Lessons from the past
The Forensic Science Society is fifty years old this year. It was founded in 1959 when conducting police investigations and the role of the scientist in such investigations were very different to how they are today. Having said that, reading some of the earliest editorials in 'The Journal of the Forensic Science Society' as it was then, illustrates that some of the areas of difficulty within the crime scene to court process really haven't changed all that much over the years. The interaction between science and the law was as difficult then as it can sometimes be now, with the closing comments of the very first editorial stating that " the evidence of a brilliant scientist may be lost to a jury if presented in a highly technical or scientific language". The issues of forensic science education and research base were much debated as far back as 1960! The external public perception of forensic scientists was a topic of considerable discussion and in particular the integrity, competence and professionalism of forensic scientists. So what has changed? What have we learnt? Where are we going?
Now we live in different, and perhaps, more uncertain times, with increased treats on our national and personal safety as well as rapid changes and challenges in how we conduct our business. How forensic scientists and practitioners integrate and work within the criminal justice sector has changed immeasurably since 1959, and is going through another rapid period of change at the moment, certainly in the UK. Communication, collaborative effort and above all the spirit of friendship at a Global level are stronger and more progressive than ever in the history of our profession. Organisations such as ENFSI 1 , SMANZFSL 2 , ASCLD 3 and many more, reach across national and intercontinental boundaries to join forces in the global development of our work.
There have been enormous technological changes in the last 50 years, including the introduction of the AFIS system (1977), the use of SEM for gunshot residue analysis (1974), the introduction of GCMS