This week Professor Angela Gallop and Lady Professor Sue Black appear on the law and politics podcast, Double Jeopardy, discussing the findings of their three-year inquiry into forensic science and miscarriages of justice.
They discuss the recent report of the Westminster Commission on Forensic Science, Forensic Science in England and Wales: Pulling out of the Graveyard Spiral, which was published by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Miscarriages of Justice this week. Read the full report here.
About the podcast:
Is Britain still a world leader in forensic science or are we sleepwalking into a criminal justice crisis?
Once considered the gold standard, the UK’s forensic science system is not working well for anyone – not for the police, not for the suppliers of services, not for the courts and, by extension, not for the public. Yet we all believe it to be a critical tool that we can rely upon to bring the guilty to justice and exonerate the innocent.
Ken Macdonald KC and Tim Owen KC are joined by two of the UK’s most respected forensic science experts – Baroness Sue Black and Dr Angela Gallop CBE – to investigate the breakdown of forensic science in England and Wales and what it means for justice. The guests explain how these changes have led to miscarriages of justice, undermining trust in both science and the legal system.
As co-chairs of the Westminster Commission on Forensic Science, Sue and Angela outline urgent recommendations: create a National Forensic Science Institute, invest in independent research, and reform the funding of the defence to ensure equality of arms in the courtroom. This is a powerful and timely discussion that cuts to the heart of British politics, UK law, and the fight to uphold the rule of law.
