Mexico: ICITAP-Mentored Forensic Sciences Institute Recognized for International Accreditation

On February 11, in a special ceremony held in Guadalajara by the Jalisco General Coordinator for Public Safety and attended by the U.S. Consul General, the Instituto Jalisciense de Ciencias Forenses (IJCF) was recognized for the continued ISO/IEC 17020 and 17025 international accreditations of six core forensic disciplines. The U.S. Consul General and ICITAP-Mexico’s Attaché presented certificates of accreditation to the Institute Director and to the General Coordinator of Public Safety. ICITAP has worked with the IJCF from 2016, providing training, technical assistance and mentoring to the personnel and leadership of the Institute, which elevated the State of Jalisco in 2018 to be the second Mexican state internationally accredited in six core disciplines: Genetics, Chemistry, Ballistics, Fingerprints, Questioned Documents and Crime Scene Inspection. ICITAP-Mexico’s main mission is to work hand-in-hand with INL under the Merida Initiative, partnered with state and federal forensic laboratories in these six main scientific disciplines and Forensic Medicine managing a program of evaluation, training, technical assistance and mentoring aimed at bringing these laboratories to sustained ISO/IEC 17020 and/or 17025 international accreditation. To date, under this program, 13 states and the federal government have accredited 74 forensic specialties, with Puebla, Aguascalientes, Jalisco and Guanajuato as the first four states with sustained accreditation in all six core disciplines.  ICITAP-Mexico also conducts a sister program designed to enhance testimonial outcomes, which prepares experts, analysts and investigators to work closely with the prosecutor in pre-trial preparation. In Mexico, ICITAP works with the support of and in coordination with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).