Networked Knowledge - Media Report

This version of the report has been prepared by: Dr Robert N Moles
Underlining where it occurs is for editorial emphasis]

List of Australian, UK and USA miscarriage of justice cases
Article on Australian miscarriage of justice cases
Article on UK miscarriage of justice cases
Article on USA miscarriage of justice cases

On 2 July 2008 Joanna Vaughan, political reporter of The Advertiser reported, “New forensic pathologist starts work in SA”.

THE forensics of crime show CSI don't compare to the scrutiny of real-life investigator Dr Neil Langlois, who is poised to pull apart SA's crimes, piece by piece. Dr Langlois, a highly regarded forensic pathologist from Sydney, has been lured to South Australia to reduce the backlog of forensic pathology work. In what has been described as a "real coup" for the state, Dr Langlois has accepted the position amid a worldwide shortage of forensic pathologists.

Dr Langlois studied medicine at the University of Cambridge before training and working in forensic pathology in the UK and Australia. While he admits there are similarities between his work and that of CSI crime-buster Gil Grissom, just don't ask him a question about the show. "I did watch CSI once, but after five minutes my wife turned it off because I criticised it so much so I don't watch it any more," he said. "I'm one of these difficult, annoying professionals who when I watch the television, I have to pick up the inaccuracies. "They do do things that make it more attractive for TV viewers."

SA currently has a backlog of 506 post-mortem reports and a waiting time of about six months.  Attorney General Michael Atkinson said Dr Langlois' appointment would help to halve the backlog and the waiting time by June 2009. "For years we have suffered from a nationwide and worldwide shortage of forensic pathologists ... and it's a coup for South Australia to lure a well respected and experienced specialist during a national and international shortage of fully-qualified forensic pathologists," he said.

Forensic Science SA is funded for 51/2 full-time pathologist positions, but has operated with only 41/2 pathologists since May 2007 and 31/2 half since January. Work is currently under way to hire another pathologist.

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