Editorial | The crime scene

Rifling through the pockets of a gravely injured gunshot victim, as reportedly happened in the Airy Castle community recently, is an example of tampering with a crime scene and, more significantly, it is a form of obstruction of justice.

The police have expressed their concern about this trend which appears to have increased with access to cell phones and the excitement of capturing a scene in real time. More and more people in society are relying on social media sources to provide them with information. Often, much of this information is of a personal nature, and its publication can cause distress. For example, in the case of traffic accidents, social media sources have been known to publish gory photos and other details of scenes, even before the next of kin and family members have been officially notified.

Experts in crime fighting say, once someone interferes with a victim, he or she is likely to leave trace elements behind, and this could make the work of investigators much more difficult. There are set protocols for handling crime scenes and these ought to be adhered to both by investigators and members of the general public.

“It is a serious issue because evidence can be lost or damaged if persons tamper with the crime scene. That can definitely impede the investigations on numerous levels,” said a senior member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force when discussing recent incidents.

COLLECT EVIDENCE

Crime scene investigators usually collect evidence such as fingerprints, footprints, blood and other body fluids, as well as hair, fibres and debris. It is a difficult job which could be made quite complicated with interference by third parties. Once this first step of collecting evidence is achieved, the process continues in the laboratory where the evidence is then analysed. It is then put in safekeeping for presentation in a court of law, in the case of an arrest.

Quite apart from the legal implications, it is a heartless, callous act. In the case of the Airy Castle incident, a mere $4,200 was reportedly stolen from the dying man, while attempts were also made to retrieve his cell phone. Many watched this horror show, aghast but seemingly unsure of what to do or how to react.

Sadly, Jamaica has become that place where criminal acts are committed with wanton brazenness. And, more and more, these acts are being celebrated by bystanders, as was seen recently when an armoured vehicle was robbed in Mandeville and several bystanders were shot and injured. How can we hope to sustain vibrant violence-free communities if we do not see it as our responsibility to intervene when we witness these criminal acts? We understand the pervading atmosphere of fear that exists in 2023 and we are not here suggesting that people be foolhardy and take unnecessary risks, but even a discreet phone call to the police may help to diffuse a situation or save a life.

We urge the police to accelerate its investigation to catch this Airy Castle thief, to demonstrate that this behaviour of preying on the vulnerable is unacceptable. We must take back our streets from thugs so that we can start feeling safe again.