Forensic Science Service
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Forensic Science Service (FSS) is a market-leading 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 FSS pioneered the development and implementation of DNA technologies. It also paved the way for the establishment of the world’s first DNA database, launched in April 1995.
The FSS currently has have 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 Service, HM Revenue and Customs, HM Coroners' Service, Ministry of Defence Police, British Transport Police and worldwide forensic services.
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 Agency (NPIA).
The FSS suffered damage to its reputation following the failure to recover blood stains from a shoe in the murder of Damilola Taylor [1]. 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.[2] 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.[2]
The FSS's innovative and highly sensitive DNA profiling technique called LCN (low copy number) was used in convicting Antoni Imiela (the M25 rapist) and Ronald Castree (for the murder of Lesley Molseed in 1975),[3] 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.
On the 22nd October 2009, the FSS confirmed plans to close three regional labs in Wales, Lancashire and the West Midlands "to ensure provision of a sustainable business. [4]
[edit] References
- ^ Damilola Taylor: An independent review of forensic examination of evidence by the Forensic Science Service (FSS) | Home Office
- ^ a b BBC NEWS | UK | Police review criminal DNA cases
- ^ BBC NEWS | UK | DNA test halted after Omagh case
- ^ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8321204.stm BBC News - Three crime scene labs to close
- Verdict raises DNA evidence doubt – BBC News
- Case fell on forensic errors and police lies – The Times
[edit] External links
|
||||||||||||||
