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Forensic Science Service losses of the government's own making

14 December 2010

The problems at the Forensic Science Service, cited as the reason for today's announcement that it will be wound down, were all created by the government, PCS says.

The Home Office actively encouraged the commercial market experiment in 2005, which spectacularly failed to the detriment of jobs and the criminal justice system.

The major contributing factor is that individual police forces have been allowed to undertake their own forensic work without the appropriate laboratory accreditation, which has undermined the FSS market share the union says.

PCS believes that rather than continuing with the artificially created market for forensic services, the coalition government should ensure:

  • The FSS is brought wholly within the public sector
  • FSS independence from the Crown Prosecution Service is defended
  • Forensic work provided to the police is based on sound scientific judgment rather than commercial contracts
  • Common minimum standards are maintained at both crime scenes and in laboratories.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “It appears that an ideological desire to close down the FSS is driving these plans, and we do not accept this is in anyone’s interests.”

 

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