2017/05/11

Forensic Magazine May 10, 2017: DOJ Asks for Suggestions to Improve Forensic Science

Last month, the much-heralded National Commission on Forensic Science was disbanded by the then-new Attorney General Jeff Sessions. The NCFS was the agency that was setting the policy of reevaluating forensic science during the Obama administration.

But at the same time, the Department of Justice said it would take stock of the state of forensic science in the Trump administration, but do most of its work in-house.

The DOJ has asked for public comment on how to do this. So far, 16 people have commented. One month remains for the public to make its concerns heard.

The federal agency asks a list of open-ended questions pertaining to all levels of American law enforcement: identifying the biggest needs in forensic science, how best to improve practices and laboratory capacity, what barriers there are to productivity and how the DOJ can best foster resources and relationships.

But there are two more specific questions: how to better leverage digital forensic evidence analysis and how the DOJ can best coordinate with the Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC). more