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New UK forensic science strategy unveiled

Published on: 23 Mar 2016

Following concerns raised by the parliamentary science and technology committee last year, the UK Home Office has unveiled a new forensics science strategy.

This new strategy addresses some of the criticisms raised, while stating that more must be done to make further improvements. It suggests that changes may be required to the current system to respond to new kinds of crime and improve efficiency.

Included in the new strategy is the news that the police service is considering the possibility of developing what it calls a "national approach to forensic science delivery", which would centralise the organisation of certain forensic services - including facilities which deal with biometrics such as fingerprints, and digital forensics relating to high tech crime - which have traditionally been based within individual police forces.

Commenting on the strategy, John Bond, a forensic sciences lecturer from University of Leicester, and former head of Northamptonshire Police’s forensic unit, commented: "I was pleased to see an acknowledgement of the need to do research and innovate."