It seems that after 14 years of a Tory Government, the UK public is ready for a change. The same could perhaps be said for the provision of forensic science in England and Wales. The much-maligned Forensic Science Service (FSS) was disbanded by the new Tory Government in 2012 and the provision of forensic science was given to three main providers (in addition to a number of smaller, more specialised providers).
As an article in the i suggested:
– Forensic Services Crisis: The article discusses a crisis unfolding in forensic services in the UK, with significant budget cuts leading to severe consequences.
– Impact on Criminal Justice System: This crisis affects the criminal justice system as critical forensic evidence, including DNA analysis and fingerprinting, is being delayed or overlooked.
– Risks to Innocent People: Experts warn that innocent people might be wrongly convicted due to the lack of timely and accurate forensic analysis.
– Budget Cuts: The problem stems from budget cuts, with forensic science providers experiencing significant reductions in funding over the past decade.
– Long Delays: Delays in obtaining forensic evidence can lead to extended periods of pre-trial detention for suspects and longer waiting times for victims seeking justice.
– Calls for Action: The article concludes with calls for urgent action from the government to address the funding shortfall and prevent further deterioration of forensic services, crucial for the integrity of the criminal justice system.
Crucially, one of the UK’s top forensic experts (Tiernan Coyle) in fibre evidence commented:
“When I ran a lab between 2006 and 2017, we needed at least 6,000 hours for four full-time scientists,” Mr Coyle told i. “The current level of work is not even enough to employ one scientist.”
One provider needed a financial bail-out in 2018 and another one is late in publishing their accounts. The reality is that there seems to be little profit in providing forensic evidence or at least some aspects of traditional evidence such as those cases involving fibres, glass and footwear marks.
Bericon Forensics believe that the police, in addition to being cash-strapped have also developed unhealthy obsessions with DNA and digital evidence.
The failed privatisation of the forensic marketplace was no more sensible in 2012 than it is today. It was a predictable failure and no more acceptable justice than the privatisation of UK police force. And just how unthinkable would that be!
