Removing Guesswork From Crime Solving
Dear Editor,
It is public knowledge that some of the crimes committed in our beautiful country are actually done so by deportees. It is about time that something is being done to keep a fingerprint and DNA sample of those individuals, to be able to track repeat offences committed here in Trinidad & Tobago.
Based on the discretion of immigration officials, and an “on-the-spot” analysis, they had to determine whether the deportee’s offence fell within the laws of Trinidad and Tobago, which was a cumbersome procedure best suited to legal experts. However, while piloting the Miscellaneous Provisions (Administration of Justice) Bill, 2014, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan proposed certain cases where fingerprints and DNA will be taken without consent.
This legislation, in addition to tracking crimes by deportees, would also go a long way in deterring potential criminals, and in solving cold cases. I commend the PP Government and the Attorney General for their proactive approach to embracing technology towards reducing and solving crime. This legislation will yield good results, as similar methods are successfully used by developed countries and simply removes the guesswork from solving crime.
Peter Thomas
Via email