Quality Standards in Forensic Science in the UK Jeff Adams.

Quality Standards in Forensic Science in the UK

Jeff Adams

How did we get where we are? Where are we? What are we doing?

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Overview

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Scope

Public Laboratories: Forensic Science Service Metropolitan Police FSL Laboratory of the Government Chemist

Commercial Market Privatisation of the LGC Status of the FSS New Suppliers

Tendering

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History - The Market

Public Laboratory Period Calls for Regulation Forensic Science on Trial The Regulator The FSAC

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History - Regulation

Review of existing ‘regulatory standards’: Education, training and competence development Scene of incident investigation and evidence recovery Evidence examination Assessment and interpretation of results Presentation of evidence Legislation/case law/regulations Accreditation and quality assurance

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Landscape survey - 2007

Ad hoc nature of standard setting Gaps in the coverage of the standards Voluntary adherence Variable auditing for compliance

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Regulator’s concerns

Standards framework?

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CustodianPractitioner

registration

Accreditation

ISO 9001

CPA

Proposed development of a single standard: Forensic science industry specific Comprehensive coverage – crime scene to court Setting requirements for providers/practitioners/methods Appendices - detail for specific topics/evidence types Compatible with existing international standards Tailored to domestic context and needs Written in plain English Applicable to all public and commercial providers of forensic science services to

CJS in England & Wales FSLs/CSI units/police ‘in-house’ laboratory functions Large organisations/sole practitioners Employed by prosecution or defence

Obligatory and auditable for compliance

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Need for a single standard

Supplies/consumables Initial action at the scene Recovery, preservation, transport and storage of exhibits Field ‘screening’ tests Sampling Laboratory examinations/testing Assessment/interpretation of results Reporting and provision of expert opinion Quality failings

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Scope of the Standard

BS EN ISO 9001:2008 quality management systems

BS EN ISO/IEC 17025:2005 testing laboratories

BS EN ISO/IEC 17020:2004 bodies carrying out inspections

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International Baseline Standards

Consolidated common requirements Incorporated relevant additional requirements of ISO

9001/17020 /17025 Removed all redundant requirements Identified issues that were not covered:

Code of Conduct for practitioners (CRFP) basis for competence assessment (NOS) information management/security (ISO 27001:2005) management of databases sampling kits assessment/interpretation/opinions compliance with domestic legislation & ACPO/CPS/court

requirements

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First Draft - Single Standard

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Appendices

•Scene examination •Forensic pathology •Forensic medicine•Human contact trace evidence •Physical and biological trace

evidence •Audio/video evidence •Accident reconstruction •Digital evidence•Documents

•Drugs •Firearms •Fires and explosions •Handwriting •Marks •Toxicology •Contamination•Interpretation•Defence review

Published as a PAS + proforma for feedback Consult CPS on access to data for research; staged

reporting; defence access Develop appendices (where necessary) ACPO Cabinet – staged approach Review & revise Roll out Business benefits / impact Levels – base to advanced?

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What Next?

Devolved Authorities EU Proposals

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Scope

Law Commission Scientific Issues Validation Issues Strategy Other

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Other Work

[email protected]

[email protected]

http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/operational-policing/forensic-science-regulator/

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Contact