Forensic Science Service
Encyclopedia
The Forensic Science Service (FSS) is a government-owned company in the United Kingdom
which provides forensic science
services to the police forces and government
agencies of England
and Wales
, as well as other countries.
The organisation became a government agency on 1 April 1991. In December 2005, it changed its status from a government agency to a government-owned company. It is the Home Office's only government-owned company. Increasing use of competitive tendering by police forces for forensic services has resulted in the loss of market share. Earlier in 2009, the government injected £50 million into the business.
On 22 October 2009, the FSS confirmed plans to close three regional labs in Chepstow
, Chorley
and Priory House, Birmingham
, "to ensure provision of a sustainable business".
On 14 December 2010 HM Government announced that the service is to be closed by March 2012, with as much of its operations as possible being transferred or sold. This has prompted criticism, both from international forensic scientists as well as victim campaigners, for the potential damage the cuts would do to the UK criminal justice system.
, HM Revenue and Customs, HM Coroners' Service
, Ministry of Defence Police
, British Transport Police
and worldwide forensic services.
When a government agency, its two main headquarters were at 109 Lambeth Road
(A3202), London and at Priory House on Gooch Street North in Birmingham.
The headquarters are based close to the A452
, near to where it crosses the M42
. The Police in England and Wales spend £170 million on forensic science.
(NPIA).
The FSS suffered damage to its reputation following the failure to recover blood stains from a shoe in the murder of Damilola Taylor
. Further damage occurred when the FSS failed to use the most up-to-date techniques for extracting DNA samples in cases between 2000 and 2005. This led the Association of Chief Police Officers
(ACPO) to advise all police forces in England and Wales to review cases where samples had failed to give a DNA profile.
) was used in convicting Antoni Imiela (the M25 rapist) and Ronald Castree (for the murder of Lesley Molseed in 1975), but was questioned during the 2007 trial of a suspect in the Omagh bombing
. However, a review by the CPS found that "the CPS has not seen anything to suggest that any current problems exist with LCN. Accordingly we conclude that LCN DNA analysis provided by the FSS should remain available as potentially admissible evidence." In addition, other Police Forces around the world are reviewing cases where LCN DNA profiling resulted in the successful prosecution of suspects. Included in this are several high profile international cases including the murder of Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh by Mijailo Mijailovic and in Australia, the murder of a backpacker Peter Falconio by Bradley Murdoch.
In recent years the FSS has drawn on internal expertise and key international experts to become a pioneer in forensic software and technology, notably DNA interpretation, databasing, and electronic forensics.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
which provides forensic science
Forensics
Forensic science is the application of a broad spectrum of sciences to answer questions of interest to a legal system. This may be in relation to a crime or a civil action...
services to the police forces and government
Politics of the United Kingdom
The politics of the United Kingdom takes place within the framework of a constitutional monarchy, in which the Monarch is the head of state and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government...
agencies of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, as well as other countries.
History
The organisation pioneered the use of large scale DNA profiling for forensic identification and crime detection. It also set up the world's first DNA database, launched on 10 April 1995.The organisation became a government agency on 1 April 1991. In December 2005, it changed its status from a government agency to a government-owned company. It is the Home Office's only government-owned company. Increasing use of competitive tendering by police forces for forensic services has resulted in the loss of market share. Earlier in 2009, the government injected £50 million into the business.
On 22 October 2009, the FSS confirmed plans to close three regional labs in Chepstow
Chepstow
Chepstow is a town in Monmouthshire, Wales, adjoining the border with Gloucestershire, England. It is located on the River Wye, close to its confluence with the River Severn, and close to the western end of the Severn Bridge on the M48 motorway...
, Chorley
Chorley
Chorley is a market town in Lancashire, in North West England. It is the largest settlement in the Borough of Chorley. The town's wealth came principally from the cotton industry...
and Priory House, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, "to ensure provision of a sustainable business".
On 14 December 2010 HM Government announced that the service is to be closed by March 2012, with as much of its operations as possible being transferred or sold. This has prompted criticism, both from international forensic scientists as well as victim campaigners, for the potential damage the cuts would do to the UK criminal justice system.
Structure
The FSS currently has seven laboratories throughout the country, and provides scene-of-crime and forensic investigation services to police forces in England and Wales, as well as to the Crown Prosecution ServiceCrown Prosecution Service
The Crown Prosecution Service, or CPS, is a non-ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for public prosecutions of people charged with criminal offences in England and Wales. Its role is similar to that of the longer-established Crown Office in Scotland, and the...
, HM Revenue and Customs, HM Coroners' Service
Coroner
A coroner is a government official who* Investigates human deaths* Determines cause of death* Issues death certificates* Maintains death records* Responds to deaths in mass disasters* Identifies unknown dead* Other functions depending on local laws...
, Ministry of Defence Police
Ministry of Defence Police
The Ministry of Defence Police is a civilian police force which is part of the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence. The force is part of the larger government agency, the Ministry of Defence Police and Guarding Agency , together with the Ministry of Defence Guard Service...
