Forensic Science Centre of Lithuania
The Forensic Science Centre of Lithuania (LTEC) is a governmental institution, part of the law enforcement system established under the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Lithuania, acting as such since 1958. The main activities of FSCL: performance of forensic examinations ordered by courts, prosecutors, and pre-trial investigators in criminal and civil cases; scientific and methodical activity related to the usage of forensic examination; creation of investigative methods and methodologies for forensic examinations; preparation projects of laws and other legal acts regulating the questions of forensic examination, criminology and usage of special knowledge; education and training of forensic experts and issuance of qualification in different types of forensic examination; collaboration with other Lithuanian and foreign examination institutions and scientific institutions.
LTEC performs 38 types of forensic examination, including paints, glass, fibres, GSR, plastic and so on. LTEC employs 145 persons, including 109 forensic experts, who are registered in the register of forensic experts of the Republic of Lithuania, maintained by the Ministry of Justice. The activities of LTEC are regulated by Laws: Criminal procedure, Civil procedure codes of the Republic of Lithuania, Law on administrative proceedings of cases of the Republic of Lithuania, Law on forensic examination of the Republic of Lithuania and by lower legal acts such as Constitution of LTEC, certified by the Minister of Justice, Rules on performance of forensic examination in LTEC, certified by the Minister of Justice, etc. Annually experts of LTEC perform about 4300 forensic examinations, participating in approximately 500 court proceedings and other investigative proceedings, execute about 10 scientific researches, and give consultations, etc.
LTEC participate in the activities of ENFSI (European Network of Forensic Science Institutions, www.enfsi.org) since 1995 and in the activities of BNFSI (Baltic Network of Forensic Science Institutions) since 2005.
LTEC has always invested in the technologies necessary for aspects of its work. We are well equipped with a wide range of survey equipment: FTIR, Raman, MSP, ESM, XRD, GS-MS, TLC, RI measurement, cross-sections, microscopic investigations, and are accredited by ISO 17025 standard.
Main contributions to SHUTTLE:
- benchmarking and validation of the prototypes;
- participation in the formation of a curriculum for European training centres on the SHUTTLE toolkit;
- during ENFSI working group’s meetings to organise workshops and presentations of the SHUTTLE toolkit;
- being experienced in forensic examination of trace materials, we hope to make a very positive contribution of our knowledge to the project;
- participation in the activities of WP5, WP6, WP7 and WP8.
