Forensic science in Ghana: A review

The use of forensic science continues to grow across the world. In Ghana, major advancements took off in2011, including the introduction of modern DNA profiling and the establishment of an automated fingerprint identification system. These developments have led to some positive impacts on the delivery of justice, including the exoneration of a wrongly incarcerated individual. However, a review of the policy-related aspects of forensic science shows gaps in legislation, governance, service provision, quality assurance and accreditation, education and research. An important recommendation to improve forensic science in Ghana is the creation of a “national policy strategy”, a blueprint informed by relevant stakeholders, best practice from other countries and the status of the field. Resolutions to the policy issues identified in this review will ensure a more robust application of forensic science in delivering safe justice and enhancing public security

Good cop, Polish cop: findings from an evaluation of the secondment of two Polish police officers to work with the Metropolitan Police

This article presents and discusses the findings from an evaluation of the secondment of two Polish police officers to work with the Metropolitan Police Service in a west London borough between October and December 2009. Whilst the secondment was intended to improve the service provided to the local Polish community, the principal outcome was more effective information sharing concerning Polish offenders. ‘Cop culture’ in this context had more resonance than national culture. British and Polish officers soon found they could overcome apparent differences in their approach to the ‘job’. Overcoming residents’ reluctance to engage with the police proved more problematic

Investigating diversity in polymer-based identity cards using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and chemometrics

© 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. Polymer identity cards are a key target for counterfeit production, posing significant economic and security threats. Examination of suspect identity cards is largely based on visual features, but could potentially exploit diversity in the card composition. This preliminary study investigated the chemical diversity amongst Western Australian driver’s licences using attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy and chemometrics. Differences were observed between three series of issue, potentially due to variations in the adhesive or printing materials. Analysis of three licences issued by authorities outside of Western Australia also highlighted variations between jurisdictions. This warrants further investigation into the chemical composition of identity cards as a possible tool to assist expert examination