Forensic Science Centre Ivan Vučetić, is an independent organizational unit of the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia. The Centre's fundamental task is to transform physical evidence collected from crime scenes into legally valid material evidence.
As a unique forensic institution in Croatia, it conducts forensic expertise for almost all types of criminal offenses. Over more than seven decades, the Centre has evolved into a modern institution comparable to leading European and global forensic institutes.
Daily operations involve cutting-edge technology and a wide range of methods for processing physical traces. The Centre’s scope of work covers nearly all areas of forensic expertise and testing, including:
- Dactyloscopic examinations (fingerprint identification);
- Biological examinations (DNA analysis);
- Contact trace analysis (fibers);
- Narcotics and toxicology testing (drugs and alcohol in blood and urine);
- Chemical-physical examinations (paint, glass, rubber, fires, and explosions);
- Document and handwriting analysis;
- Firearms expertise (short and long firearms);
- Mechanical trace analysis (burglary and tool marks);
- SEM/EDX methods for gunshot residue (GSR);
- Traffic and mechanical-technological expert evaluations.
The Centre maintains the National DNA Database and the AFIS (Automated Fingerprint Identification System). It also manages a collection of bullets and cartridge cases from unsolved crimes in Croatia, which is digitized and searchable via automated ballistic systems (IBIS and Condor).
Since 1998, the Centre has been a full member of ENFSI (European Network of Forensic Science Institutes), the umbrella organization representing over 70 national forensic institutes from 39 countries, promoting high standards in forensic science.
Committed to quality and reliability, the Centre has established a quality management system in accordance with international HRN EN ISO/IEC 17025 standards and the ILAC-G19 guide for forensic laboratories, ensuring operational precision and user satisfaction.
In the field of research and development, the Centre has achieved significant results. Numerous scientific and professional papers, as well as doctoral and master's theses, have been published in the fields of biomedicine, technical, biotechnical, and natural sciences. The Centre employs many Masters of Science and PhDs, several of whom hold senior scientific titles and have achieved professional maturity within its specialized environment.
Director of FSC:
dr. sc. Andrea Ledić, mag. chem.
Assistant director:
dr.sc. Maja Jelena Čop
Dražen Mayka
Departments:
Fingerprint Department
Chief: Ivanka Mavrek
Biology and Fibres Department
Chief: Adela Makar
Chemical-Physical and Toxicological Department
Traceology Department
Chief: Berislav Barišić-Jaman
The Case Evidence Department
Chief: Nevenka Škavić
Digital forensics Deprtment
