From 8 to 10 August 2022, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) delivered its Double Casting Course and handed over one Double Casting Kit and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for double casting procedures to Trinidad and Tobago.
Double casting increases the ability of forensic experts to make connections between crime and crime scenes. Double casting consists of making a silicone mold of a fired bullet or cartridge case and then, using the mold, creating a replica of that bullet /cartridge case. The duplicate can be used for ballistics imaging, microscope examination and comparison.
During the course, twelve officials from the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service and Forensic Science Centre learned about the practice of Double Casting and the importance of sharing relevant findings and information between national agencies and beyond. “[The course] provided a unique opportunity to dive further into an aspect of Forensic Science […] with regional cooperation in mind, and provide valuable intelligence to regional partners”, indicated a participant.
Double casts, or replica, of bullets and cartridges cases can be sent to other jurisdictions or countries in lieu of original evidence for comparison and potential linkage to other crimes, while preserving the chain of custody of the original evidence and enabling forensic laboratories to provide valuable investigative leads to police. It is also useful when a particular country or agency does not have access to an Automated Ballistics Identification System (ABIS).
The Double Casting course is based on INTERPOL’s Ballistics Information Network (IBIN) validated method but also allows scope for the use of other materials that provide satisfactory results. The SOP provided to participants includes a synopsis of several of the most common double casting procedures for use with ABIS and general comparison microscopy purposes.
UNLIREC, as one of three regional centres of the UN Office of Disarmament Affairs, seeks to advance arms control in Latin America and the Caribbean as part of its commitment to support Member States.
The Double Cast activities contribute towards the implementation of the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap, in particular Goal 2 “to reduce the illicit flow of firearms and ammunition into, within and beyond the region” and Goal 3, “Bolster law enforcement capacity to combat illicit firearms and ammunition trafficking and their illicit possession and misuse, and ammunition, and ultimately reducing firearms-related crimes and armed violence in the Caribbean.”
This activity was funded by the United States of America and contributes to the implementation of international arms control instruments, in particular the 2001 UN Programme of Action on Small Arms.
Participants reviewing the acquisition of a double cast and exhibit on an Automated Ballistics Identification System
On 3 and 4 August 2022, United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Directorate of Criminal Investigation of the Peruvian National Police (DIRCRI-PNP), held the first in-person edition of its Specialised Course on Firearms Investigations from a Gender Perspective (FIGP).
The course is aimed at sensitising participants on the importance of gender mainstreaming in crimes committed with firearms and strengthen their relevant technical knowledge about scientific methods of criminal investigations, as well as inter-institutional cooperation in these areas.
During the course, General Luis Miguel Gamarra Chavarry, Director of DIRCRI-PNP stressed the importance of developing gender-sensitive criminal investigation skills to solve crimes against women: “We consider it [this training] important because it allows us to examine the crime scene free from stereotypes, free from thoughts opposed to women, and to do an adequate job.” He highlighted the support of UNLIREC in capacity building to provide a better service to society: “This benefits the public because we are able to shed light on these crimes rather than the investigation being left in suspense; instead it allows us to identify the responsibility of individuals and supports the judiciary and the Public Prosecutor’s Office.”
Forty-one investigators and experts from different departments of the DIRCRI participated, including representatives from Ballistics and Forensic Explosives, Criminal Investigation, Criminalistic Inspections, Human Trafficking Investigation Division, Forensic Computer Graphic, among others.
What is FIGP?
The Specialised Course on Firearms Investigations from a Gender Perspective (FIGP) addresses both theoretical and technical aspects in criminal investigations and how gender mainstreaming, as a method of analysis, contributes to drawing conclusions free of stereotypes, based on technical and scientific research.
This was put into practice with an analysis of different cases to reflect how the absence of a gender perspective leads to the violation of rights of the victims and their families.
During the training, it was highlighted that firearms are used to commit different types of violence against women, so not only as a murder weapon, but also as an instrument to threaten, intimidate and coerce.
The importance of the correct handling of the crime scene and of firearms and ammunition as physical evidence, the need for a gender-sensitive investigation of crimes was also emphasised. Recommendations were shared and participants were urged to strengthen the coordination and cooperation between all actors involved in the different stages of the judicial investigation.
From 3 to 19 August 2022, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) delivered its Interdicting Small Arms, Ammunition, Parts and Components (ISAAPC) course in Jamaica for the first time. Twenty-seven (27) officials, including fourteen (14) women, from the Jamaica Constabulary Force, Jamaica Customs Agency and Port Security actively participated in the hybrid course.
Participants were trained on the fundamental aspects of X-ray technology as well as the technical specifications of small arms, their parts and components, ammunition, explosives, and less lethal weapons. Students benefited from virtual theoretical sessions and in-person practical presentations and exercises on the identification of firearms, their parts and components and ammunition. The course also included an interactive session on concealment methods being employed by traffickers in the region. Throughout the course, participants also trained on an X-ray simulation programme developed by the Centre for Adaptive Security Research and Applications (CASRA), to enhance and develop their capacities to detect illicit trafficking through X-ray scanners.
The ISAAPC course forms part of the technical assistance provided by UNLIREC under the Saving Lives Entity (SALIENT) Fund project which aims to reduce violence and the proliferation of illicit firearms in Jamaica. The course aims to strengthen the capacities of States to combat and prevent the illicit trafficking of small arms, ammunition and explosives that is carried out through postal shipments, packages, parcels and luggage at entry, exit, and transit points in the country.
