…extends support for Criminal Justice System

NOT only has the United States (US) Embassy hailed the ‘Strengthen the Criminal Justice System’ project in Guyana as successful, but it has agreed to a five-year extension of funding to the project to the tune of US $1.7M.

The extension of financial support comes through the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) and will initially see an additional US$850,000 going to the project.

Over the years, the ‘Strengthen the Criminal Justice System’ project has resulted in recorded successes in new crime-fighting strategies of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) adopted through the project. It works to improve the investigation of crime scenes; case preparation; trial advocacy and media and public support for justice system reform.

It also aims to develop the capacity of the Guyanese criminal justice system to collect and analyse CCTV camera digital evidence recorded at a crime scene. The Department of State’s INL Bureau launched the Strengthening of the Criminal Justice System in Guyana project in September 2016.

It is being implemented by the Justice Education Society (JES) of British Columbia, Canada. In response to requests by the Guyana Police Force, the project continues enable the Force to improve the capacity of GPF ranks to conduct investigations of major crimes and to interview witnesses and suspects in major crime cases.

“The project will continue to build the capacity of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), and other justice sector entities through training and technical assistance,” a release from the embassy stated.

“Beginning in 2016, and with an original end date of 2019, the project, so far, has built the GPF’s nascent forensic video analysis (FVA) capacity. The GPF has used FVA methodology and equipment in the successful prosecution of several cases. Additionally, the project has provided training and technical assistance in case management, including major crimes, crime scene management, evidence management and chain of custody, and law enforcement supervisory skills.”

The US Embassy stated it notes the work of the government to ensure the security of its citizens, counter transnational crime, and increase effective and timely prosecutions. Indicating that it is pleased to collaborate with Guyana on these efforts, the embassy added: “By the end of this project, the Embassy intends for Guyana to have a cadre of police officers and justice sector officials who will successfully pursue and complete effective evidence-based prosecutions.”