Continuing professional development

Forensic statisticians need to continue their personal and professional development. This can be done in several ways.

Most universities offer staff development programmes in which you may take short courses on almost anything, including computing software, presentational skills, management development and teaching skills. Even if you do not work in a university, at least some courses of a similar nature are likely to be available.

The statistical methods on which your work is based are also, of course, used in other application areas. You will probably find that there are conferences where the latest developments in these methods are explored; you might be able to submit papers or abstracts about your statistical work and attend the conferences, when you could have the opportunity to present your own papers as well as attend other presentations. Many conferences also have workshops in which you could participate. You are also likely to be encouraged to write up the statistical aspects of your work as formal papers for academic journals.

It will be extremely important to develop your communication skills, so that you can report your findings effectively to members of the police and legal professions, and all the more so if you will actually be appearing in court as an expert witness. It will also be important to gain some understanding of the legal system.

Your professional work as a statistician might well make it appropriate for you to seek the professional qualification of Chartered Statistician (CStat), which would give you a professional affiliation with the Royal Statistical Society.