The17th meeting of the International Association of Forensic Sciences (IAFS) August 2005, in Hong Kong, highlighted Starlims involvement in international forensics.
Starlims, co-sponsor of the meeting, showcased two case studies: a DNA database laboratory and a comprehensive forensic operation covering multiple-labs.
Starlims says it assists a forensic laboratory in the efficient management of substantial quantities of data relating to evidence collection, analysis and case management.
The reliability and accuracy of forensic information provided is crucial to its proposed usage throughout the legal process.
By capturing all relevant evidence submission data at the time of receipt, Starlims says it allows the forensic laboratory to perform extensive evidence tracking through the lifecycle of the investigation.
The comprehensive integrated electronic chain-of-custody provides a complete record of evidence submission transfer and laboratory activities, incorporating full transactional audit trails, bar-coding and electronic data storage and signatures.
Data migration is facilitated and a backlog of historical data is stored for retrieval.
Statistical information is made available pertaining to case results, case cross-reference, analyst performance, case backlog, or other pertinent data related to overall performance.
Starlims supports compliance with standards such as ASCLD and ISO 17025.
Hong Kong government DNA database laboratory.
The Hong Kong government laboratory provides a full range of analytical, investigatory and advisory services to enable government departments to meet their responsibilities for law and order, public health and safety, environmental protection, government revenue and consumers' interests.
Similar services are provided for other statutory bodies.
The DNA database laboratory is one of the DNA analysis sections in the government laboratory.
Its main responsibilities are to perform DNA analysis on samples from persons convicted of a serious offence and those suspected of having committed a criminal offence.
The samples are set up in a computerised DNA database and the laboratory administers and maintains the database.
In order to cope with the large number of samples, the DNA laboratory has recently implemented Starlims to track samples/exhibits, manage the analysis workflow, integrate instruments used in various procedures and with other analysis software to minimise human interventions, provide data traceability complete with chain-of-custody, audit trail and electronic signature.
Starlims also automates communications among different government agencies such as the crime lab to compare sample identities and statuses and, by using FBI's Codis system, a local DNA database is built.
By effectively merging forensic sciences with IT technology, Starlims assists the DNA database lab in accomplishing electronic DNA profiling and laboratory automation.
Forensic Science Institute of Puerto Rico.
Compiling the operation of 15 forensic disciplines and four satellite labs/offices into one single system is a major project.
At the Forensic Sciences Institute of Puerto Rico (ICF, from Spanish Instituto de Ciencias Forenses) in San Juan, this switch provided a new way to perform the analysis and obtain results at the touch of one finger.
Starlims implementation at ICF to be presented at the conference will provide a glimpse of the processes around such a complex system - from evidence reception and its flow through the crime lab and the issuance of certificate of analysis.
Recently, ICF began providing access to other agencies within the Puerto Rico Criminal Justice system to access its evidence data regarding ongoing cases by means of the internet.
Jose Lebron, chief information officer, Forensic Science Institute of Puerto Rico, will provide a live demonstration of this capability with the Starlims web based technology implemented at the ICF.
