Latin America: ICITAP Webinar Supports Accreditation of Forensic DNA Laboratories

On June 3, ICITAP-Mexico, with the assistance of ICITAP-HQ, hosted the first in a series of WebEx conferences designed to assist forensic experts in accredited and non-accredited forensic laboratories across Mexico and the rest of Latin American by addressing the top ten non-conformities found by accrediting bodies on accreditation inspections or surveillance visits. This first one-hour webinar, dedicated to DNA analysis, was conducted by ICITAP-Mexico DNA experts joined by an additional expert from the Fiscalía General del Estado de Chihuahua.  The presenters have served as technical assessors in multiple accreditation audits within Mexico, and in some cases the United States, Central and South America.  Over the course of 45 minutes, each of the presenters addressed frequently observed non-conformities with respect to the applicable standards issued by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The presenters offered relevant examples for all laboratories and suggested actions to resolve each one.  The remainder of the webinar was dedicated to answering questions from the participants.  The great experience of these presenters working with ICITAP under the Merida Initiative provided an excellent foundation for this webinar, which was attended by no less than 352 experts from across Mexico, Central America, South America, the United States (including Puerto Rico), and Spain. In Mexico, ICITAP works with the support of and in coordination with the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).