Given the talk about a national #forensic service I've been thinking about what that could look like in 2022, if knowing what we know now, we had a blank piece of paper and we could start anew. Building on the good stuff, learning from the rubbish stuff of the past and present/1
I've been thinking about how we could test any models proposed to fill that void. If I or anyone else came up with a model - how could we test it to assess whether it was any good or better than what we have now? /2
my process in doing so called to mind Tony Benn's 5 questions on democracy and I thought perhaps I could articulate tests for such a model in similar way /3
soI've come up with a few to start with, let me know what you think, here goes /4
1. Independence
Forensic science is a function of the criminal justice system, it cannot be a slave to any one part of it. How does the national forensic service serve the criminal justice system as a whole? /5
2. Equity
The criminal justice system in the UK is adversarial consisting of prosecution and defence. How is the national forensic service accessible to both sides of it?
3. Resilience
How is the national forensic service funded and how does the funding model ensure longevity and maintenance of expertise across all disciplines? /7
4. Quality
How does the national forensic service ensure that it not only meets international standards (at a minimum) but works with global organisations to raise those standards internationally? /8
5. Adaptability
How does the national forensic service innovate to adapt and improve its service to meet the demands of a criminal justice system reflecting an evolving society? /9
6. Influence
How does the national forensic service influence national and international governmental bodies? /10
7. Credibility and reputation
How does the national forensic service serve society outside the criminal justice system both at home and abroad?
8. Finally to borrow directly from Tony Benn - to whom is the national forensic service accountable and how does it reform when everything goes to 💩 /12
I'm grateful to people who have been in touch already with ideas - would love to hear more. Struggling tbh with the idea of setting up any kind of forum or safe place for them on my own, any willing volunteers out there I'd be happy to join forces to explore. /13
As an example I asked Sean Doyle on his views on a model on LinkedIn, I don't know if Sean's on Twitter but he gave an outline on what national service might look like /14
I am going to have a go at a model, and will share it when its done /15/ ends
A brief history of private sector exits/buyouts of UK forensic science providers.
TLDR: Key Forensic Services undergoes a change of ownership, the others perhaps are not far behind.
/1
A) Current FSP Eurofins Forensic Services
previous:
1996 LGC - owner 3i, management buyout following privatisation
2004 3i sells to Legal General Ventures (LGV) £70 mill
2005 [LGC buys Forensic Alliance £20mill - no ownership change]
/2
2010 LGV sells to Bridgepoint £257 mill = 3.6x ROI
2015 Bridgepoint sell to KKR £650 mill = 2.5x ROI
2017 KKR sell off forensic division to Eurofins £30.3 million (compare to £20mill FAL cost in 2005)
21 years - 5 ownership changes
2024 = 7 years since last buyout /3
Looking at models for #forensic science provision in England and Wales, there are some immutable truths, namely, geography, population density and crime rates (which are a reflection of both) /1
This is the map of the 43 police forces in E&, its been this way roughly since 1972, which was a great improvement on 1946 when there were 117 police forces 👀 /2
the map tells us little other than where one police force ends on one begins. Lots of ways to look at population density, I like this one which plots it by 5x5kmsq. No surprises, it's the UKs immuatble truth #1, big cities, urban sprawl and the countryside /3
Last year I analysed the police's responses in all the parliamentary committees on #forensic science. I produced a video I hoped would be useful if we ever have another parliamentary enquiry or if journalists decided to look into these issues again. /1
My goal was to show that the police responses are predictable and present a remarkably weak argument to justify their defunding of #forensic science. I hope the APPG ( fyi @ctmccartney) watch at least some of it before they question police witnesses and the FSR. /2
@ctmccartney As for us experts, everyone needs to start calling out their BS by countering it with real life examples. Please watch some of my long winded nonsense, you may find it useful when drafting your responses to the APPG. /3
@BarrySheerman here's whats problemmatic with the govt's answer:
A) They didn't answer the question. On that basis it is fair to assume that either the govt have done no such assessment, or that they have, but don't want to admit it because the outcome of the assessment is so shockingly bad. /2
B) Blue light commercial and the FCN, do not manage ALL police contracts. In fact 15 police forces, the West Coast Consortium chose not to use the FCN process having deemed it flawed. The Met Police do not use this process either. /3
thread
Operation Soteria was launched by the Home Office in June 2021 with the ambition to more than double the
number of adult rape cases reaching court by the end of this Parliament (May 2024), the report is here #forensicassets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/upl… /1
as expected it lays bare the problem from a #forensic science point of view. spolier alert, it's shocking. /2
A thread on #forensic toxicology, in particular the continuing problems with actually getting things tested in England and Wales /1
On the 12th October 2021 I made a FOI (Freedom of Information) request to all 43 Police Forces in England Wales following comments made by @HMICFRS in a document titled "Roads Policing: Not optional
An inspection of roads policing in England and Wales" justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmicfrs/wp-con… /2
@HMICFRS So I asked the police several questions (below). I got a response TODAY from a police force 14 months after asking for it, and within it was a set of responses which just waves massive red flags /3