• Question: what is a forensic consultant?

    Asked by humphrb01 to Sue on 15 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Sue Carney

      Sue Carney answered on 15 Jun 2011:

      Hi humphrb01 🙂

      A forensic consultant is really just a fancy name for an experienced forensic scientist. (I still consider myself a scientist!)

      My job at the Forensic Science Service (FSS) ended when the lab I worked at in Chorley, Lancashire, closed at the end of March this year. This was because the government have decided to close down the FSS and let other companies do the forensic science in the UK. There are still some FSS labs open in London, Birmingham and Huntingdon (they are closing them in stages rather than all at the same time), but the plan is that they will all have closed by March next year.

      When I left the FSS, I decided to set up my own business as a forensic consultant working freelance, which means I don’t work for a particular company, but for whoever wants to hire me on a case by case basis. The title forensic consultant seemed much more appropriate because a big part of my work is being asked for advice or being consulted. For example, I might be asked by the solicitors responsible for defending an accused person to consult on a case that has already been looked at by another scientist. In those circumstances, I’ll go to the lab where the original science was done, go and talk to the scientist, look at their results, maybe re-examine the exhibits, and then write my own report to say whether I agree with the scientist’s interpretation or think that some additional work should be done. I think this is important work because everybody is entitled to a fair defence. Also, all forensic scientists know that the work they do is open to question and scrutiny (we are regularly questioned and scrutinized at court) and all forensic scientists are very professional about this.

      I might also provide advice by phone and I give a lot of training to police officers or to other scientists, again hired by whichever company might need that training.

      I hope that answers your question. If not, feel free to fire another question at me! 😉

Comments

  • Photo: Anna

    Anna commented on :

    Good question, humphrb01, and good answer, Sue!
    A forensic consultant is an experienced forensic scientist whose expertise is paid for by defence lawyers, police, solicitors or media like TV companies, crime writers, news programmes etc. They are usually only needed for a short period of time, so a consultant is slightly different to someone paid on a full time basis as a forensic scientist.

    I work as a forensic anthropology consultant for a variety of companies, on top of my full time job as a lecturer. For example, I am a consultant for a big international company that ‘cleans up’ after a disaster like a plane or train crash or a tsunami. They employ me as part of a big team that tries to identify all the victims of the disaster. We usually go out to the crash site for two weeks at a time, on rotation.
    Also, I sometimes do consultancy for tv companies and writers, when they want to know some specific details about forensic anthropology. For example, today I was at the set of the next series of Silent Witness, where I was helping them make sure that the prosthetic body looked realistic and the scientists were doing the right thing. This is being a forensic advisor, and I love it, because I get to meet lots of cool actors off the telly! 🙂