Fragmented forensics in England and Wales has led to ‘postcode lottery’ with no fix in sight
By 
Angeli Mehta2026-03-25T09:30:00
Proposed forensics service would take over from individual police forces but is still likely years away
It’s 16 years since the then government announced its intention to close the Forensics Science Service in England and Wales, leading to a litany of reports condemning the consequences of the decision and its impact on criminal justice.
No one seems to be calling for a return to public delivery of forensic science and while ministers admit reform is needed, it’s not clear what any new system will look like. A policing white paper published in January set out proposals to form a new nationwide force to tackle the most complex crimes. It said that the National Police Service will take over responsibility for forensics from the 43 forces operating today, set direction and tackle backlogs in digital forensics.