Forensic Expertises and Iso 17025 Standard (Case Study Bosnia And Herzegovina)

Abstract

Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is governed by a complex constitutional framework. A complex police organization is imposed, among other things, by such a constitutional system. Furthermore, the inclusion of forensic departments or institutions in that framework suggests a complicated organization of forensic departments/institutes inside that structure. Forensic laboratory accreditation in accordance with the ISO 17025 standard is a requirement for forensic laboratories all over the world, so we would like to explain the concept of accreditation and the provisions of the ISO 17025 standard, as well as the reasons for the request for their implementation in the forensic services of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Using the content analysis approach, the authors examine the reasons imposed as an imperative for the implementation of the ISO 17025 standard in forensic practice in BiH. The foregoing is principally due to worldwide acknowledgment of the work's results, evaluation of the reliability of expert examinations conducted by judicial authorities at various levels throughout and fulfillment of the conditions for European Union membership. The concepts and findings in this study are based on theoretical postulates and empirical research conducted by the authors. The implementation of the ISO 17025 standard implies forensic laboratory accreditation, which in practice refers to determining the conformity of the applied methods, the requirement of adequate education and professional behavior of professional staff, and the use of appropriate instruments and equipment, all with the goal of fully expressing the principle of objectivity in criminal and civil proceedings.