Hierarchical Lab Network
Definition
A tiered system in which local or regional labs handle routine casework and refer specialised or high-stakes work upward to a national or state-level centre with deeper resources.
Related terms
- Accreditation
- Formal recognition by a standards body (such as UKAS in the UK, A2LA in the US, or NABL in India) that a...
- Forensic Science Service (FSS)
- The UK government-owned forensic science provider, founded in 1991 from the earlier Home Office Forensic Science Service, closed in 2012 after financial...
- ISO 17025
- International standard for the general requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. Covers management system requirements (document control, internal audits,...
- National Forensic Laboratory
- A lab funded and operated at the national level, typically handling high-complexity cases, setting methodological standards, and serving as the final referral...
- Police-Embedded Lab
- A forensic unit that sits inside or under direct administrative control of a law-enforcement agency, raising independence concerns that can affect how...
Explained in
- Forensic Laboratory Systems: A Global OverviewA tiered system in which local or regional labs handle routine casework and refer specialised or high-stakes work upward to a national or state-level centre wi...