Panel Eviscerates UK Forensic Science

Turmoil in UK forensic services could threaten the integrity of the country’s criminal justice system, according to a government report.

| 2 min read

Register for free to listen to this article
Listen with Speechify
0:00
2:00
Share

FLICKR, ARANAMIA new report on the state of UK forensic science since the March 2012 closure of the government-run Forensic Science Service (FSS) portrays a system in shambles. According to the report, released Thursday (July 25) by the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee, the lack of a coherent, nationwide forensics strategy may be responsible for major crimes going unsolved and an increasing risk of innocent people being convicted.

The committee’s report cites several failures since the initial decision in December 2010 to shutter the FSS due to its poor economic performance, including improperly archived investigative materials, as well as police laboratories and private firms that are not meeting quality standards in forensic evidence analysis. The report also states that a lack of research funding jeopardizes the future of UK forensic science.

The chairman of the committee’s inquiry, Labour party member Andrew Miller, said in the report, “Forensic science provides vital evidence to the criminal justice system, and if the government wants to continue being able to put the most serious criminals behind bars, it has a duty to protect its health.”

The committee’s most severe criticism focused on the performance of the minister ...

Interested in reading more?

Become a Member of

The Scientist Logo
Receive full access to more than 35 years of archives, as well as TS Digest, digital editions of The Scientist, feature stories, and much more!
Already a member? Login Here

Keywords

Meet the Author

  • Chris Palmer

    This person does not yet have a bio.
Share
3D illustration of a gold lipid nanoparticle with pink nucleic acid inside of it. Purple and teal spikes stick out from the lipid bilayer representing polyethylene glycol.
February 2025, Issue 1

A Nanoparticle Delivery System for Gene Therapy

A reimagined lipid vehicle for nucleic acids could overcome the limitations of current vectors.

View this Issue
Considerations for Cell-Based Assays in Immuno-Oncology Research

Considerations for Cell-Based Assays in Immuno-Oncology Research

Lonza
An illustration of animal and tree silhouettes.

From Water Bears to Grizzly Bears: Unusual Animal Models

Taconic Biosciences
Sex Differences in Neurological Research

Sex Differences in Neurological Research

bit.bio logo
New Frontiers in Vaccine Development

New Frontiers in Vaccine Development

Sino

Products

Tecan Logo

Tecan introduces Veya: bringing digital, scalable automation to labs worldwide

Explore a Concise Guide to Optimizing Viral Transduction

A Visual Guide to Lentiviral Gene Delivery

Takara Bio
Inventia Life Science

Inventia Life Science Launches RASTRUM™ Allegro to Revolutionize High-Throughput 3D Cell Culture for Drug Discovery and Disease Research

An illustration of differently shaped viruses.

Detecting Novel Viruses Using a Comprehensive Enrichment Panel

Twist Bio