This specialized course, developed in line with the 2001 UN Programme of Action on Small Arms, the Arms Trade Treaty and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in particular target 16.4, contributes towards regional efforts to prevent illicit trafficking of firearms and ammunition, thereby reducing firearms-related crimes and armed violence in the Caribbean. This course also contributes to the implementation of Goal 2 of the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap, entitled ‘Reduce the illicit flow of firearms and ammunition into, within and beyond the region’.
From 18 to 22 July 2022, 47 representatives from various areas and sectors involved in arms control and combatting small arms trafficking in the Dominican Republic participated in the Course on Combating Trafficking in Arms and Ammunition (CTAM), organised by the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) in a hybrid format.
The course provided national authorities with theoretical knowledge and technical tools to implement strategies seeking to prevent and combat the illicit trafficking of firearms and their ammunitions in line with international arms control instruments.
Representatives from the Interior and Police, Defence, Intelligence, Customs, the Attorney’s Office, the Ministry of International Affairs, Specialised Land Border Security Corps (CESFRONT), Body specialising in Airport Security and Civil Aviation (CESAC), the Dominican Postal Institute, among other institutions, participated and shared their experiences and challenges in addressing this problem.
The course included presentations by the Directorate General of Customs and CESFRONT, the Global Programme against Maritime Crime of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the Directorate for Democratic Security of the Central American Integration System (SICA).
For the Dominican Republic, as well as for other countries in the region, the illicit trafficking of firearms and ammunition poses a major threat to national and regional security. As a result, UNLIREC has developed the CTAM course for States in the region. It has been designed to strengthen State´s capacities in the fight against this transnational crime and also provides a space for interinstitutional exchanges, including on best practices, as well as for the development of international cooperation, which is essential in the fight against this crime.
UNLIREC supports the implementation of international commitments acquired by the Dominican Republic in the field of arms control.
The course CTAM was delivered in cooperation with the General Directorate of Customs of the Dominican Republic and was funded by the Government of Canada and the Federal Republic of Germany.
Haiti concluded the preparation of its National Action Plan (NAP) and a baseline assessment for the ‘Roadmap for Implementing the Caribbean Priority Actions on the Illicit Proliferation of Firearms and Ammunition across the Caribbean in a Sustainable Manner by 2030’ (Caribbean Firearms Roadmap), following a series of preliminary virtual sessions and four in-person roundtables organized by the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) over the past months.
Work on those milestone achievements culminated during the latest in-person visit by UNLIREC to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, from 12 to 14 July 2022. During the visit, UNLIREC support authorities to complete the assessment of standards and practices linked to Goal 4 of the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap, which seeks to systematically decrease the risk of diversion of firearms and ammunition from government- and non-government-owned arsenals. This includes work on the physical security and stockpile management of small arms.
Representatives of the Ministries of Justice, Interior, Foreign Affairs, Youth, Sports and Social action, the National Commission for Disarmament, Dismantlement and Reinsertion (also representing the Ministry of Defense), the Police, Customs, and the Port Authority showed great interest in the technical presentations delivered in this context and were given the opportunity to provide feedback on the national priorities identified during the overall NAP drafting process.
Work on the NAP had started earlier in 2022 and had garnered significant momentum during UNLIREC´s previous mission to Haiti in May. The final draft of the NAP is now being submitted for formal approval to the Prime Minister, after which the implementation phase of the Roadmap can begin, possibly as early as this year.
Haiti is the 12th country to complete the drafting process of a NAP which confirms States´ commitments to and priorities under the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap adopted in 2020 as a regional umbrella framework by all CARICOM States and the Dominican Republic. The Roadmap includes commitments to implement a series of Goals and actions to tackle illicit firearms trafficking and make the Caribbean a safer region.
UNLIREC´s support to Haiti is funded by the Governments of the United States and Germany and is carried out in close collaboration with the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH). In July 2022, the United Nations Security Council adopted resolution 2645 (2022) welcomed the Roadmap and requested relevant UN agencies, such as UNLIREC, to support Haitian national authorities in combating the illicit trafficking and diversion of arms and related materiel.
On 14 July, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) organized a virtual regional forum for Latin American countries which focused on measuring violence against women and the involvement and impact of firearms. During the forum, countries presented different initiatives and policies which assist with measuring the frequency and effects of firearms involved in violence against women.
The Women’s Office of the Supreme Court Justice of Argentina presented its methodology for documenting and analysing femicides which have been committed with firearms, while the General Directorate of Statistics and Censuses (DIGESTYC) of El Salvador highlighted the Gender Statistics Observatory. The Intersecta Organisation for Equality shared findings from a recent study on gender-based violence and firearms in Mexico, emphasizing the importance of complementary information sources alongside administrative reports, to better understand the actual magnitude of armed violence against women.
Similarly, the Centre of Excellence for Government Statistical Information, Public Security, Victimisation and Justice (UNODC-INEGI) presented a statistical framework for the measurability of femicides, while the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) focused its intervention on advances and challenges in measuring femicide rates in Latin America.
The event showcased the negative impacts of firearms when involved in different acts of violence against women and existing challenges on determining and counting femicides. Comprehensive data collection is vital for building an evidence base which should inform policy making in order to prevent and eliminate such violence.
Participants at the event included representatives working in arms control, security, the prevention of violence against women, gender, justice, statistics, and other public sectors and drew participation from Argentina, Columbia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Panama as well as representatives from the United Nations, regional organisations, and civil society.
