National Academy of Sciences Report
Read the National Academy of Sciences 2009 Report Online
The National Academy of Sciences cites research done by W. Mark Dale and Wendy S. Becker in a report just released entitled, ‘Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward.’ The 2009 report cites Becker and Dale’s national survey of public crime laboratories that reports information about employee workload and credentials, critical issues in the management of our nation’s crime labs.
The Becker and Dale research found that the number of full-time employees (FTEs) in crime labs ranged from 2 to 280, with an average of 34, the majority of whom have bachelor’s degrees. The survey cited equipment needs at the 50 largest U.S. laboratories in the disciplines of controlled substances, trace evidence, firearms, questioned documents, latent prints, toxicology, and arson. Evidence submission may or may not be automated, depending on the laboratory. Lack of automation increases the time the laboratory spends on logging in evidence. Because of the distinctly different professional tracks within larger laboratories, technicians perform tests with defined protocols, and credentialed scientists conduct specialized testing and interpretation. Unlike many other professions, the forensic science disciplines have no organized control over entry into the profession, such as by degree, boards or exams, or licensure.
Of the laboratories that Becker and Dale surveyed, only 21 percent reported having a sufficient number of FTEs to complete their workload. The authors conclude that “as total number of cases increases, scientists do not have proper equipment, enough time, adequate resources, enough information from the DA [district attorney], enough time to prepare for courtroom testimony, and the needed resources to provide courtroom testimony.” In addition, “as casework capacity increases, pressure to complete cases too quickly increases significantly, and pressure to extend opinions beyond the scientific method and pressure to get a particular result also increases significantly.”
Research Cited:
Becker, W.S., Dale, W.M., Lambert, A. & Magnus, D. (2005). Forensic lab directors’ perceptions of staffing issues. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 50, 5, 1255-1257.