Discontinue certainty claims
Examiners should discontinue reporting conclusions on identification or exclusion with a claim to 100% certainty or on any other basis suggesting that fingerprint evidence is infallible.
Response
Accepted
Response
AcceptedJustice Secretary Kenny MacAskill responded on 15 December 2011, the day after the Fingerprint Inquiry report was published. The Scottish Government accepted the inquiry's recommendations. MacAskill stated: "I am confident that the recommendations from this Inquiry will further enhance these services." The Scottish Police Services Authority began drawing up an action plan to implement improvements in time for integration into the new Police Scotland in 2013.
Published Evidence
Published assessments of progress from inspectorates, select committees, official progress reports, and other sources. Source type badge indicates whether each assessment is independent or government self-reported.
Examiners no longer report conclusions on identification or exclusion with claims to 100% certainty. Practice reformed as part of UKAS accreditation process for fingerprint comparisons awarded in 2016.
View detailed findings
SPA Forensic Services fingerprint reporting now follows internationally recognised standards. Independent validation by UKAS ensures reporting practices meet accredited standards. Methodology requires disclosure of all variables considered.