Forensic intelligence in Australia and New Zealand: Status and future directions.

Forensic science is underutilised. Operating models restricted to the support of court outcomes do not address core requirements of contemporary policing and public security, which are to disrupt criminal activity and prevent crime. Forensic intelligence (FORINT) is a principal means of enhancing the role of forensic science, emphasising proactivity and cross-case, cross-crime domain insights.

Management and disclosure of quality issues in forensic science: A survey of current practice in Australia and New Zealand.

The investigation of quality issues detected within the forensic process is a critical feature in robust quality management systems to provide assurance of the validity of reported results and inform strategies for continuous improvement and innovation. A survey was conducted to gain insight into the current state of practice in the management and handling of quality issues amongst the government service provider agencies of Australia and New Zealand. The results demonstrate the value of standardised quality system structures for the recording and management of quality issues, but also areas where inconsistent reporting increases the risk of overlooking important data to inform continuous improvement.

The use of an alternative light source to detect semen in clinical forensic medical practice.

One of the primary aims of forensic examination in sexual offences is to detect and recover biological material that will link the offender with the complainant. One potentially valuable method by which trace biological evidence may be identified in other forensic settings is via the use of an Alternate Light Source (ALS). The aim of this study was to determine whether or not there was any potential benefit in using an ALS as an adjunct in sexual assault examinations to aid the detection of forensically relevant areas on the body which are not identifiable on visual inspection for sampling.