A National Strategy for Innovation, Research and Development in Forensic Science

FORENSIC SCIENCE INNOVATION STRATEGY On-Line

During the second half of 2001, the National Institute of Forensic Science (NIFS) seconded Dr Paul Kirkbride (Forensic Science Centre, SA) to develop a national strategy for innovation and research in forensic science. Dr Kirkbride completed his report in January 2002.

The report was circulated to members of the NIFS Board and considered by the Board at its meeting on Wednesday 22 May 2002. In addition, there have recently been opportunities to discuss the strategy with Federal Government Ministers, The Hon Senator Chris Ellison, Minister for Justice and Customs and The Hon Peter McGauran, Minister for Science.

The Strategy was developed following an extensive review of the needs and priorities of the forensic science community. It involved extensive consultation with the forensic science community, law enforcement, government, academia and research organisations.

• addresses issues raised by the Prime Minister’s Science, Engineering and Innovation Council’s working party on Science, Crime Prevention and Law Enforcement;
• advocates strong partnerships with academia at a time when there is considerable interest in forensic science in many universities and ideal opportunities for joint research programs;
• advocates strong partnerships with law enforcement in its broadest sense in an endeavour to determine needs and priorities and to ensure general awareness of the capabilities of current and new technologies in forensic science;
• advocates strong partnerships and joint innovation projects with overseas institutions at a time when there is a significant injection of funding into these institutions. Significant links are already in existence, but we lack the funding to ensure true co-operation and collaboration;
• addresses issues resulting from the increased reliance on, and the increased scrutiny of forensic science;
• takes account of the significant infrastructure already in place, nationally, by advocating a decentralised structure. This would consist of specialist nodes where productive partnerships and areas of expertise have been established between forensic laboratories and academic institutions. These would form a collection of research centres;
• identifies the role of innovation in forensic science in relation to volume crime, serious crime (including organised crime) and terrorism;
• identifies an innovation portfolio and a mechanism for knowledge and technology transfer on a national basis.

The Strategy would considerably enhance the capability of law enforcement agencies and the justice system as a whole by:

• identification and adoption of emerging technologies suitable for forensic purposes;
• creation of new knowledge and technology; and
• knowledge and technology transfer to law enforcement/defence operatives on a national basis.

The report in full and an accompanying issues paper can be downloaded from this site as an Acrobat PDF document or you can browse the document on line.

• Innovation Strategy Report
• Issues relating to Establishment of Innovation Facility