The first female U.S. attorney general spoke yesterday about the importance of honesty and accuracy at crime scene investigations before a first-year seminar for the new forensic science major at Penn State.

Janet Reno, who served as the attorney general during the Clinton administration, emphasized the program's opportunity to fix problems within the forensic science field and create guidelines for crime scenes and trials.

"We hope that places like Penn State will be clearinghouses of what is happening across the country," Reno said.

She said what is most important in an investigation is remembering what was at a crime scene. Therefore, she said, memory should be taught and stressed, and Penn State President Graham Spanier, who attended the event along with 75 other people, should involve the psychology department with the development of the new forensic science major.

"What is at the crime scene is important and issues with memory are becoming so critically important," she added.

She said when students get into the workforce, they shouldn't be afraid to put their reputations on the line by calling attention to errors and confronting those who make the errors.

"[If] you don't call attention to errors, you don't progress in forensic science," Reno said.

Reno said, in addition to calling out errors, being afraid to admit an honest mistake because of pride or embarrassment has lowered the accountability of evidence during a trial.

There is a greater need to be precise, she said, because there is a tendency for scientists to use scientific jargon, instead of simplifying their words.

"When I talk to judges, they say scientists need to explain better, but when I talk to scientists, they say judges need to understand better," Reno said.

Reno said students at Penn State have a wonderful opportunity with the new major, especially with the way the classes are going to be taught. She said the important part of an investigation is usually at the crime scene, so forensic scientists need to become familiar with this setting.

"It should be a science and not just a skill," Reno said.

Ye Ran Kim (freshman-pre-medicine) said she took this first-year seminar because she is looking into switching her major into the forensic science field.

Kim said hearing Reno speak added to her interest in forensic science, which is becoming more visible in the media every day.

"I enjoyed being able to see the real thing instead [of] on TV," Kim said.

Brad Fuller (freshman-engineering) said he saw the television show CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and wanted to take the seminar to see what forensic science was really like.

Spanier, who also introduced director of the forensic science program Robert Shaler, said the program was developed to keep up with trends and needs in academia in the United States.

"We decided Penn State has a commitment to be at the forefront of forensic science, so we set our sights very high," Spanier said.