An analysis of the standardisation of forensic reports for court

Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine the standardisation and conformance of the forensic reports issued by the South African Police Service Division Forensic Service in accordance with the service’s Standard Operating Procedure on report writing, and to outline the basic requirements for a forensic report in conjunction with the pre-requisites of the Criminal Procedure Act, 51 of 1977, and other prescribed prescripts. Data was collected through interviews conducted with forensic analysts attached to the Forensic Science Laboratory and Quality Management Components which includes the Ballistics, Biology, Chemistry and Questioned Documents Sections. These interviews provided a first-hand understanding of participants’ experiences relating to the standardisation of the forensic reports issued by the Division Forensic Service. The findings of the research indicate the forensic reports issued by the various sections of the Division Forensic Service are not standardised for court purposes. Furthermore, it was discovered that these forensic reports do not comply with the requirements of the Criminal Procedure Act, 51 of 1977. In addition, it was found that the Standard Operating Procedure on report writing does not effectively communicate procedures for writing a forensic report. Based on these findings, this study proposes general and fundamental recommendations by means of a proposed framework for the standardisation of forensic reports used for court purposes. This proposed framework convincingly presents practical solutions to address the identified shortcomings of forensic reports used for court purposes and thus contributes to the current body of scholarship on forensic science.

Maikemišetšo a nyakišišo ye ke go sekaseka tekanetšo le tšhomišo ya maemo ao a beilwego go dipego tša forensiki tšeo di ntšhitšwego ke ba Lefapha la Tirelo ya Forensiki la Tirelo ya Maphodisa ya Afrika Borwa go ya ka Maemo a Tshepedišo ao a Beilwego a go ngwala dipego, le go hlalosa dinyakwa tša motheo tša pego ya forensiki gammogo le dinyakwa tša pele tša Molao wa Tshepetšo ya Bosenyi, 51 wa 1977, le melawana e mengwe ye e beilwego. Datha e kgobokeditšwe ka dipoledišano tšeo di dirilwego le basekaseki ba forensiki ba Laporatori ya Saense ya Forensiki le Mafapha a Taolo ya Boleng, ao a akaretšago Dipalistiki, Paelotši, Khemistri le Tlhahlobo ya Dikarolo tša Tokomane ya forensiki. Dipoledišano tše di laeditše maitemogelo a batšeakarolo ka maemo ao a beilwego a go ngwala dipego tša forensiki tšeo di ntšhitšwego ke ba Lefapha la Tirelo ya Forensiki. Dikutollo tša nyakišišo di laetša gore dipego tša forensiki tšeo di ntšhitšwego ke dikarolo tša go fapana tša Lefapha la Tirelo ya Forensiki ga se tša lekanetšwa go ka šomišwa Kgorotsheko. Go tlaleletša se, go utolotšwe gore dipego tše tša forensiki ga di obamele dinyakwa tša Molao wa Tshepetšo wa Bosenyi, 51 wa 1977. Gape go utolotšwe gore Maemo a Tshepedišo ao a Beilwego a go ngwala pego ga e laetše tshepedišo ya go ngwala pego ya forensiki. Go ya ka diphihlelelo tše, nyakišišo ye e šišinya mokgwakakaretšo wa motheo wa tshepedišo le ka go šomiša tlhako ye e šišinywago go bea maemo a go ngwala dipego tša forensiki tšeo di šomišwago go kgorotsheko. Tlhako ye e šišintšwego e tšweletša ditharollo tše di ka šomišwago go rarolla mafokodi ao a lemogilwego go dipego tša forensiki tšeo di šomišwago ka kgorotsheko, gomme e tsenya letsogo go lekgotla la bjale la thekgo ya mašeleng a dithuto tša saense ya forensiki.

Inhloso yalolu cwaningo ukubheka indlela yokusebenza ngokulandela amazinga kanye nokulandelwa kwawo kwimibiko yeforenziki ekhishwa ngabe-South African Police Service Division Forensic Service ngokulandela izinga lenqubo yokusebenza eyaziwa ngokuthi yi-Standard Operating Procedure ekubhalweni kwemibiko, kanye nokuchaza izidingo zokuqala kumbiko weforenziki ngokuhambisana nezidingo zokuqala zomthetho wenqubo yamacala obugebengu i-Criminal Procedure Act, 51 ka 1977 kanye nezinye izinto ezibekiwe okumele zilandelwe. Ulwazi luqokelelwe ngokwenza ama-interview kanye nohlaziyo lweforenziki etholakala e-Forensic Science Laboratory and Quality Management Components ebandakanya ucwaningo ngezibhamu i-Ballistic, iBayoloji, iChemistry kanye nezigaba zamadokhumende emibuzo i-Questioned Documents Sections. Lama-interview ahlinzeka ngokuqondisisa ngezipiliyoni zababambiqhaza mayelana nokwenza imibiko yeforenziki ngokulandela amazinga akhishwe ngabe-Division Forensic Service. Okutholakele kucwaningo kukhombisa ukuthi imibiko yeforenziki ekhishwa yizigaba ezehlukene zabe-Division Forensic Service ayihlelekanga ngokwamazinga afanele ngenhloso yezinkambiso zezikantolo. Kanti okunye, kutholakale ukuthi le mibiko yeforenziki ayilandeli izidingo zenqubo yomthetho wamacala obugebengu, i-Criminal Procedure Act, 51 of 1977. Nangaphezu kwalokho, kutholakale ukuthi inqubo yamazinga okusebenzi i-Standard Operating Procedure ngokubhala imibiko ayichazi kahle ngokucacile amaprosija okubhala imibiko yeforenziki. Ngokulandela lokhu okutholakele, lolu cwaningo lubeka izincomo ezinabile nezibalulekile ngokuphakamisa uhlaka lokwenza imibiko yeforenziki ngokulandela amazinga, ukusetshenziselwa izinhloso zenkambiso yezinkantolo. Uhlaka oluphakanyiswayo luletha izinqumo ezibambekayo ngokubhekana nokuxega kwemibiko yeforenziki, ngenhloso yezinkambiso zezinkantolo, ngakho-ke luthela esivivaneni kwinqubo ye-scholarship ngesayense yeforenziki.