This entry is written by Kusha Kalideen, a Masters Genetics student at UCT who is assisting the DNA Project with the implementation of its DNA CSI Awareness Campaign.

Kusha Kalideen

While the rest of South Africa is officially on a slow down due to the highly contagious FIFA fever, we at the DNA Project, are frantically working behind-the-scenes – informing various sectors of society, (who we call the first responders to a crime scene; such as security companies, paramedics, community police forums etc.), of the DNA project, the DNA Awareness Campaign and the workshops therein.

And as no-one in RSA is immune to FIFA fever, this blog –too – is looking at the FIFA 2010 World Cup…

There is no doubt: South Africa is putting on a hell of a show for the 2010 World Cup. We have the locations, we have world class stadia, we have passionate fans, we have gees. In the days leading up to and during the beautiful game(s), South Africa was and currently is awash with flags, football shirts and an electrifying atmosphere in the air. Everyone, is still feeling it – it is here! We are proud citizens, proud of hosting the FIFA World Cup. It’s fabulous!

Yet, there is something that bothers me about the FIFA 2010 World Cup. And no, it is not the “lack” of goals, the anatomy of Jabulani (the world cup ball) or the disgraceful behaviour of the French coach toward Carlos Alberta Parreira, after our boys taught the frogs a thing or two about how to play football . It has to do with the Department of Justice.

Yes, our very own DoJ, who has allocated around R45 million to the creation and initiation of special “World Cup Courts” (WCCs) – 56 WCCs to be exact -  throughout the country. These courts are meant to deal with World Cup offences in a speedy and efficient manner. Which, is great. BUT, why didn’t we have these courts at in place and at our disposal, long before Mr Blatter entered the picture? WHERE did we get R45 million? I do understand the need to “protect” foreigners and adhere to the regulations set out by FIFA. But at what cost to the taxpayer? And did we really have the resources to have the WCCs?

However, all this if after the fact. What we should be focussing on now is whether these WCCs should exist after FIFA fever is but a memory? In my opinion (please bear in mind I am neither a lawyer nor a politician, just a geneticist), yes. Obviously not called WCCs and not dealing with soccer-related crime.

They can be used as (for lack of a better word) “interim” courts – where cases (any and all cases in the area and surrounding areas of the court) will be heard promptly. Should the matter be taken to a higher court, it will be done in an appropriate time frame. These “interim” courts will speed up legal processes, provide jobs (magistrates, prosecutors, court orderlies, legal aid lawyers, court clerks, security – to name a few), and swiftly deal with cases, thus relieving the burden and time-delay of higher courts. In conjunction with biological evidence, (and we hope, in the near future the DNA Bill will be passed) these “interim” courts will successfully hear, try and convict those guilty of crime. The “interim” courts will be the perfect setting for utilising biological evidence: “interim” courts are “on the ground” (as opposed to the regal stature of higher courts), for immediate public benefit and at the end of the day available to every person in our society (from my basic understanding of the WCCs, legal aid lawyers are available on site). Not only will the “interim” courts provide society with an appropriate legal system, but it will also educate people in law, constitution and forensic science and why these fields are not to be feared.

All in all, I think the WCCs should stay. We spent the money creating them. Lets us now maintain them, use them for making our country a safer place. And let us keep working at implementing the DNA Bill – we have shown we are a passionate nation, full of gees; let us show our parliamentarians we believe in the DNA Bill. The Bill, together with the “interim” courts, will do nothing but benefit us. As South Africans, we can do anything. Make your voice heard. Lets us know what you think.

Kusha

The DNA Awareness Training Workshop was held last week in Cape Town. The aim of the workshop was to finalise our training protocols and training manual in order that our new Trainers may start to host  national DNA awareness workshops by August 2010. It was a privilege to be able to work with some of the best scientific minds that we have in this country. Not only did we manage to achieve our objective within the time allocated, but we had fun doing it too. We now need to let key sectors of the community know that we want to teach them how to preserve critical DNA evidence for proper collection by the Crime Scene Investigators. We plan to do this by hosting training sessions throughout SA, funding the cost of those training sessions and by providing free information booklets to each of the participants at the end of the workshop.

Dr Hancock

Below is an excerpt form the letter we will be emailing to CPF’s, security guard companies, paramedics, the NPA and whoever else we feel would benefit form learning about the preservation of DNA evidence. Let’s all work together to create a greater awareness in SA as to the value of this incrdible crime fighting tool.

Vanessa.

Prof Corfield

We would like to take this opportunity to tell you about a DNA Awareness Campaign that is currently being run by our organization, The DNA Project is committed to addressing the unacceptably high levels of crime in South Africa through the use of DNA evidence. To put it very simply DNA profiling has replaced fingerprinting as the forensic tool of choice to be used by investigators to link suspects to a crime scene. It is highly effective as DNA can be extracted from any cell in the body. This means that evidence can be collected from biological material left at a crime scene such as hair, semen, saliva, sweat, blood and skin cells. Therefore, this technology can be used to match DNA profiles of suspects with those of “stains” found at crime scenes thereby bringing about crime resolution for numerous crimes including murder, rape and burglary.

