Closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras can now be found in homes and businesses all over Guyana. The challenge of the proliferation of video evidence requires a response from all justice sectors. Investigators, Police Prosecutors, prosecutors within the Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Magistrates and
Canadian expert Brett Hallgreen discusses processing video surveillance evidence and Judge Michael Hicks explains its use in court (bottom right) at the Forensic Video Analysis Seminar, in Georgetown
representatives from the Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory (GFSL) benefited from a two-day seminar on November 29 and 30, 2016. Hosted in Guyana, the seminar was held under the Canadian funded ‘Strengthening the Criminal Justice System in Guyana’ project and was in keeping with the project’s objective to develop the technical capacity of the Police, Police Prosecutors, State Prosecutors and Magistrates to collect, analyse and present forensic evidence as a means of decreasing impunity rates.
The focus of the seminar was to also introduce technology being used in the newly established Forensic Video Units at the Guyana Police Force and Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory. Further, the seminar provided the opportunity for cross sector understanding of the various role and functions with the introduction of forensic video evidence.
Through this project, the Justice Education Society (JES) of British Columbia has provided training and equipment to both the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Forensic Science Laboratory. The two agencies are establishing units with standardised operational procedures.
According to Evelyn Neaman, Guyana Project Manager of JES, the society’s experience with justice reform initiatives in other countries is that it is imperative that the different sectors of the justice system understand how this evidence is extracted, processed and secured and how it will be used in court.
The seminar included an overview of best practices in collecting video evidence and presenting and assessing video evidence at trial. The seminars are being delivered by Canadian experts, Judge Michael Hicks (retired) and Forensic Video Analysis Expert Brett Hallgreen.
JES is a Canadian non–profit organisation with an impressive record of improving the effectiveness of justice systems in Canada and around the world. The Guyana project is being implemented in collaboration with the Public Security and Legal Affairs Ministries, as well as the Office of the Chancellor of the Judiciary, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the GPF.