, British Transport Police
British Transport Police
The British Transport Police is a special police force that polices those railways and light-rail systems in Great Britain for which it has entered into an agreement to provide such services...
and worldwide forensic services.
When a government agency, its two main headquarters were at 109 Lambeth Road
Lambeth Road
Lambeth Road is a road in Lambeth and Southwark , London running between Lambeth Bridge over the River Thames at the western end and St George's Circus at the eastern end. The road is designated the A3203....
(A3202), London and at Priory House on Gooch Street North in Birmingham.
The headquarters are based close to the A452
A452 road
The A452 is a road in England, which runs from Leamington Spa, Warwickshire to Brownhills in Staffordshire. It is the major link to the M6 motorway for both Leamington and Warwick in addition to serving as Leamington's link to the M40 motorway and to Coventry....
, near to where it crosses the M42
M42 motorway
The M42 motorway is a major road in England. The motorway runs north east from Bromsgrove in Worcestershire to just south west of Ashby-de-la-Zouch in Leicestershire, passing Redditch, Solihull, the National Exhibition Centre and Tamworth on the way. The section between the M40 and M6 road forms...
. The Police in England and Wales spend £170 million on forensic science.
Laboratories
It has four main laboratories across England and Wales:- Trident Court, nr SolihullSolihullSolihull is a town in the West Midlands of England with a population of 94,753. It is a part of the West Midlands conurbation and is located 9 miles southeast of Birmingham city centre...
/ BirminghamBirminghamBirmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a... - Hinchingbrooke Park, HuntingdonHuntingdonHuntingdon is a market town in Cambridgeshire, England. The town was chartered by King John in 1205. It is the traditional county town of Huntingdonshire, and is currently the seat of the Huntingdonshire district council. It is known as the birthplace in 1599 of Oliver Cromwell.-History:Huntingdon...
- London (LambethLambethLambeth is a district of south London, England, and part of the London Borough of Lambeth. It is situated southeast of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:...
) - Audby Lane, WetherbyWetherbyWetherby is a market town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds, in West Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Wharfe, and has been for centuries a crossing place and staging post on the Great North Road, being mid-way between London and Edinburgh...
, Leeds
Function
The FSS is the market leader in the supply of forensic science services to police forces in England and Wales, as well as being a source of training, consultancy and scientific support. The FSS originally set up and maintained the UK National DNA Database, but it is now run by the National Policing Improvement AgencyNational Policing Improvement Agency
The United Kingdom's National Policing Improvement Agency is a non-departmental public body established to support police by providing expertise in such areas as information technology, information sharing, and recruitment.-Background:...
(NPIA).
The FSS suffered damage to its reputation following the failure to recover blood stains from a shoe in the murder of Damilola Taylor
Damilola Taylor
Damilola Taylor was a ten-year-old Nigerian schoolboy who died in the United Kingdom. Several young boys were cleared of murder charges after a lengthy trial, and later two brothers were convicted of manslaughter....
. Further damage occurred when the FSS failed to use the most up-to-date techniques for extracting DNA samples in cases between 2000 and 2005. This led the Association of Chief Police Officers
Association of Chief Police Officers
The Association of Chief Police Officers , established in 1948, is a private limited company that leads the development of policing practice in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.ACPO provides a forum for chief police officers to share ideas and coordinates the strategic...
(ACPO) to advise all police forces in England and Wales to review cases where samples had failed to give a DNA profile.
Technologies
The FSS's innovative and highly sensitive DNA profiling technique called LCN (low copy numberLow copy number
Low Copy Number is a DNA profiling technique developed by the Forensic Science Service and in use in some countries since 1999.In the United Kingdom use of the technique was suspended between 21 December 2007 and 14 January 2008 while the Crown Prosecution Service conducted a review into its use...
) was used in convicting Antoni Imiela (the M25 rapist) and Ronald Castree (for the murder of Lesley Molseed in 1975), but was questioned during the 2007 trial of a suspect in the Omagh bombing
Omagh bombing
The Omagh bombing was a car bomb attack carried out by the Real Irish Republican Army , a splinter group of former Provisional Irish Republican Army members opposed to the Good Friday Agreement, on Saturday 15 August 1998, in Omagh, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Twenty-nine people died as a...
. However, a review by the CPS found that "the CPS has not seen anything to suggest that any current problems exist with LCN. Accordingly we conclude that LCN DNA analysis provided by the FSS should remain available as potentially admissible evidence." In addition, other Police Forces around the world are reviewing cases where LCN DNA profiling resulted in the successful prosecution of suspects. Included in this are several high profile international cases including the murder of Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh by Mijailo Mijailovic and in Australia, the murder of a backpacker Peter Falconio by Bradley Murdoch.
In recent years the FSS has drawn on internal expertise and key international experts to become a pioneer in forensic software and technology, notably DNA interpretation, databasing, and electronic forensics.
External links
News items
- Site closures in June 2009
- Verdict raises DNA evidence doubt – BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
- Case fell on forensic errors and police lies – The Times