Support for Forensic Science Research Improving the Scientific Role of the National Institute of Justice (2015) / Chapter Skim
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2 Forensic Science in the United States
2 Forensic Science in the United States
Pages 21-34
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Basic researchers typically conduct scientific studies aimed at developing new knowledge, technologies, and information or at validating existing methods from other disciplines for forensic purposes. Forensic science researchers engaged in applied research use existing scientific knowledge to develop new methods and techniques for forensic analysis.
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. In general, forensic science practice in the United States takes place in law enforcement identification units, public forensic laboratories (state,
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According to the 2009 Census of Publicly Funded Forensic Crime Laboratories (CPFFCL) conducted by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, there are 373 municipal, county, and state laboratories and 38 federal laboratories in the United States.2 These laboratories performed an average of five different forensic services, 2 Law enforcement identification units, privately operated facilities, and most medical examiners/coroners offices were not included in the CPFFCL.
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See also Gerry LaPorte, OIFS, NIJ, correspondence with the committee, May 13, 2015. 5 Panel presentation on Perspectives of Forensic Labs, by Peter Stout, Houston Forensic Science Center, and Kristine Olsson, Johnson County Sheriff's Office Crime Laboratory, to the Committee on Strengthening Forensic Science at the National Institute of Justice, May 7, 2015.
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also provide funding for forensic science research; the majority of the research funds dispersed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Laboratory and the Defense Forensic Science Center (DFSC)
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NIJ also has close ties to the practice community through its efforts to gather op 6 A number of other federal agencies support or conduct forensic science research on a mission-specific basis, including the Department of Energy, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Interior, Department of Treasury, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Transportation Safety Board, the Office of the Federal Public Defender, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Smithsonian Institution.
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There is no division dedicated to forensic science, but an NSF representative reported to the committee that interest in forensic science spans all seven directorates.7 The majority of NSF's recent attention to forensic science R&D has come through a 2013 "dear colleague" letter soliciting research that would lead to "breakthroughs in fundamental and basic research and education" in the forensic sciences. In 2014, NSF initiated, with NIJ, an Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers Program to advance cooperation in forensic science R&D and education.8 NSF recently began systematically coding its grants for forensic relevance; a search of NSF's awards database conducted to identify forensic-coded grants revealed that from 2013 to mid-2015 it has funded 25 proposals, totaling $4.38 million.9 For a lengthier assessment of NSF's support for forensic science research, a search was conducted of NSF's awards 7 Presentation on NSF and NIJ -- A Partnership to Advance the Fundamental Science Underlying Forensics, by Mark Weiss, NSF (retired)
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Its special programs office dedicated $6,850,000 to internal forensic science research in fiscal 2015.13 Although much of NIST's 10 These data reflect all NSF grants since 2004 that were identified in the NSF awards database, using natural language search tools, as containing the term "forensic." The search was conducted in May 2015. 11 Presentation on Standards and Practices of Forensic Science from a NIST Perspective, by John Butler, NIST, and Mark Stolorow, NIST, to the Committee on Strengthening Forensic Science at the National Institute of Justice, April 1, 2015.
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bPresentation on Standards and Practices of Forensic Science from a NIST Perspective, by John Butler, NIST, and Mark Stolorow, NIST, to the Committee on Strengthening Forensic Science at the National Institute of Justice, April 1, 2015.
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The commission meets quarterly and aims to promote scientific validity, reduce fragmen tation, and improve coordination of federal activities guiding forensic sci ence policy. It comprises 31 voting members and 8 ex officio members, including federal, state, and local forensic science service providers; re search scientists and academics; law enforcement officials; prosecutors, defense attorneys, and judges; and other stakeholders.
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. FBI Laboratory The FBI Laboratory spent $10.9 million in fiscal 2014 on forensic science R&D.14 The majority of this intramural research is carried out by its Counterterrorism and Forensic Science Research Unit, which "provides technical leadership and advancement of forensic sciences for the FBI -- as well as for federal, state, local, and international agencies -- through applied R&D."15 Although the FBI's research may result in advances that can be used across the forensic science community, its research funding is primarily dedicated to supporting FBI casework and the directives of its units.
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NIJ's mission to support forensic science research in the service of state and local law enforcement, its broad forensic portfolio, and its ability to engage forensic science researchers and practitioners give it a unique and critical role to play in federal efforts to strengthen forensic science. As will 18 See, for example, presentations by the DFSC, FBI, and NSF ("Federal Forensic Sector" panel)
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FORENSIC SCIENCE IN THE UNITED STATES 33 be discussed in Chapter 3, NIJ has made a number of improvements to its research program since 2009. If additional improvements are made, such as those recommended in Chapter 4, the agency will be able to more effectively support forensic science research, a role with clear and striking consequences for the criminal justice system.
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