Identifying the Needs of the Forensic Sciences Community is a project of the National Academy of Sciences sponsored by the National Institute of Justice. The Committee will:

1. assess the present and future resource needs of the forensic science community, to include State and local crime labs, medical examiners, and coroners;
2. make recommendations for maximizing the use of forensic technologies and techniques to solve crimes, investigate deaths, and protect the public;
3. identify potential scientific advances that may assist law enforcement in using forensic technologies and techniques to protect the public;
4. make recommendations for programs that will increase the number of qualified forensic scientists and medical examiners available to work in public crime laboratories;
5. disseminate best practices and guidelines concerning the collection and analysis of forensic evidence to help ensure quality and consistency in the use of forensic technologies and techniques to solve crimes, investigate deaths, and protect the public;
6. examine the role of the forensic community in the homeland security mission;
7. interoperability of Automated Fingerprint Information Systems; and
8. examine additional issues pertaining to forensic science as determined by the Committee.

-- from S. Rep. No. 109-88 (2005)

The Committee has held meetings on the dates below. Click each date to see its agenda:

• January 25, 2007
• April 23, 2007
• June 5, 2007
• September 20, 2007
• December 6, 2007

Links to resources considered at committee meetings.

More project information can be found at the project overview page.