KABUL, Afghanistan - Forensics — just a few years ago, the general population did not know the meaning of the word. But today, due in no small part to the popularity of investigative television serials and reality shows, the word now has a permanent place in our vernacular.
What many people do not know is that the Afghan Criminal Techniques Academy in Parwan teaches these cutting-edge investigative techniques to its students, 22 of which graduated May 5.
After implementing lessons learned from the forensic-teaching facilities established in Iraq, the U.S. designed the Afghan National Forensic Development Program, culminating in ACTA, which welcomed its first students in November 2011.
“Forensic” literally means to use science to answer legal questions. A myriad of science disciplines come together to process and analyze evidence to be used in a court of law.
“Forensic evidence in the courtroom can represent the scientific truth regardless of sex, age or social status of the defendant,” said NATO Rule of Law forensics director Maj. George Brown. “Forensics can be used to identify the guilty but, perhaps more importantly, forensics can be used to exonerate the innocent and also serve as a deterrent to potential criminals.”
One intriguing form of evidence requiring forensic analysis is DNA. DNA can often be retrieved from crime scenes, victims and suspects, and often provides powerful evidence for or against the criminally accused.
“DNA evidence is very important,” explained Dr. Abdul Ahad Saifi, a student at the academy currently studying DNA analysis. He explained that DNA evidence is now more acceptable in Afghanistan because Afghan judges are becoming better educated on the reliability of the scientific discipline.
ACTA DNA Instructor and Analyst Brittin McMahon said the DNA students at ACTA already hold doctorate degrees in various disciplines of science, but to be fully qualified as DNA subject matter experts, they must train for two years at the academy. Another discipline taught at ACTA is firearms and tool mark analysis. This science allows for the examination and comparison of objects and can be used to discern, among other things, whether two items share common characteristics.
“No two barrels have been found to leave the same marks,” said Kevin Lattyak, ACTA firearms and tool mark examiner and instructor, regarding imprints left on a bullet after being fired from a gun. “You never compare a bullet to a barrel,” he explained. “You compare a bullet to a bullet.”
Through the use of a comparison microscope, Lattyak teaches students how to identify individual markings left by tools or other impact-producing processes such as the operation of a firearm.
“It’s like a high-pressure metal press,” Lattyak described.
But forensic investigation goes far beyond analysis of DNA and matching tool marks. Latent print analysis, photography, document analysis and digital forensics are only some of the ways science is used to build a criminal case, all of which are taught at the academy, with even more subjects in development.
“Trace chemical [analysis] is in the developmental stages of being added to the Afghan National Forensic Development Program,” said Brown. This discipline could be utilized to identify and analyze residual evidence in any number of crime scene scenarios.
Once trained in these various forensic disciplines, graduates look forward to playing an integral role in the fledgling, new justice system in Afghanistan. A cornerstone of sovereignty, a trustworthy, principled judiciary based in fact and evidence is vital to a stable future for Afghanistan.
With full agreement from his classmates, and with the future of Afghanistan in mind, Dr. Ahad said “We try to do our best to help our country.”
| Date Taken: | 05.15.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 05.15.2012 04:23 |
| Story ID: | 88432 |
| Location: | KABUL, AF |
| Web Views: | 776 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, CSI: Afghanistan, by MSgt Dorian Chapman, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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