Strengthening alignment in education, training, and US forensic science agencies Article

Houck, MM, Katz, D, Garvey, M et al. (2026). Strengthening alignment in education, training, and US forensic science agencies . JOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES, 10.1111/1556-4029.70420

cited authors

  • Houck, MM; Katz, D; Garvey, M; Cariola, M

authors

abstract

  • This paper analyzes the link between forensic science education, new hire training, and workforce stability in public US forensic labs. Data show most employees hold bachelor's (96%) and many have master's degrees (43%), but few are from FEPAC-accredited programs (15% and 24%, respectively). High attrition and short average tenure necessitate substantial training investment. Training loss is significant, as non-viable trainees are often identified after probationary periods expire, delaying performance evaluation and hindering stability. Workforce instability results from misalignment across education, public-sector HR, and work realities. Improving academic preparation, while necessary, is alone insufficient; integrated reform aligning education, training, hiring, probation, and institutional governance is needed for long-term competency, performance, and cost-savings.

publication date

  • January 1, 2026

published in

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)