Title: DNA automation, expert systems, quality and productivity: the benefits to the FSS, the police forces and the community

Authors: Christopher N. Maguire, Christine A. Hope

Addresses: The Forensic Science Service, Sandbeck Way, Wetherby LS22 7DN, UK. ' Bradford University School of Management, Bradford BD9 4JL, UK

Abstract: The impact of technological changes in DNA profiling in the Forensic Science Service® (FSS), together with a newly developed service approach, has increased the effectiveness of the police, in terms of crime detection and prosecution. This paper provides a brief overview of the FSS and the recent historical context, which, in part, drove the initiatives described here. The link between the FSS, the police and the wider Criminal Justice System in England and Wales is explained before describing the development of the UK National DNA Database. The improvements in both the technology and approach to service delivery by the FSS is shown to have had a dramatic impact on the effectiveness of the police in terms of identifying criminals, bringing them to trial and securing convictions. A new approach for measuring the outcomes of the process is also presented.

Keywords: expert systems; productivity; service quality; Forensic Science Service; FSS; criminal justice system; DNA automation; police forces; technological change; DNA profiling; crime detection; crime prosecution; UK; United Kingdom; DNA database; police effectiveness.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPQM.2006.009094

International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, 2006 Vol.1 No.4, pp.397 - 410

Published online: 28 Feb 2006 *

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