Quality Management in Forensic Science

Forensic science has been under scrutiny for some time, since the release of the NAS report in 2009. The report cited the need for standardized practices and the accreditation of crime labs. No longer can the forensic community take the position that cross-examination in a courtroom will expose weaknesses in methodology and execution.

Quality Management in Forensic Science covers a wide spectrum of forensic disciplines, relevant ISO and non-ISO standards, accreditation and quality management systems necessary in any forensic science laboratory. Written by a globally well-respected forensic scientist with decades of experience in the forensic science laboratory and on the stand, as an expert witness who is also a Fellow of both the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. This book will be a must-have resource for all forensic science stakeholders, particularly law enforcement agents and lawyers less familiar with the impact of quality management on the reliability of scientific evidence.

• A comprehensive, multidisciplinary reference of scientific practices for use in the forensic laboratory
• Coverage from DNA to toxicology, from trace evidence to crime scene and beyond
• Extensive review of ISO and non-ISO standards, accreditation, QMS and much more
• Written by a foremost forensic scientist with decades of experience in the laboratory and as an expert witness

Sean holds an honours degree in applied chemistry and a certificate in advanced analytical chemistry. He is a Chartered Chemist and a Fellow of both the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences, with over 40 years of experience as a forensic scientist.

Sean was, until March 2010, the Principal Scientist at the Forensic Explosives Laboratory (FEL) of Dstl, an agency of the UK Ministry of Defence. He has a long and successful track record in the direction, management and delivery of forensic science research. The co-founder of the international explosives expert working group (FINEX) of the European Network of Forensic Science Institutes (ENFSI) and the Forensic Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (FIRMS) network, of which he is currently Director of Quality, he represented Dstl on the board of the Association of Forensic Science Providers and was a director of the Council for the Registration of Forensic Practitioners (CRFP) as well as a CRPF assessor and registrant.

Sean was involved in the earliest adoption of Quality Standards by forensic science providers. FEL was one of the first (if not the first) forensic science laboratory in the world to be accredited to the international standard ISO17025. In his various roles at FEL over a period of 20 years he gained a great deal of experience and expertise in Quality Management and is a Lloyds Register Quality Assurance trained and qualified auditor.

He has provided Expert Evidence in some of the highest profile cases including R v Sean HOEY (the Omagh bombing – murder), R v Manfo ASIEDU (appeal against conviction – July 2007 London attacks), R v Mark LUNDY (murder) and provided a report in support of the application for a Royal Prerogative of Mercy for Scott WATSON (murder).