White House Releases Forensics Reforms

The White House quietly released recommendations for forensic science reform earlier this month, almost five years after the committee that created the recommendations was first formed. The National Science & Technology Council panel laid out suggested reforms in several areas: accreditation of forensic science labs, certification of forensic and death examiners, proficiency testing of forensic scientists, and creation of a national code of ethics. Larger reforms are already taking place in forensic science in response to a 2009 National Academy of Sciences report that laid out the disarray of the discipline (C&EN, May 12, page 10). For example, NIST announced that more than 1,300 people applied to join its Organization of Scientific Area Committees, which will create uniform standards for forensic science practice. The applicants include 62 ACS members.