Forensic Science Service

Written evidence submitted by Terry Kent (FSS 74)

COSTS OF CRIME

Crime in the UK costs the taxpayer billions of pounds each year. The police service costs a reported £2.9 billion to maintain. The ‘savings’ to the Exchequer of closure of the FSS is a reported £24 million!

I have 40 years experience in providing technical and scientific support to the police in the UK and have considerable experience of working with many police forces worldwide including the FBI, BKA, AFP, Gendarmerie National and others. I was never employed by the FSS but worked closely with them.

I was a strong critic of many of their procedures and organization and even of some of their science. However the last thing I would recommend is for the Home Office pull out of managing forensic science and the associated research.

Over the last 25 years we have become increasingly reliant on forensic evidence to secure convictions. The UK has led the world in virtually every area of fingerprint detection (largely carried out by police forces) and DNA and other ‘forensic’ evidence analysis by FSS laboratories.

Although there are a number of very effective well run private suppliers of most of these services they are all essentially in it to make money.

There is no evidence that any of the private companies will be investing in the next generation of forensic techniques unless they can clearly see that is going to make more money.

There are also companies wanting to cash in on this opportunity that have questionable experience, science and motives.

There are serious issues which have no clear current solution with regard to:

i) Maintaining scientific standards and impartiality?

ii) Ownership and management of forensic databases (DNA, Shoemarks, Ballistics data etc)?

iii) How will security of data and evidence be maintained and access controlled?

iv) Who will be responsible for storing all the casework evidence from the FSS; in the UK evidence from a murder or other serious crime must be kept for 30 years?

v) Who will be in a position to carry out cold case reviews of evidence?

vi) How will cases be managed if several different laboratories are involved for example perhaps ballistics, DNA, handwriting etc as provided for under the NPIA Forensics21 Forensic Framework for contracting out of services? This could result in absolute chaos and serious loss of evidence and evidential continuity.

vii) What research in forensic science will be done? How will it be funded and who will co-ordinate it?

NATIONAL POLICE IMPROVEMENT AGENCY (NPIA)

This new unit has been given the task of solving some of these problems. A ‘Forensic Regulator’ has been appointed who I understand has overall responsibility for standards of Forensic Providers and Police Fingerprint Bureau amongst other things. This is a major responsibility.

They have established a ‘Forensic Framework Agreement where there are certain approved private laboratories for each type of evidence and they can bid for contracts in that specialism.

As indicated above this could result in the same evidence having to go to several providers for different types of analysis.

The NPIA do not have the resources to adequately regulate the providers. UKAS accreditation may assist in the initial setting up and validating of providers but is no insurance of long term performance or integrity.

What was need in the FSS was a root and branch review and reorganization by genuine business managers whereas most of the last 18 years of progressive status changing in the FSS has been led by forensic scientists who did not have the necessary skill set to achieve the necessary changes in performance.

I still travel widely and police and forensic scientists in many countries who have been envious of the UK’s history and reputation in this area cannot understand the recent decision. I am in regular email contact with people around the world who are totally perplexed by the UK government’s position.

Terry Kent

Visiting Fellow University of Lincoln

Tutor University of Valencia Forensic Diploma

Independent Adviser

Ex Head Crime Investigation Sector

Home Office Scientific Research and Development Branch

14 February 2011