Standard and guidance for forensic archaeologists

This Standard and guidance document was originally developed by the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA) and an advisory group comprising forensic archaeologists who had previously been accepted by the Council for the Registration of Forensic Practitioners through a process of peer review. It has been revised and updated by CIfA’s Forensic Archaeology Expert Register and Panel (FAEP) (see https://www.archaeologists.net/register/faep).
This document complements, but does not replace, the responsibilities and obligations of forensic practitioners as detailed within Criminal Procedure Rules (2020) and Criminal Practice Directions (2023). It will allow forensic archaeologists to demonstrate high levels of performance and competence by validation against seven professional Standards. These Standards are each supported by good practice guidance. This document does not provide the detailed
methodologies for each area of practice that would enable it to be used as a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). The forensic archaeologist must be able to demonstrate SOPs that comply with the Standards outlined in sections 4–10.
This document provides information about good practice within the legal framework of England and Wales. It also outlines good practice which is compatible with the legal system in Scotland. It draws upon UK professional standards and accepted techniques for archaeological practice including those outlined by CIfA (see https://www.archaeologists.net/codes/cifa), technical papers
issued by Historic England and other organisations (eg MOLAS 1994; Watkinson and Neal 2001) and academic references (eg, Hunter and Cox 2005; Hunter et al 2013). It also takes into account the agreed standards and guidance of the Forensic Science Regulator (FSR) and other appropriate authorities, 1 and international standards outlined by the American Academy of Forensic Science and the United Nations.