SFMS objectives and functions

THE MAIN OBJECTIVES AND FUNCTIONS OF THE STATE FORENSIC MEDICINE SERVICE ACTIVITIES

In accordance with its Regulations, the main objectives of SFMS activities are as follows:

• to provide forensic medical services;
• ensure the training and improvement of forensic experts’ qualifications in their respective field, organize the provision of their qualifications and participate in the training process of forensic medical doctors;
• cooperate with scientific and educational institutions.

Aiming to achieve its operational goals, SFMS performs the following functions:

• provides forensic medical services;
• performs forensic medical expertise and examinations in accordance with the orders of the court, prosecutor's office or pre-trial investigation officers;
• performs forensic medical expertise and examinations at the requests of physical and legal persons following the order and in cases specified by the SFMS regulations for conducting forensic examinations;
• collects and manages information data required for forensic medical examinations, analyzes the causes of death;
• within the area of its competence, conducts personal and public health care.

At SFMS, forensic medical examinations are performed by forensic experts who have been granted the forensic expert qualification and entered in the list of forensic experts of the Republic of Lithuania.

SFMS ensures the training and improvement of forensic experts’ qualifications in their respective field by arranging the provision of their qualifications and participating in the training process of forensic medical doctors, i.e.:

• prepares forensic experts in their respective field in accordance with the legal knowledge program for persons seeking to become forensic experts and special forensic expert training programs;
• organizes and provides economical and technical assistance to the forensic experts qualifications commission;
• ensures suitable conditions for improving SFMS forensic medical experts’ qualifications;
• creates suitable conditions for the training of forensic medical doctors.

SFMS provides a training base for forensic medicine residency studies of the students of the Faculty of Medicine of Vilnius University under the residency programme of forensic medicine. The residents acquire professional skills at SFMS and, under the guidance of experienced SFMS professionals, acquire professional competences.

SFMS is engaged in research activities supporting forensic expertise activities, as well as in conducting applied research and methodological activities in the field of forensic medicine, and in the implementation of new research methods and scientific research-based technologies in expert practice, thus ensuring a high quality and timeliness of forensic medical expertise (examinations). SFMS conducts scientific research and applied scientific research activities in the field of biomedicine (B000), medicine (06B), forensic medicine (B770) and other areas of scientific research related to forensic medicine.

The main areas of SFMS scientific activity:

• Application of the latest biotechnologies in the development of modern research methodologies for medical and biological expertise;
• Determining the causes and time of death, using specific and complex tests, searching for new methodologies.

11 of SFMS employees have a doctoral (PhD) degree, 3 of them are granted pedagogical titles. The results of scientific activities are presented in completed scientific studies, scientific articles and reports, activity reports, scientific events, defended doctoral theses. SFMS scientific researchers participate in the training process of forensic medicine specialists, deliver lectures, organize seminars for students of Vilnius University, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Mykolas Romeris, Vytautas Magnus University and for officers of law enforcement institutions.

In accordance with its Regulations, SFMS ensures cooperation with research and educational institutions by:

• providing a scientific base for students of research and educational institutions, doctoral students, as well as lecturers and other specialists for their scientific activities;
• participating in scientific programs within the area of its competence;
• participating in the publishing of scientific journals, monographs, textbooks and other publications, organization and holding conferences, seminars on the application of special knowledge;
• preparing methodological recommendations and providing methodological assistance (information) to courts, the prosecutor's office and pre-trial investigation institutions on issues related to forensic medical expertise and the application of special knowledge.

SFMS cooperates with the state and municipal institutions, companies and organizations as well as foreign forensic medical expertise institutions and international organizations and participates in various international scientific programs and projects, it is a member of international organizations:

• the Baltic Medico-Legal Association (BMLA),
• the International Academy of Legal Medicine (IALM),
• the European Council of Legal Medicine (ECLM).

SFMS is a member of the Lithuanian Forensic Medicine Association.

Participation in the activities of international organizations is based on a common goal - the improvement and development of forensic medicine expert, scientific and educational activities in the context of the European Union, ensuring a high professional level and meeting the forensic medicine-related requirements.

Within the area of its competence, SFMS participates in the preparation of drafts of legal acts related to forensic medical expertise and examinations, analyses legal and natural persons’ complaints and requests in accordance with the established procedure, and performs other functions provided for by laws and other legal acts.