NRGD annual report 2022

This year, the Netherlands Register of Court Experts (NRGD) once again contributed towards safeguarding, and where necessary, improving the quality of experts in the Dutch criminal justice system. There is still much to be done, and that is in the interest of all participants in proceedings. Developments took place in various areas.

Results and new developments in 2022

• The NRGD processed 191 applications across 10 fields/sub-fields of expertise in 2022. Across the fields of expertise, 15 applications were rejected in 2022.
• The GSR field of expertise was opened in October 2022.
• The FMO field of expertise was opened up for registration applications on 1 December 2021. Within the Forensic Medical Examination field of expertise, the first experts and assessors were appointed in 2022, resulting in 10 registrations.
• Together with the Standard-setting Advisory Committee, the NRGD made great progress in 2022 in drafting an assessment framework for the Forensic Financial Investigation field of expertise.
• An afternoon knowledge session on the subject of reporting for the defence was held in 2022. There is clearly a positive development underway when it comes to the willingness on the part of experts to report for the defence.
• The NRGD made considerable progress in 2022 towards its goal of achieving the recognition of the assessment and programmes/training courses of the Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI) in the near future.
• In the first half of 2022, the Board decided that the Forensic Radiology field was to be the next new area to be standardised.
• The Ad Hoc instruments for experts who have rarely, if ever, drawn up reports in criminal cases, are frequently consulted via the NRGD website. Seven requests for report feedback were satisfactorily processed.
• ICT: following a successful pilot project, the application procedure has been fully digitalised. Moreover, the website has been revamped.

NRGD Annual Report 2022

Michel Smithuis, managing director of the NRGD, Expertise en Recht, Edition 1 (2023): 'Much has changed in the area of forensics since the founding of the Netherlands Register of Court Experts (hereinafter: NRGD) in 2010. The register's introduction constituted an improvement to the safeguarding of the quality of expert contributions in the justice system.'

Expanding the Scope of Quality Assurance for Forensic Experts

The statutory code of practice for Forensic science activities comes into force on 2 October 2023. The code sets quality standard requirements for forensic science activities related to the investigation of crime in England and Wales.

Forensic science activities: statutory code of practice