In addition to fulfilling our mission to provide medical examiner and crime laboratory services of the highest quality, in an unbiased manner, with uncompromised integrity, Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences (HCIFS) strives to serve our community in the following ways:
Future Forensic Scientists is an on-site day of learning for local middle and high school students. It's part of the Institute's week-long celebration of National Forensic Science Week, and it is our hope that by providing presentations from experts in all disciplines throughout the agency, these young people will be inspired to choose a career in forensics.
Missing in Harris County Day is an annual event hosted by Texas Center for the Missing that strives to help families find their missing loved ones. Partners include local law enforcement, NamUs, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and Texas EquuSearch. Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences assists with DNA collection and educating the public about how we identify decedents.
TIFS Annually, the Institute's Topic in Forensic Science Conference (TIFS) provides an educational forum for our law enforcement, medical, legal, and other criminal justice partners in Harris and neighboring counties. A different topic is explored each year and features presentations provided by the Institute's own forensic science experts and other leaders in the field.
TMORT is part of the Texas Emergency Medical Task Force, a response system led by the Texas Department of State Health Services. It draws assistance from medical examiners' offices, academic institutions, and private entities to help with scene investigations, morgue operations, victim identification, and other death investigation and medicolegal operations during man-made or natural disasters.