Challenges for forensic science

Challenges for forensic science

Introduction

Over the years, there are several challenges for forensic sciences in Houston city. This led to the formation of the Houston Forensic Science Center (HFSC) to give independent forensic services to police agencies (law enforcement agencies). The Houston Police Department (HPD), the primary law enforcement agency, built the city’s crime. HPD officers and other ranks like sergeants do staff in the Crime Scene Unit (CSU).CSU investigates, carries out the processes, gathers information, and documents severe crimes such as police shooting and assassination. HPD’s Homicide Division and the District Attorney’s Office express the complaints on quality service delivery. The HFSC President, Dr. Daniel Garner, asked the team of auditors to come to Houston to carry out the audit of the Crime Scene Investigation Unit (CSIU). The inspection was done in June 2016 and took two days. The team comprised of Fisher, Green, and Nodael. The project consisted three-day visit to perform the following tasks:  that is to review officers involved in scenes and to provide explicit and written recommendations for making crime scene processing units better. After consultative meeting, a lot of challenges have negatively impacted forensic science.

Crime scene processing

The National Institute of Standards and Technology, together with the National Commission of Forensic science and the Department of Justice, were asked to offer decisions for enhancement of forensic science. The primary recommendation by the commission was to use           only and mainly accredited agencies. The HFSC and CSU were asked to provide the services that consign with the industry standards. Following a dangerous combination of the case file and question interviews, the audit discovers the following.

Over-depending of photographs

In many scenarios, the report had no written notes that complement the pictures taken. The photos taken should be helped with written notes to make them valid. The reasons for this are limited time and resources on the scene of the crime. Write down the letters to use the protractor, tape measure, ruler, camera, and have a second person to assist in speeding the time. Have the two officers on the scene as the documentation of the crime scene is a massive task.

CSU staff responders with little skills operate in complex scenes of crimes

The crime scene responders must have adequate experiences and abilities. Though the crime scene task is difficult that won’t be done by training alone, it requires critical thinking. Critical thinking takes time to be well skilled.

Some resources are not being used

Use robust and sophisticated scanners (FARO) to capture measurements on the scene. Members of the CSU should do training on the use of powerful scanners. Members should be supported to undertake training in essential resources and to make technology a regular exercise.

Decisions were not to collect and process

The primary purpose of the CSU responders in the scene of a crime is to capture the entire scene then document to be used in the future. Each event in the scene should be collected and processed thoroughly and entirely as pieces of evidence speak for themselves.

The appearance of many people in the scene

The presence of non-essential people in the scene creates jeopardy to gather information, pieces of evidence, and difficulty in taking photographs. Qualified personnel such as CSU responders should be in the view of carrying out an investigation with ease.

Evidence being overstated

Proper training should be undergone to state accurate and brief statements through writings. Additional training on consistency is beneficial

Collaboration on the scene among agencies

Experts from various agencies should collaborate with CSU officers to carry out activities not done by CSU. These tasks include autopsy reports, medical reports, witnesses, and bloodstains.

Conclusions and recommendations

During the audit exercise, the team gathered other approaches which are beyond operational and technical issues. The ideal CSU can carry out activities under these parameters

• Fully staffed personnel to obtain the requested investigations.
• Two responders at the scene with no haste to clear the scene once the pieces of evidence are gathered
• Shifts of the responders are balanced with the new and experienced
• Members of the team to undergo specialized training with other agencies
• Each responder to have working skills on the knowledge of crime laboratory
• The CSU to prioritize the shreds of evidence taken to the lab
• The CSU to receive results of laboratory and police then skillfully incorporate to create crime scene reports and files.
• The responders are keen not to misplace pieces of evidence as other sixty-five that lost

The investigation in the scene is not a person’s exercise but done as a group. The successful agencies know the consequences of working together.