Research and Innovation

FCN supports policing, the public and victims of crime by driving research and innovation that leads forensic science into the future.

Below you'll find everything from our areas of research interest, live calls for funding, live projects and the latest research papers, all underpinned by our research and innovation strategy.

Areas of research interest

Could you work in partnership with FCN and other organisations to solve the most pressing forensic challenges of our time?

We are looking to collaborate with police forces, academic institutions, and private-sector providers to 'understand and solve our challenges'. Collectively we are aligned with the Police Chief Scientific Adviser's office ARIs under Professor Paul Taylor aiming to focus research and innovation to priority challenges to the forensic science community.

By tackling our areas of research interest, we'll strengthen the quality and practise of forensic science across policing and UK criminal investigations and enable impactful and targeted research.

The areas below have been created in collaboration with the forensic community through landscape calls, research groups and stakeholder meetings.

Primary areas of research interest

If you have an interest in any of the topics and want to get involved, please get in touch.

Understanding the capability requirements for future forensics services looking to reduce bureaucracy, lighten demand on specialist services and improve the victim experience.

We are particularly interested in exploring technologies that support forensic services and seeking solutions that best support victims.

Recognise innovative and emerging biometric technologies relevant to forensic science.

To ensure our forensic science workforce evolves to meet current and future demands especially around recruitment, retention, and wellbeing.

Understanding the lessons from other disciplines and using that knowledge to improve our Workforce resilience.

Exploring the development of tools to support our staff.

Improve the contribution forensic science has on the criminal justice system utilising Artificial Intelligence, automation, and data analytics.

Understand how to utilise new technologies that best exploit analytics to improve practice.

To ensure all forensic science practise is underpinned by appropriate good ethical, legislative, and environmental considerations.

Seek out opportunities to reduce our environmental impact, aspiring to a carbon neutral and efficient service.

Capture and understand the ethical consideration to effectively process cloud-based data for a forensic science purpose.

Expand our understanding of encryption and the impact of that this may have on security and access for forensic science

To understand the impact and benefits of digital, environmental, and social evolution on forensic science

Understanding evolving technologies that support the forensic science landscape, their limitations and impact.

Identify the possibilities for tomorrow’s forensic science.

Active projects

Our live feed on active research projects will be here soon.

For now, please visit the research projects map on the College of Policing website, where you can search for the latest forensic studies by region, institution, topic and type. View the map