Advances in Forensic Ballistics in the Context of Armed Violence in Latin America
Valentina González , Instituto de Educación Física y Deporte, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
Abstract
Latin-America is still one of the most violent regions in the universe and the majority cases are of homicide perpetrated with a gun in the region contribute to a high percentage of violent deaths in countries like Brazil, Mexico, Colombia and El Salvador. Due to the prevalence of this armed violence, forensic ballistics has become an important scientific resource of criminal investigations, justice practices, and preventive planning of security at large. The main topic of the paper is the evaluation of the recent trends in forensic ballistics technology and their implementation in the situation of the complicated security environment of Latin America. Introduction of new-advanced tools like Integrated Ballistic Identification Systems (IBIS), 3D imaging, and automated comparison algorithms has greatly enhanced the capabilities of the law enforcement agencies. These technologies match bullets with cartridge cases to a particular gun, links between multiple crime scenes together and pattern of gun practice. Such technologies help in the study of organized crime, gang violence, and extrajudicial killings, by providing a chance to mitigate the impunity and increase the rates of conviction. However, forensic ballistics application in Latin America is irregular; in many cases it is impeded by institutional frailties, limitations of resources, corruption, and regional data sharing. Whereas Colombia and Brazil have developed effective prototypes of integrating ballistic intelligence, there is still a problem of outdated equipment, under-equipped labs and political spying taking place in other countries. In this paper, the author uses an argumentative approach to explain that though forensic ballistics is a potentially useful pathway in improving justice and security, it is limited to the scope of its involvement without the inclusion of the entire systemic reforms. There is need to do more investment in forensic infrastructure, standardization of protocols across jurisdiction, safeguarding of forensic professionals and establishment of regional databases to trace firearms. This research highlights both the potential and the shortcomings of forensic ballistics to dealing armed violence, by using case studies and comparative analysis. It also offers policy recommendations for sustainable scientific solutions to combat armed violence in Latin America.
Keywords:
Forensic Ballistics (FB), Context (CC), Armed Violence (AV), Latin America (LA)
