Forensics in fashion
Dr Julie Mennell, director of the Centre for Forensic Investigation at the School of Science and Technology at the University of Teesside discusses the recent interest in forensics and the future development and training of crime scene investigators.
Crime Scene Investigation and forensics have suddenly become fashionable partly thanks to a large number of TV series glamourising the subject. Dr Julie Mennell, director of the Centre for Forensic Investigation at the School of Science and Technology at the University of Teesside discusses the recent interest in forensics and the future development and training of crime scene investigators.
There is no doubt that the huge number of television programmes featuring the use of forensics has made a significant contribution to its prominence but equally recent high profile cases, followed so closely by the public, such as the Sarah Payne and Soham murders have also powerfully demonstrated the importance and capabilities of forensic science in the detection and investigation of crime. In addition, recent advances in the recovery and analysis of DNA following the introduction of the national DNA database have raised this interest and awareness further.
This interest has seen an increase in the number of university courses in forensics, the number of students applying for these courses and, more importantly from a forensic science user perspective, the number of applicants for each Crime Scene Investigator (Scientific Support Officer, Crime Scene Examiner or Forensic Practitioner) post advertised. It is not uncommon for Scientific Support Managers to receive hundreds of applications for one post which may include applicants ranging from graduates and postgraduates to police administrative staff and armed service personnel. The filtering applied in the recruitment process may be difficult to establish and implement and there is variation amongst forces. For example, in some forces applicants with MSc qualifications are favoured over graduates and non-graduates so an applicant with an undergraduate degree in forensic or crime scene science is not perceived relevantly or sufficiently qualified to merit an interview.
Although at present there is no common route or set of entry criteria for becoming a Crime Scene Investigator (CSI) the majority, outside of the Metropolitan Police Service, are trained to the same standards at Centrex National Training Centre (formerly NTCSSCI). Its national crime scene investigators programme covers the basic skills required to examine volume crimes such as burglary, offences against the person, vehicle crime and the recovery of evidence for forensic examination through to more advanced skills relating to fire investigation, major scenes and the use of specialist techniques.
New CSI recruits are trained to either Volume Crime Scene Investigator level, a new role introduced following the introduction of the DNA expansion programme, or to Crime Scene Investigators level. These CSIs undertake a development programme over a period of up to five years which takes them from initial training through to development and refresher courses with an option of gaining further professional and academic development by undertaking the University of Durham diploma in Crime Scene Investigation or alternatively a Diploma through the Forensic Science Society. In addition to training, forensic practitioners are also being required or encouraged to demonstrate their initial and continuing fitness to practise through initiatives such as Skills for Justice National Occupational Standards and the Council for the Registration of Forensic Practitioners (CRFP). The Government Sponsored CRFP is focused on enabling forensic practitioners to demonstrate competence in delivering expert evidence in court and has been established for all forensic science disciplines including Crime Scene Investigators.
Those on the register must be current practitioners. Competence is assessed by trained assessors by dip sampling recent cases and includes the assessment of nine essential elements:
Understanding the task, preparation and prioritisation.
Initial Assessment, Controlling and managing the scene.
Developing and prioritising hypotheses.
Identifying, selecting, recording and recovering physical material.