A lost generation of forensic scientists affects the service

There’s growing evidence that the closure of the Forensic Science Service has hollowed out the countries expertise and resources in the discipline. Unless the government acts, the damage will be felt in the courts, says Sue Ferns.

The House of Commons Science and Technology Committee’s investigation into the aftermath of the closure of the Forensic Science Service is a welcome attempt to bring some evidence to bear on a premature and ill-informed decision.

The committee’s hearings so far reveal that the many warnings given in the two years since the government announced the shutdown were well founded. The closure of the service has hollowed out the country’s expertise and resources in forensic science, with potentially grave consequences for justice. It will be important to keep a close eye on what happens next and to press the government to mitigate some of the worst effects of the closure.