Costa Rica: DOJ Office of Public Affairs Highlights ICITAP-Supported Achievement in Forensics

On September 3, the Department of Justice’s Public Affairs Office highlighted the role of ICITAP and the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) in Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Department (OIJ) forensic laboratory being awarded the 2021 FORESIGHT Maximus Award in recognition of operating at 90% peak efficiency when compared to other participating laboratories. https://twitter.com/USDOJ_Intl/status/1433784596815036417  FORESIGHT is a business-guided self-evaluation of forensic science laboratories in the United States and other participating countries. Only fifteen laboratories were recognized and Costa Rica was the only foreign laboratory.  The full list of awardees can be found on the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors’ (ASCLD) website linked here.  ASCLD | 2021 Foresight Maximus Awards Announced  Part of this success can be attributed to training and guidance in the application of lean six sigma practices to forensic processes provided by ICITAP’s forensic assistance program. The project has allowed the OIJ laboratory to provide reliable results through internationally accreditation while reducing the turnaround around time for results. A detailed description of the project and its impact was shared by OIJ laboratory staff in the ICITAP webinar linked here.  Webinar - Lean Six Sigma for Forensics and the Costa Rican Experience