28/04/2020
Due to the lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the project is continuing its work with forensic laboratories by virtual means.
Picture from the National Institute of Toxicology and Forensic Sciences in Madrid
Honduras is working towards passing a new law that regulates the use of DNA databases. In order to do this, the forensic laboratory of the Honduran Public Ministry needs to work on the ISO accreditation process in the analysis of DNA in tissues and bone remains.
The ICRIME project supports the Honduran forensic laboratory in the preparation of the technical information supporting the proposal to achieve its legal objective. Regarding the latter, a virtual meeting was held in which they were made aware of the situation in Europe.
The European experience in relation to the different points the relevant legislation must regulate was presented by the head of the genetics service in the Barcelona Department of the National Institute of Toxicology and Forensic Sciences of Spain (INTCF).
Furthermore, the Spanish experience was shared with the National Commission for the Forensic Use of DNA (CNUFADN), headed up by the Ministry of Justice. Likewise, it brought together various experts from the legal, forensic, police and even university fields with the aim of analysing and making recommendations that can answer technical, legal or ethical questions not covered by the body of law, but that come up in relation to its application.
Since its creation in 2008, the CNUFADN has been responsible for accrediting forensic laboratories capable of contrasting genetic profiles for criminal investigation or identification purposes. This accreditation is carried out by developing official protocols for sampling, conservation, analysis and custody. It also addresses issues related to the sampling procedure, the use of DNA samples, and the criteria for entering and removing profiles into and from the database.
This activity carried out by the Commission is an experience that can be very enriching for the SICA countries, where the use of these databases is a practice which is still very much in its infancy.
ICRIME, financed by the European Union, is coordinated by the General Secretariat of SICA (SG-SICA) and is divided into 4 components whose results, two of which are managed by FIIAPP and by JCI , with the other two being overseen by AECID.
