29/10/2022

Project title: The development of a rapid automated system for trace evidence recovery, classification, analysis, and evaluation for use in cases of violence against women and girls (VAWG)

Project summary: This project is aimed at producing a ground-breaking technology that will allow a game-changing improvement in the evidence available in cases of violence against women and girls.  Building on our proven technologies, we will generate a system for the recovery, classification, analysis, and early evaluation of trace evidence.  By this approach, we aim to produce a step-change improvement in the use of such evidence.  Our expectation is that this will allow improved detection, leading to enhanced deterrence and, thereby, better security of those at risk of crimes of violence against women and girls.  While such crimes will be our focus, the system that we will create will be of value in the detection all crime types in which the perpetrator is physically present at the crime scene.

The role: The project needs to call upon the expertise of those who work to solve crimes of violence against women and girls on a daily basis.  This is because we need to know of their lived experience to fully understand the current challenges that they face.  To capture this knowledge, a series of information gathering workshops and semi-structured interviews with key practitioners are planned.  We are keen to hear from you if you feel that you can contribute to these events.  We are particularly interested to learn from people who work as SARC professionals, police first responders, police investigators, serious crime reviewers, custody officers, crime scene investigators, forensic medical professionals, forensic scientists and CJS professionals. 

Why get involved? This is an opportunity for you to make sure that the ground-breaking system being built will be fit-for-purpose.  You will do this by providing a voice for those directly affected by crime and those who are instrumental in bringing the offenders to justice.  You will provide knowledge and information that will directly shape that technology and how it will be used to benefit society. Directly supporting the NPCC Chief Scientific Advisors Science & Technology strategy in ‘getting in front of the technology, rather than adapting the technology.

You will learn from your fellow participants about the challenges that they face and how these challenges and yours could be better overcome.  Engagement with this project will also provide you with a structured opportunity to reflect on your professional practice and how this intermeshes with other professionals who work to solve crimes of violence against women and girls.

What is required? Participation in one of three practitioner workshops, one planned for each of November (07/11/22), December (07/12/22) and January (10/01/23) and participation in a short post workshop interview, which will be completed by the end of January 2023.   Location of the workshops will be at Staffordshire University although if there is a significant number of people from one other area, the location will be changed to suit.  Travel and subsistence costs will be covered.  As a thank you for taking part, provided that your professional role allows you to accept it, you will be entitled to a £80 One4All voucher (https://www.one4all.com/retailer.html).  

Please contact:  If you are interested in this opportunity, please could you inform us no later than the 21st of October 2022 including your preference for the practitioner workshop. Please contact Carolyn Lovell (Carolyn.Lovell@dorset.pnn.police.uk) of the Forensic Capability Network.

A note to your employer:  Please give favourable consideration to any request from your employees to get involved with this project.  They will gain valuable insights into their own professional practice and that of others who are also working to solve crimes of violence against women and girls.