U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP) ICITAP’S FORENSICS EXPERTISE LAW ENFORCEMENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS FACT SHEET ICITAP is a leader in the outcomes driven. Program Current Programs delivery of forensics develop- areas include: laboratory ment assistance worldwide. management; process Central Am. Indonesia ICITAP’s forensic experts improvement; technology (regional) Iraq design and guide assistance enhancement; professional Colombia Mexico to foreign laboratories that development of forensic East Africa Somalia advance their ability to personnel; and facility design (regional) support critical investigations and improvement. ICITAP by providing reliable forensic programs also aim to support after U.S. assistance ends. evidence in a timely manner and integrate with broader that in turn promotes public justice sector reform Process Improvement confidence in the criminal initiatives in the host nation. While accreditation supports justice system. the production of reliable Laboratory Management results, forensic laboratories ICITAP’s efforts play a Achieving accreditation is a need to provide those results critical role in facilitating long process that requires in a timely manner to provide information sharing and planning and development of maximum impact on criminal interoperability between a quality assurance program. investigations. foreign counterparts and ICITAP’s senior forensic U.S. law enforcement. For advisors are experienced To support timely results, this reason, ICITAP focuses managers. They mentor host ICITAP provides support in its support on accreditation country forensic managers in implementing lean six sigma under standards from the all aspects of laboratory practices in forensic International Organization for management and guide them laboratories. With ICITAP Standardization (ISO) which through the change support, the forensic ensures the reliability of management tactics required laboratory in Costa Rica forensic evidence, and its in the accreditation process. implemented a lean six usefulness in prosecuting sigma program with cases in other jurisdictions, To support leadership significant impact. Following including the United States. development, ICITAP the training, the laboratory partnered with the American reduced the number of cases Countries with ICITAP- Society of Crime Laboratory backlogged more than three assisted Accredited Directors (ASCLD) to provide months by 97% and their Laboratories the first international delivery average turnaround time of their Leadership Academy from four months to one Algeria Indonesia in Mexico where ICITAP is month. Brazil Kosovo supporting the effort to Bulgaria Mexico accredit all Mexican state Technology Colombia Panama forensic laboratories. With Enhancement Costa Rica Uzbekistan strong Mexican leadership, Modern instrumentation and Egypt Ukraine accredited laboratories will forensic databases are soon be the norm rather than essential tools for extracting Comprehensive the exception. In addition, information from physical Approach ICITAP has developed a evidence. ICITAP begins ICITAP’s comprehensive cadre of Latin American every new forensic program approach to its forensic accreditation auditors to with an assessment of the assistance is sustainable and ensure sustainability long country’s current capabilities CONTACT ICITAP AT 202-305-8190 APRIL 2020 and develops a technology ICITAP also integrates host ICITAP Forensics enhancement plan that can country personnel into the Expertise be sustained by the host international forensics country. The plan often community by sponsoring ICITAP’s headquarters includes support for instru- their attendance at forensics professionals mentation upgrades conferences and encourag- possess decades of including proper validation, in ing participation in technical experience working in state line with ISO standards, working groups. This is and federal laboratories. necessary to demonstrate critical to establishing cen- ICITAP partners with foren- that the new techniques and ters of excellence in the host sic experts from federal law methodologies being country and long-term enforcement agencies and implemented are reliable. sustainability of forensic from state and private labs capabilities. to deliver the full range of ICITAP provides assistance forensic development establishing fingerprint, DNA, Facilities Enhancement services. and ballistics databases, and To meet international ensures that databases are standards, laboratory investigators and forensic compatible with interna- facilities must be secure, professionals in the tionally accepted formats. support sophisticated exhumation of remains from ICITAP frequently supports instrumentation, and be mass graves and DNA the FBI’s donation of their designed to prevent the con- analysis of bone samples. CODIS DNA database tamination of evidence. The software by providing facility should also provide a In Kenya, ICITAP mentoring on managing the safe work environment for implemented a sexual database and quality personnel. ICITAP provides assault forensic examiner assurance measures to advice on designing new or program, which resulted in ensure its integrity. ICITAP renovating existing the largest hospital in the also supports the launch of laboratories. country implementing a 24/7 laboratory information man- on-call schedule for nurses agement systems (LIMS) to In Kosovo, ICITAP worked and clinical officers to ensure the integrity of the with the U.S. Department of respond to patients reporting chain of custody required for State to design and build an sexual violence. admission of evidence in entirely new forensic criminal trials. laboratory. In Costa Rica, About ICITAP ICITAP provided guidance ICITAP works with foreign Personnel Development on an expansion of the DNA governments to develop ICITAP provides forensic section which can allow for professional and transparent training and technical future creation of a convicted law enforcement institutions assistance both through for- offender database. that protect human rights, mal courses on scientific the- combat corruption, and ory and through hands-on Justice Sector Reform reduce the threat of instruction in the host country ICITAP’s forensics transnational crime and labs. When possible, ICITAP assistance programs are terrorism. ICITAP supports utilizes federal forensic designed to support the both national security and experts to encourage long- broader justice sector reform foreign policy objectives. lasting peer to peer goals and are integrated into relationships. For example, existing justice sector ICITAP is funded by and in Algeria, a visiting federal development programs. works in partnership with the handwriting expert not only Department of State, USAID, delivered training, but In Colombia, ICITAP Department of Defense, and learned further about the supports efforts to prosecute the Department of Homeland intricacies of Arabic those responsible for forced Security. handwriting, which allowed disappearances and killings her to be more effective on fueled by decades of conflict. future U.S. investigations. ICITAP has trained ICITAP’S FORENSICS EXPERTISE APRIL 2020 .