometric Methodologies in Forensic Contexts: A Critical Review

AU  - Giuseppe Manuel Festa
AU  - Iginio Sisto Lancia
Y1  - 2025/04/29
PY  - 2025
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pbs.20251402.14
DO  - 10.11648/j.pbs.20251402.14
T2  - Psychology and Behavioral Sciences
JF  - Psychology and Behavioral Sciences
JO  - Psychology and Behavioral Sciences
SP  - 43
EP  - 51
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2328-7845
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pbs.20251402.14
AB  - There has been registered a significant increase of neuroscientific and biometric methodologies applied to forensic procedures in recent years. This paper describes some of innovative techniques in the forensic field, such as: Polygraph with the Control Question Test and Infrared Technology, Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Event-Related Potentials, Brain Fingerprinting Technology, Positron Emission Tomography, Polygraph with Guilty Knowledge Test, Autobiographical-Implicit Association Test, Machine Learning, Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy, Regional Cerebral Blood Flow. These methodologies are directed towards the investigation of specific areas of psychological-forensic interest. In particular, here will be disclosed methodologies aimed at identifying lies, detecting recidivist behaviours and identifying memory traces. The techniques outlined in their main aspects are of different types and can help in understanding human behaviour in forensic proceedings. Still, these techniques are actually under development and experimentation. They are promising in providing useful data in legal field but require further scientific validation, and their use is always recommended as an integration of other traditional evidence and methods. In the context of legal psychology, the techniques described appear to be valuable complementary tools in the pursuit of truth. It will be interesting to follow any future directions of research, with a specific request for studies that vary, depending on the characteristics of the defendant and on the nature of legal proceedings. In conclusion, this work presents a comprehensive review of emerging neuroscientific and biometric methodologies applied to forensic contexts. The topic is timely and relevant, and offers to readers a valuable overview of technologies and machine learning applications in forensic psychology.

VL  - 14
IS  - 2
ER  -

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