| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences |
| Editors | Neil J Smelser, Paul B Baltes |
| Publisher | Elsevier |
| Pages | 15076–15080 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| ISBN (Print) | 978-08430768 |
| State | Published - 2001 |
Abstract
The law is a premier instance of decision-making in the face of uncertainty and therefore a natural and obvious field for the application of statistics. Nevertheless, it is only in the last decades of the twentieth century that the use of statistical methods of proof has become commonplace in the courtroom. This entry surveys a number of the most interesting current applications, including sampling, employment discrimination, and forensic science. The bibliography at the end includes a number of textbooks that contain useful pointers to the literature.