Exploring underutilisation of local criminal record centre for fingerprints investigation in Secunda

Abstract

The responsibility of the Local Criminal Record Centre (LCRC) in the South African Police Service (SAPS) is to provide evidence in court by means of fingerprints obtained from the crime scene. When the LCRC is not utilised accordingly, justice is compromised, and criminals run free in the streets. The LCRC is not fully performing its responsibility as per its mandate due to unforeseen hindrances that come into play during the reporting of a crime. Research is necessary to uncover such hindrances. The main reason in this research was to explore the underutilisation of the LCRC for fingerprint investigation in Secunda. The focus was on exposing the setbacks or causal factors of the underutilisation of the LCRC in order to address them for the improvement of the utilisation of the LCRC at crime scenes. The research sought to highlight importance of LCRC in the crime investigation. It is as well to emphasise the need for SAPS to activate the LCRC where fingerprint collection is required at the crime scene. The motivation of this study is that the LCRC, Client Service Centre (CSC), Crime Prevention, the Department of Justice and the community at large might not be aware of all the hindrances of the LCRC in performing its duty. This follows the fact that during the Crime Combat Committee Forum (CCCF), the commander of the LCRC is also expected to address the problem of the underutilisation of the unit to the station commanders. The station commanders should therefore address the issue with the shift commanders in order to alert the members about the importance of fingerprints in the crime scene investigation. They should consider fingerprint department each time when fingerprints are needed. This study used qualitative research approach in interviews which were used as a method to data collection. The sample was composed of 40 participants sampled from the three sub-branches of the SAPS which are CSC, Crime Prevention, and LCRC (forensic experts). This study explored the underutilisation of the LCRC at crime scenes. The study was able to pinpoint setbacks and also came up with suggestions on how the utilisation of the LCRC for fingerprints investigation can be improved. Through the themes that emerged during data analysis, this study found out that there is little knowledge and a pressing need for awareness that should focus on the meaning, importance and necessity of fingerprints during the investigation of crime. The study realised that justice is a constitutional right for all. If the LCRC could be fully utilised as per the recommendations of this study, then the successful prosecution and justice could be obtained for all.