Crisis In Forensics: It Should Be a Public Service

The astonishing news that up to 10,000 court cases may be at risk of being overturned because of irregularities at two forensic science companies, which took over from the public service privatised a few years back, demonstrates once again that public services must be run by the State to fulfill its obligations to its people in a democratically accountable structure. If the public pays the bill, the public, via ministers and parliament must be boss.

Handing over elements of the justice system including forensics and prisons to private companies to make profits, as if they were a supermarket or a gas station, is morally bankrupt and fundamentally stupid. It also breaches the integrity of the justice system and undermines confidence in the authority of the entire legal process and its consequences.

The list of failures in the private sector in its provision of public services is long and growing. But electoral retribution for this mess will come. The public has had enough.