An Analysis of How The Current Status of forensic Science Affects the Administration of Criminal Justice in Zambia

Abstract

Where there is law, there is crime; but there is no perfect crime. The existence of obligations of citizens in society and sanctions for the disobedience embodied in statutes are meaningless if the Courts cannot sufficiently uphold and ensure conformity to them. As an organ of the state, the Judiciary in particular the courts have the key function of administering justice. In administering justice, the Court relies upon the evidence presented before it; evidence which can be obtained through various means. One way in which evidence that is presented before the courts is obtained is through the use of forensic science. It is the focus of the research to highlight the important dual relationship that exists between forensic science and the administration of criminal justice. The main question investigated by the research was whether the current status of forensic science has affected the administration of forensic science in Zambia, and if so, to what extent. Detailed consideration was made of the concept of forensic science as well as the key components of the Criminal Justice System. Further, the research highlighted the uses of forensic science in the criminal justice system before analysing the current status of forensic science in Zambia.The research concluded that the important role that forensic science plays in administration of criminal justice cannot be ignored. Forensic science in Zambia has developed at a marginal rate in comparison to jurisdictions such as the US and UK and although this can be attributed to the later introduction of forensic science in Zambia, the current status of forensic science has had both positive and negative effects on the administration of criminal justice. It has affected the administration of criminal justice to a lesser extent though there is an urgent need to improve the current status of forensic science in order to improve the efficiency and quality of criminal justice administered by the courts.