They suggest forensic reform: what would change and why

Among the changes that have been proposed to the various regulatory entities in the country, Attorney General’s Office is one of those that can have the most changes, at least in the medium term can “lose” one of the most important dependencies in terms of research, we are talking about National Institute of Forensic Medicine and Forensic Sciences. A bill will be presented today historical charterThe entity intends to focus on researching and clarifying the cases of the disappeared, estimated at 120,000 people in the country, leading to the repair and renovation of this forensic laboratory.

The initiative seeks for the entity to become independent, in fact, it will act as another institution that is part of the judiciary, but with its own legal status, its own assets and independence from a technical and financial point of view. He would even stop calling it legal medicine, to be known as National Scientific Technical Institute for Forensic Sciences.

according to Law 938 of 2004in Articles 34, 35 and 36, the entity is said to be related to prosecutionintervention at the national level, but that’s exactly what this reform seeks to change, according to the Senate senator. Historic Charter, Gustavo Bolivargiving you more transparency in the operations you perform.

“The Institute of Forensic Medicine is today an annex to the Office of the Public Prosecutor and this does not guarantee transparency, nor does it guarantee the credibility of the judicial system, because in a country where, unfortunately, corruption and political influence abound, well, we have seen how by being appointed directly by the Attorney General, in any Earlier or in the future, the Director of Forensic Medicine is the one who should ensure the country transparency of forensic investigations, and this can be subject to some kind of manipulation, so to avoid that, what we do is create an independent entity, so that from now on the Institute is called National Scientific-Technical Institute of Forensic Sciences, which leads to the transformation of the entire institute, its separation from the prosecutor’s office and work on the formation of an institute to provide guarantees to victims, who do not see speed and speed in identifying bodies, for example, in exhuming the bodies of the disappeared, etc. ‘,” the senator explained while introducing the bill.

Contrary to the last point referred to Gustavo Bolivarthe bill aims to create an identification office for victims of armed conflict, thus improving mechanisms and improving processes on corpses, and even giving them space within the cemeteries themselves to carry out their criminal act.

The initiative reveals a lack of coverage, since out of the country’s 1122 municipalities, the entity has only about 2,270 officials, who were barely able to cover just over 10% of the national territory.

The main idea is to simplify the victim identification processes. prevent interference prosecutionrenovation of the plant and facilities, which would partially relieve the congestion of the judicial system and the accusation, but at the same time give him complete autonomy in his judgments and appointments.

The Institute currently has a portfolio of more than a dozen professional services, including forensic, psychiatric, psychiatric, justice, and reparations issues:

“It is important to note that our laboratories also answer inquiries and provide advice on matters of interest to them, to prosecution units, courts and other competent authorities, and act as the verification and oversight body for expert evidence and forensic examinations conducted by state judicial police bodies and other agencies at the request of the authority. Competent ”, explains the entity, stressing that all this is provided free of charge.

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