Codes of practice

Quality standards for forensic science service providers

The United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) tested the effectiveness and impact of the version of the codes of practice and conduct which was published here in January 2011. This evaluation was through dry runs with one policing and one commercial organisation.

As the codes of practice and conduct is drafted based upon the good practice that accredited providers are already required to demonstrate, the dry runs flagged only a couple of areas which could be potentially disproportionate to the benefits conveyed.

The Regulator has reviewed the document and made appropriate amendments to minimise this impact and the final version is available for download below:

• read the revised codes of conduct and practice

Manual of regulation

On 29 September 2008 the Forensic Science Regulator issued a draft manual of regulation to organisations and individuals on the regulator's stakeholder database. It sets out the high level principles proposed by the regulator and the methods by which the regulator intends to set and monitor quality standards in the delivery of forensic science evidence to the criminal justice system. It also includes some detail on other matters, for example, on complaints handling and market scrutiny, where work has already been carried out and on which the regulator is seeking comments.

• read a copy of the manual of regulation