The overarching mission of the National Commission on Forensic Science combined a dual approach. The first was to raise forensic science standards which was undertaken by a 30-member advisory panel of scientists, crime lab leaders, judges, prosecutors and defense lawyers. The second was to reduce the pressure on overburdened crime labs. This was successfully achieved by forming a working partnership between the Justice Department and independent forensic scientists.
In essence then, the Commission was constructively meeting the needs of forensic scientists, effectively advancing communication between scientists and all tiers of the legal system, while constantly working towards future improvements in lab facilities, techniques and standards.
But all this ends April 23, 2017 because AG Sessions decided he would not renew the Commission. Why? Perhaps because the National Commission on Forensic Science was chartered by the Obama administration in 2013 and this GOP is dedicated to wiping out everything achieved in the Obama era.
Whatever the reason, this was bad timing for the NCFC. As reported in the Washington Post:
The announcement came as the commission began its last, two-day meeting before its term ends April 23, and as some of its most far-reaching final recommendations remained hanging before the department.
So what does Sessions plan to put in its place?
A path to meet needs of overburdened crime labs will be set by a yet-to-be-named senior forensic adviser and an internal department crime task force, Sessions’s statement said.
So Sessions is proposing a solution that will take many months to put together and has done absolutely nothing to get the ball rolling. Meantime, the crime labs will return to an unmanageable workload in less than two weeks’ time. Anyone would think Sessions doesn’t want the crime labs to work efficiently for some reason.
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But all may not be lost, as much as Sessions would no doubt like it to be. It appears that DoJ regulations require that a period of time be given to public comment. The Washington Post helpfully provided a link to “an advance version of a federal register notice to be filed Monday that was released by the Justice Department. [It] contains unofficial text.” The 5-page document is headed:
Justice Department to seek public comment on forensic sciences
So let us provide them with public comment! According to the document:
Written public comment regarding the issue for comment should be submitted through www.regulations.gov before June 9, 2017.
On page 4 you will find a section subtitled “POSTING OF PUBLIC COMMENTS” which I strongly recommend everyone reads before submitting a comment.
If you read or hear of any further information, please publish it. On page 3 of the document, under the subheading Issue for Comment, there are guidelines on how to set about your comment. When you’ve written it, publish that here too — it will help those who want to write but just aren’t sure how to begin. If you are willing for others to copy your wording, many will find that very helpful.
Too often we feel there’s little we can do but here the DoJ have opened the door to the people and invited us to have a say. Let’s get as many people as possible demanding the return of the NCSC.
Click on the link and pass it on!