DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Notice of Public Comment Period on Advancing Forensic Science Docket No. OLP 160
AGENCY: Department of Justice.
ACTION: Request for public comment. NOTE: This is an advance copy of a notice submitted to the Federal Register. This document contains unofficial text. The official text will be published in a forthcoming edition of the Federal Register and posted on www.regulations.gov.
SUMMARY: It is the Department’s mission to ensure public safety and provide federal leadership in preventing and controlling crime. Advancing the practice of forensic science is an important part of that effort. The more effective a forensic system we have, the better equipped we are to solve crimes, more swiftly absolving the innocent and bringing the guilty to justice. The second term of the National Commission on Forensic Science (NCFS) is set to expire on April 23, 2017. As part of the Department’s continued efforts to advance the practice of forensic science following NCFS’s expiration, the Department is seeking comment on how the Department should move forward to (1) evaluate and improve the underlying science of forensic evidence; (2) improve the operational management systems of forensic science service providers; and (3) improve the understanding of forensic science by legal practitioners. DATES: Written public comment regarding the issue for comment should be submitted through www.regulations.gov before June 9, 2017.