Transcript Slide 1
Quality Standards in Forensic Science in the UK Jeff Adams Overview How did we get where we are? Where are we? What are we doing? Overseeing Quality Scope Overseeing Quality History - The Market Public Laboratories: Commercial Market Forensic Science Service Metropolitan Police FSL Laboratory of the Government Chemist Privatisation of the LGC Status of the FSS New Suppliers Tendering Overseeing Quality History - Regulation Public Laboratory Period Calls for Regulation Forensic Science on Trial The Regulator The FSAC Overseeing Quality Landscape survey - 2007 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 Overseeing Quality Regulator’s concerns Ad hoc nature of standard setting Gaps in the coverage of the standards Voluntary adherence Variable auditing for compliance Overseeing Quality Standards framework? ISO 9001 CPA Accreditation Practitioner registration Custodian Overseeing Quality Need for a single standard 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 Overseeing Quality Scope of the 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 Overseeing Quality International Baseline Standards BS EN ISO 9001:2008 BS EN ISO/IEC 17025:2005 quality management systems testing laboratories BS EN ISO/IEC 17020:2004 bodies carrying out inspections Overseeing Quality First Draft - Single Standard 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 Overseeing Quality 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 Overseeing Quality What Next? 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? Overseeing Quality Scope Devolved Authorities EU Proposals Overseeing Quality Other Work Law Commission Scientific Issues Validation Issues Strategy Other Overseeing Quality Contact [email protected] [email protected] http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/operational-policing/forensicscience-regulator/ Overseeing Quality