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The esTonian Forensic science insTiTuTe (eFsi) is a state forensic institution that started operating after the declaration of the Code of Courts on 6 April 1938. The activities of the Institute were inter- rupted by World War II. Starting 1945 Forensic Examination was carried out in Police Crime Investigation Labotatory, prosecutor’s Technical Examination Labo- ratory and University Forensic Medical Unit. The Institute was re-established on 1 January 2008 by the merging of two forensic institutions, the Bureau of Fo- rensic Medicine of Estonia and the Police Board Forensic Service Centre. The EFSI has the competence to perform 45 different types and sub-types of forensic analyses. The staff of the Institute consist of forensic experts, forensic pathologists, forensic psychiatrists and forensic psychologists. The Institute also administers the National list of Officially Certified Experts, which includes 60 experts in 12 areas of forensic expertise. The purpose of the list is to provide courts with a selection of experts who can be used in investigations outside the Institute. Pursuant to law, the persons who can order expertise and analyses from the Institute are the police, courts, the prosecutor’s office as well as specialists of other investigative and administra- tive bodies. It is also possible, by private persons, to order analyses of DNA, parenty testing, toxicol- ogy, graphology, electron microscopy and forensic medicine that are not related to proceedings. In its activities, the Institute follows the principles of the European Network of Forensic Science Institutes (ENFSI): to be impartial, to operate on a high professional and technical level, to be cost- effective, to guarantee the reliability of its expertise results and to be acknowledged at the national and international levels in its activities. EFSI organization has 16 departmentes, with 169 employees including 89 forensic examiners. In order to achieve its goals, the Institute has implemented a quality management system, whichis based on three internationally recognised standards: EVS-EN ISO/IEC 17025 General Re- quirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories: EVS-EN ISO/IEC 17020 Conformity assessment. Requirements for the operation of various types of bodies performing in- spection: EVS-EN ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems. The Institute was accredited by the Estonian Accreditation Centre in 2003. The accreditation scope of ISO17025 (accreditation certificate no L127) covers the Institute’s activities in the fields of toxicology, determination of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, gunshot residues and electron microscopy, DNA analyses, mass measurement, investigation of questioned counterfeit euro banknotes, also development and identification of fingerprints and information technology. The accreditation scope of ISO17020 (accreditation certificate no I072) covers activities in the fields of forensic medical examinations of living person and dead bodies The Institute is certified by the Bureau Veritas Eesti OÜ since 2009 (certificate no EST90645A). Certification gives the confirmation of an independent third party that forensic examinations and analysis and activities related to them, comply with the requirements of the internationally recog- nised management standard ISO 9001. In addition to their everyday work, the staff of the Institute develop and implement innovative ideas, methods and technologies of expertise. The EFSI is a member of many international organisations: the European Network of Forensic Science Institutes (ENFSI), the International Association of Forensic Toxicologists (TIAFT), the International Society for Forensic Genetics, the European Council of Legal Medicine (ECLM), the Network of Baltic Forensic Science Institutes (NBFSI). In addition to the above, our forensic experts take part in cross-border cooperation (Schengen and Prüm treaties) and the Institute has signed cooperation agreements with Estonian universities, the Academy of Science, and Nordic and European institutes. Dna DeParTMenT The DNA Department performes forensic DNA analyses. The object of the investigations is human DNA. The bulk of this work consists of DNA analyses for the purpose of comparing the DNA profile obtained at the scene with the DNA profile of a person. The DNA Department also performs analyses of fa- milial relationships either to identify a person or to ascertain their kinship. Private persons can order analyses from the DNA department of the EFSI outside criminal or civil proceedings. Paternity tests are the main DNA analyses ordered by pri- vate persons. The department performs around 25-30 thou- sand reactions per year. The department also performs tests that precede DNA analyses, such as determination of blood and sperm. The DNA Department of the EFSI is also the authorised processor of the National DNA Register. The register contains over 10 thousand crime scene profiles of unknown source and 37 thousand DNA profiles from suspects. DocuMenT DeParTMenT The Document Department examines questioned documents usually produced on paper or plastic, where a technical com- parison is required. This includes identity documents, vehicle documents, banknotes, contracts, wills, invoices, application forms, diplomas, certificates etc. Expert analysis of documents, including examination of ban- knotes and handwriting and forensicm accounting, is required in both criminal and civil proceedings, the latter involving mainly economic disputes. Forensic handwriting analysis is a classic area of forensic expertise in which the main function is to identify the persoon who signed or wrote a certain text. It is important for experts to have extensive experience as the main technical tools used are just a magnifying glass and a microscope. An expert may be able to give a categorical opinion that an individual did or did not write a certain piece of text, but opinions based on prob- ability are also valuable in combination with other evidence. Experts examine texts in both Latin and Cyrillic alphabets. Approximately one-third of all work relates to civil disputes. Document examination. Genuine or false? Printed items such as passports, driving licences or banknotes are examined to identify whether these documents are authentic or how they were forged. The databases and collections of authentic and forged documents available in the Document Department help in determining the source of forgeries. Microscopic and spec- tral methods can be used in examining the material of docu- ments and the Chemistry Department can assist with ohter methods of analysis if required. Examining counterfeit euro banknotes, collecting technical data from them and information Ex- change with other competent institutions are also among the tasks for document experts. In most cases document or handwriting analysis takes about a month to complete. The purpose of forensic accounting is to help in investigating complicated economic crimes. Depending on the nature of the crime, forensic accountants investigate the accounting and re- porting, the distortion of accounting data or submission of incorrect information, the extent of any material damage caused, the correctness of audit conclusions and other matters which may proov- ide important evidence. The examination of accounting documents can be extremely time-consum- ing, depending on the quantity of material, such means that it can often take several months and in some cases somewhat longer. Forensic - iT DeParTMenT The experts in our IT Department can look for the key- words, correspondence, documents and files requested by investigators in computers and the data media used with computers (hard disks, CDs/DVDs, floppy disks, memory sticks and cards). It is also possible to investigate other digital or electronic equipment that may contain information, which is impor- tant for an investigation. It is also possible to investigate other digital or electronic equipment that may contain information, which is impor- tant for an investigation. Data medium is the main examination object of foren- sic IT examinations and analyses. Hard disks are the most frequently examined data me- dia-they are used in personal computers and laptops as well as many other special-purpose devices (computers) such as the recording equipment of security cameras, DVD re- corders with hard disks, game consoles, etc. There are also micro disks-small hard disks for mobile phones, cameras and palmtop computers. These are powerful data media, which are mainly used to store media files. Optical data media and magnetic tapes-CD, DVD, LTO, DAT, etc. are mainly archiving media seldom used to store operative information, mainly due to the availability of easy-to-use flash drives. However, it is easy to make these data media illegible. As forensic experts, we are interested in the information stored in the memory of devices. Exam- ples of these are bankcard readers with modified extra memories, physical keyloggers in computer keyboards or self-made interception equipment. In addition to the above, we are also always prepared to help investigators in issues concerning video recordings or digital images with our expertise in forensic imaging (conversion, processing and improvement of the quality of video recordings in different formats, resolving the problems concerning the playback of video recordings, extraction of frames, answering questions about dig- ital images, searching data media and devices for the picture and video files relating to cases).