Dr Rebello

The training workshops and information booklet will provide the following information:

1. A simple summary of DNA, the techniques of DNA profiling and the benefits of a National DNA Criminal Intelligence Database in crime investigation.
2. The responsibilities of the first people who arrive at a crime scene with potential DNA evidence.
3. The responsibilities of the “first attending” South African police officers, as well as the responsibilities of specialized crime scene investigators, at the crime scene.
4. The potential sources, locations and limitations of DNA evidence.
5. The correct handling and packaging of samples from crime scenes, suspects and complainants.

Please let us know if you or your organization would be interested in helping us host a training session/s and we will send you further information. Please email Maya, our training coordinator at maya@dnaproject.co.za . We look forward to hearing from you soon!

I have not touched sides since returning from JHB last week where I attended the Sustainable Crime Prevention Strategies & Community Safety Conference.  The days following the conference have been filled with preparations for the Trainers Workshop which we are hosting in Cape Town tomorrow. This workshop marks the start of our National DNA Awareness Campaign: from Thursday, all of our trainers will be able to host DNA Awareness Training sessions throughout SA.

But first, a brief overview of the Crime Conference: there was a veritable mix of speakers with as varied views on crime prevention and resolution as one could get. The Shadow Minister of Police, MP Dianne Kohler Barnard – DA,  reported a 90% drop in the crime rate in the Western Cape! This she put down to the principle of the ‘broken window syndrome’ which is being applied in the WC. Whilst I am not sure that I agree with the 90% statistic, I do believe that anyone visiting the WC will notice the difference insofar as people do move around more freely both on the streets and in the centre of town, and the city is in fact looking wonderful. If this is a formula that is working, albeit as a spin off to the world cup preparations, then why not explore it more fully throughout the country and in other communities? The ‘broken window’ strategy followed by the then Mayor of New York City, Rudy Giuliani and his police commissioner, Howard Safir was adopted in New York City under the rubrics of “zero tolerance” and “quality of life“.  The “zero tolerance” roll out was part of an interlocking set of wider reforms. Giuliani had the police even more strictly enforce the law against subway fare evasion, and stopped public drinkers, urinators, and the “squeegee men” who had been wiping windshields of stopped cars and demanding payment. According to the 2001 study of crime trends in New York rates of both petty and serious crime fell suddenly and significantly, and continued to drop for the following ten years. Obviously in SA we have more serious problems than wayward “squeegee men”, but I must say, I personally have always believed in this principle, as the upliftment of a community as a whole does have far reaching consequences. I am going to try and get a transcript of her presentation, as it makes for interesting reading and I am sure will invite some form of debate!

Dr Mvume Dandala (MP, COPE)  had an alternative take on CPF’s – he called for ‘naming and shaming’ within communities, whistle-blowing as well as putting a stop to ‘celebrating crimanality’.  Our idea of CPF’s being purely about additional security measures is not his version of a CPF -  “CPF” means different things to different communities. As such, different methodologies need to be applied in different sectors. Our suburb does not celebrate criminality in any way whatsoever; but in the townships, Dr Dandala spoke of ‘sharp sharp’ men wearing ‘shine shine’ shoes and how young members of the community looked up to them and aspired to be like them – knowing that they were ‘spinners’ and that their wares were ill gotten gains did not deter them and it is this celebration of criminality that he wants to see change. Finding areas within a community that would name and shame that person was also a theory that he believed could work – for instance not giving a man full honours in a circumcision ritual because of his criminal background was something that had worked in one community…. And then, Natalie Jaynes, the Western Cape Regional Director for Gun Free South Africa said we should stop talking about ‘the criminals’ as a group of evil people – she said that its not a case of ‘us against them’… What then should we call ‘them’ I asked politely? I was told criminals should rather be called the ‘the perpetrators’ or ‘the offenders’. I asked whether “the murderer’s” would be acceptable? Apparently it is. Could somebody please explain the difference to me?

Yes, there were some thought provoking interactions  and perhaps if the people who should and could do something about these issues attended these conferences, we would get a little further, faster! Unfortunately it is always the people who are willing to do something about crime and its ramifications on our country that attend these meetings, and seem to always be fighting and lobbying those in power, who appear to do a lot less.

Before I left JHB, I was interviewed by Chantal Rutter from Carte Blanche. They are doing a follow up on the work of The DNA Project as well as a short insight into the new DNA Bill and why it is taking so long to be passed. The interview should appear on the Sunday night program of Carte Blanche within the next two weeks, but I will post the exact date on the blog once the date has been confirmed.

In the next few days I will write more about our roll out strategy for our DNA Awareness Campaign as well as start introducing you to our amazing team of qualified trainers and how we intend to spread this information throughout SA as widely and freely as possible!

Vanessa