• Read the report Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward


• February 18, 2009 press release from the committee, 'Badly Fragmented' Forensic Science System Needs Overhaul; Evidence to Support Reliability of Many Techniques is Lacking.


• Report in the media: articles/commentary

• Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: the Role of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Hearing before the House Subcommittee on Technology & Innovation (House Committee on Science & Technology), March 10, 2009. Read a summary of the Hearing.


• The Need to Strengthen Forensic Science in the United States: The National Academy of Science's Report on a Path Forward, Hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, March 18, 2009. Read prepared statement of Chairman Patrick Leahy. Read a summary of the Hearing.


• The National Research Council's Publication "Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward," Hearing before the House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security (House Committee on the Judiciary), May 13, 2009. Read a summary of the hearing.


• Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States, Hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, September 9, 2009. Read prepared statement of The Hon. Patrick Leahy. Read a summary of the hearing.

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 25-26, 2007
• April 23-24, 2007
• June 5-6, 2007
• September 20-21, 2007
• December 6-7, 2007
• March 24-25, 2008
• June 23-24, 2008
• November 14, 2008

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