Accreditation in forensic science is the process through which a forensic science laboratory’s capacity and suitability to inspect and perform criminal case examinations as per the prescribed legal security standards is ascertained.
Importance of forensic science accreditation
It is extremely important for a forensic laboratory to be accredited. Firstly, accreditation is used as a mean of forensic quality assurance, seeing as it provides minimum standards that forensic laboratories must meet, in order for them to be allowed to run operations in terms of testing and calibration. Accreditation is one of the laboratory’s quality assurance programs, and it forms part of proficiency testing, continuous legal education, and customer liaison programs Secondly, forensic accreditation avails information that evaluated as well as potential laboratories may use in order to embrace, develop and keep professional forensic standards. Thirdly, accreditation provides a self-governing, unbiased, and further, a focused system under which forensic laboratories operate. As such, the laboratories are able to profit from the entire operating assessment. Fourthly, accreditation provides the general public with mechanisms by which to determine credible forensic laboratories (Ribaux, Walsh & Margot, 2006).
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
All forensic science laboratories need to acquire international accreditation in order for them to set up cross-border operations, this allows for the globalization of forensics and further, fosters global security as a result of the exportation of forensic expertise, examination and calibration skills. Severe external evaluations are done on a planned source to ensure that these requirements and standards are always observed. Therefore, it is important to check the forensic testing laboratory which meets international accreditation (Ribaux, Walsh & Margot, 2006).
The accreditation of forensic laboratories is the premise upon which the principle of admissibility of evidence is set. This is because the courts do not accept unless it’s credible, and the accreditation of forensic laboratories is one of the measures of this (Jobling & Gill, 2004). By and large, this goes a long way with respect to the maintenance of legal justice.
Differences between reconstruction patterns and individualization patterns.
Forensic scientists are very keen both on reconstruction and on individualization patterns within a crime scene. Reconstruction patterns are a form of physical evidence as represented under the setting of crime scenes. It is a very valuable tool in relation to the recollection of crimes, with a special focus on proceedings within the crime scene. This is used to provide information to investigators so that in turn, any further investigations can take place. Reconstruction patterns usually deal with two contact surfaces which result in the creation of imprints, marks or patterns. These imprints are either static or dynamic in nature and also, maybe three or two dimensional (Jobling & Gill, 2004). In some cases, the contact may involve the movement of material from one plane to another, resulting in the form of evidence that’s patterned in the form of deposited marks.
On the other hand, individualization patterns refer to the process by which certain samples are exceptionally set apart from among groups of the same class. It is implicit in the fact that a particular piece of evidence from a crime scene and a similar sample of evidence share a common origin (Jobling & Gill, 2004). Some objects and materials possess specific characteristics that are used to single them out from among members of the same class. As you move from one type of evidence to another, the nature of this individual characteristic varies. It is possible to individualize some types of evidence.
References
Jobling, M. A., & Gill, P. (2004). Encoded evidence: DNA in forensic analysis. Nature Reviews Genetics, 5( 10), 739-751.
Ribaux, O., Walsh, S. J., & Margot, P. (2006). The contribution of forensic science to crime analysis and investigation: forensic intelligence. Forensic Science International, 156 (2), 171-181.
