UKAS is announcing a pilot assessment programme for the ISO/IEC 17020:2012 accreditation of organisations conducting forensic casework review*.
*Forensic casework review in this pilot assessment programme context can be undertaken on behalf of the prosecution or the defence and includes:
1. Independent forensic review of current casework – forensic casefile review only
2. Independent forensic review of historical cases e.g. ‘cold cases’, – forensic casefile review only
3. Independent re-examination/re-analysis of case items by a Forensic Scientist at a location other than their own organisations site, e.g. at the original (or another) Forensic Science Provider’s site
However, the pilot does not include:
1. Routine Peer Review undertaken as part of an ISO/IEC 17025:2005 process
2. Examination / analysis that would fall under ISO/IEC17025:2005
3. The interpretation of DNA Profiles generated by other FSP’s (this will be subject to a separate pilot at a later date)
NB As this is a new area of accreditation, all participants in the pilot assessment programme will contribute to the UKAS development costs through payment of a development application fee of £1500 (to be confirmed).
Those organizations who wish to participate in the pilot assessment programme are required to agree to the terms of reference found here. The participants in the pilot programme will be subject to assessment by UKAS. On satisfactory completion of assessment and on timely completion of the pilot assessment programme requirements, the participants in the pilot assessment programme will be accredited to ISO/IEC 17020:2012.
Organisations wishing to participate in the pilot assessment programme (and having read and understood the terms of reference) are recommended to submit an expression of interest to sarah.wright@ukas.com at the earliest opportunity.