EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Chapter 1 sets out the remit which I have been given by the Minister for Justice, Cathy Jamieson MSP, and the remit of the panel of 3 leading fingerprint experts who have agreed to assist me in developing and implementing this Action Plan.
Chapter 2 summarises the previous inspections, reports and recommendations which have been made in respect of the Scottish Criminal Records Office ( SCRO) and the SCRO Fingerprint Bureau since 2000; and explains that HMIC's recommendations and suggestions are to be re-visited to provide a baseline assessment of the current arrangements in place in the Scottish Fingerprint Service today.
Chapter 3 discusses standards and quality assurance issues in the Scottish Fingerprint Service and sets out proposals for improving training, accreditation and competency testing on a consistent basis across the Service.
Chapter 4 focuses on the practice and procedures of the four forensic science laboratories and makes proposals for improvements in their organisation and working practices.
Chapter 5 discusses the leadership and culture of the Scottish Fingerprint Service and sets out a series of proposals in relation to performance and personnel management, strategic planning, communication with staff and effective teamworking.
Chapter 6 focuses on improving communication and engagement with the Service's stakeholders.
Chapter 7 draws the various threads of this Action Plan together and sets out a clear vision of the way forward and the future of the Scottish Fingerprint Service as a confident, successful organisation delivering an excellent service to its stakeholders and partners in the Scottish criminal justice system and elsewhere.
Summary of Action Points
1 Sir David O'Dowd will consider the 25 recommendations and 20 suggestions made by HMIC in 2000; apply his experience and professional knowledge to make an assessment of the current situation following the changes introduced in the Scottish Fingerprint Service; and report his findings.
2 A baseline assessment of the Scottish Fingerprint Service will be informed by Sir David O'Dowd's assessment and advice from external practitioners.
3 A formal evaluation will be undertaken of both initial and refresher training delivered to fingerprint experts in the Scottish Fingerprint Service.
4 The Scottish Fingerprint Service's training and quality assurance manuals and external quality assurance assessments will be published as part of the organisation's publication scheme.
5 The criteria for achieving accreditation as a fingerprint expert in the Scottish Fingerprint Service will be benchmarked against that in place in England and Wales and also the international fingerprint community.
6 The support provided to staff eligible to apply to the National Council for Registration of Forensic Practitioners will be examined with a view to moving towards 100% registration.
7 Annual external competency testing will remain as a feature of the Scottish Fingerprint Service and the current provider will be tested against 'best in class' standards.
8 The verification process in use in the bureaux will be reviewed to bring about a consistent identification system throughout Scotland. This process will draw on expertise from outwith Scotland.
9 ACPOS agreement will be sought to the integration of scenes of crime examiners into the Scottish Forensic Science Service.
10 A Scientific Advisory Group will be established to consider how fingerprint examination and DNA analysis can be more formally linked to secure best evidence. This Group will report its findings drawing on international knowledge in this field.
11 The benefits of developing joint fingerprint/forensic submission units in at least the four locations with bureaux/laboratories will be considered.
12 The non-numeric fingerprint standard will be introduced to the Scottish Fingerprint Service by the end of August 2006.
13 Full implementation of Ident 1 across Scotland will be completed by July 2007.
14 An appropriate leadership competency framework will be developed and implemented.
15 A stand-alone corporate strategic plan will be developed. It will be informed by wide consultation, reflect agreed values and priorities and be directly aligned to the organisation's performance management framework and related processes.
16 A collaborative vision and set of key values for the organisation will be developed and validated. It will clearly demonstrate the value of the individual and how he or she personally contributes to the organisation's overall objectives.
17 A corporate communications strategy will be developed and established which engages staff, both formally and informally, facilitates dialogue and faces outwards towards the organisation's stakeholders.
18 A team-based culture focused on improving performance delivery and excellence will be established.
19 An appropriate career framework will be developed and implemented.
20 An effective attendance policy for the Scottish Fingerprint Service will be introduced.
21 A change to move current structures to an inclusive and single organisation will be initiated.
22 A staff 'safeline' will be established together with suitable internal forums for the resolution of difficult or contentious issues as an integral part of the culture-building strand of the change management process.
23 A comprehensive stakeholder engagement plan will be published.
24 An ethical contract for both the Scottish Fingerprint Service and Scottish Forensic Science Service will be developed for incorporation into the new organisation.
25 Experts with an international perspective in a range of disciplines including fingerprint examination, human resources, organisational development and the law will be engaged to support the development and implementation of the Action Plan for Excellence and will be given the opportunity to comment on it.