Mexico: ICITAP Hosts 5th Annual International Forensic Sciences Symposium

During the week of September 7-10, 2021, ICITAP-Mexico’s Forensics and Courtroom Competency Training programs hosted the fifth annual Forensic Sciences Symposium (virtual) with as many as 400 national and international attendees each day. Opening remarks on this four-day virtual event were delivered by the ICITAP Director; the head of the Criminal Investigation Agency of the Federal Attorney General’s Office in Mexico; the INL-Mexico Director; and The General Director for the Laboratory Services of the FGR. US presenters included an Assistant U.S. Attorney, who focused on homicide cases and DNA; the Director of Forensic Anthropology Center of the University of Tennessee, an FBI Special Supervisory Agent within the Operational Technology Division (OTD), and three representatives from the ANSI National Accreditation Board. Presenters also included distinguished State Attorney’s Generals from Yucatán, Baja California Sur, and Durango, superior court judges from Jalisco and Puebla, as well as expert presenters from 17 different Mexican states. Members of the ICITAP-Mexico and INL-Mexico team also presented during the week. The themes included the examination of success cases, the development of intelligence using digital sources, incorporation of DNA evidence and anthropology in the investigation of clandestine grave sites, accreditation regulatory updates, cybersecurity investigations, and the impact of oral testimony. The symposium also included breakout sessions for each of the seven forensic disciplines plus one more for Quality Assurance. Closing remarks were delivered by the ICITAP-Mexico Law Enforcement Assistance Attaché and a representative of the INL-Mexico office.