Forensic Science

Initial situation

Following the death of his father in the Central African Republic, the teacher wanted to call on a forensic pathologist to analyze the cause of death. He realized that there were very few forensic doctors in Africa and that they were not trained in autopsies. He therefore decided to create a training program for African doctors and actors in the judicial sector. The absence of technical platforms in Africa led him to choose to offer this training in Geneva, which would combine theoretical contributions and practical observations.

Project implementation

This training, which is exclusively for African participants for the moment, takes place over a semester. Most of the learning takes place at a distance due to the professional constraints of the participants (doctors, magistrates and police officers). They only come to Geneva for a period of one month during which they follow 4 modules and do a practical training. The sending of a syllabus before the beginning of the semester allows the participants to update themselves on the contents that do not correspond to their profession.

During the month-long face-to-face course, participants will take part in four thematic modules, each lasting five days. During these, they acquire the essential theoretical knowledge, but also analyze practical cases, situation studies and visit institutions. The 1ère part concerns forensic medicine and takes place in Geneva. During this module, the participants attend, for example, the autopsy of a body, its digitization as well as the digitization of weapons in order to carry out a search for a match. This presentation allows them to discover a practice based on scientific research of evidence and to question their own practice. eDuring the second week, they discover forensic science at the Savatan Police Academy and the School of Criminal Sciences of the University of Lausanne. Forensic experts show participants how to manage a crisis, set up a crisis unit, secure a crime scene and investigate. The 3e week is dedicated to the legal part during which they learn about the role and the stakes of forensic medicine in national and international justice as well as in the field of transitional justice. Finally, during the last module, the emphasis is placed on project development and fundraising for forensic projects. The teacher’s goal is to show the participants the necessary materials and the ways to obtain them. To do this, he teaches them how to apply for funds, but also explains that a 3D printer, for example, can meet certain needs. Each of these modules is evaluated. The module leaders choose the form of the assessment: a homework assignment, a tabletop assignment or an oral with preparation and discussion.

The last week in Geneva is dedicated to a 40-hour practical training in a specialized institution. The participants choose where they wish to go according to their profession and their interests. The contact with the institutions and professionals is established by the teachers. They may be doctors in the UNIGE’s faculty of forensic medicine or in penitentiary institutions, magistrates at the public prosecutor’s office in Geneva or Lausanne, police officers at the police academy, lawyers in international NGOs, etc.

This week of internship leads to the final thesis, which takes the form of a dissertation for which the students have three months to write. They write on the theme of their choice in relation to their daily work, the integration of forensic science in it, but also crisis management or forensic medicine.

Thoughts and advice

The program aims to train African doctors and actors from the judicial sector as well as those from civil society in the field of law, forensic science and medicine in order to enable them to acquire essential basic knowledge. Two objectives are targeted by this training: to train these multidisciplinary professionals, but also to induce a change of mentality in order to make the participants actors of change and make health and justice evolve in Africa.

In terms of organization, the teacher emphasizes the need to have multidisciplinary members on the steering committee. Indeed, since the teacher has a background in law, his contacts with professionals make it easier for him to organize the legal part. In order to emphasize the practical aspect that is essential to the training, it is necessary to know professionals from different backgrounds and it is on this point that the steering committee can help if it is composed of heterogeneous members.

Student feedback

At the end of each module, students complete an evaluation form before returning home. “I would like to express once again, my warm thanks to the initiators of this training for all the means implemented for its success. I would like them to mobilize again the means so that other Africans can participate in this very enriching training, which highlights the multidisciplinary nature of forensic medicine, the interactivity between law, forensic medicine and forensic sciences in the service of the truth in general, and in particular of the judicial truth. “[The strong points of this course are:] The work environment, the quality of the teachers, the diversity of the profiles of the listeners which allows a sharing of experience. The accessibility of the teachers.” “The modules are very well thought out. The work at the police academy and the modules in Lausanne at the Institute of Forensic Sciences [are strong points]. The fact that the modules are intensive. The presence of experts from different fields.” “The highlights of this program were the very rewarding exchanges/sharing between the trainers and participants.”