KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Institute of Forensic Science and Legal Medicine (IFSLM) is expected to address significant case backlogs with the construction of Jamaica’s first Forensic Pathology Autopsy Suite on Orange Street in Kingston, where work continues apace for its 2023 opening.

Dr Judith Mowatt, head of the IFSLM, explained that during each quarter of the last fiscal year, the institute had grappled with a backlog of over 200 cases awaiting autopsy.  

“In addition to the significant overhead costs being incurred annually by the Government, there is an average backlog of 150 to 200 autopsy cases per quarter,” she said.

In the past four years, the Ministry of National Security expended approximately $600 million to contracted funeral homes to carry out autopsy services on the Government’s behalf. 

“One of the immediate outcomes anticipated from the construction of this new facility includes putting an end to the longstanding practice of performing autopsies in private funeral homes, which are operating in a mostly unregulated industry. This practice poses a risk to the integrity of criminal investigations and by extension, the administration of justice, and we are working to address this and other possible or existing limitations,” Dr Mowatt explained.

The foundation has been laid for the Autopsy Suite and the superstructure is far advanced. When completed, the forensic pathology unit would be comparable to similar state-of-the-art facilities across the globe.

When ground was broken last November, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, Dr Horace Chang, explained that the autopsy suite will bolster the work of the IFSLM, making it one of the finest in the Western Hemisphere.

“We have given our commitment to the people of Jamaica to bring our law enforcement and criminal justice systems into the 21st century. We are investing heavily in the upgrading and modernising of the Institute of Forensic Science and Legal Medicine to increase our reliance on forensic evidence to investigate crimes and secure convictions,” Dr Chang said.

With the Firearms (Prohibition, Restriction and Regulation) Act 2022 to come into effect later this year, Dr Mowatt noted that there will be tougher penalties for offences connected to gun-related crimes, pointing out that the construction the Autopsy Suite will also play a crucial role in the government’s anti-crime strategy.

“In prosecuting gun crimes, especially murders, it is imperative that the autopsies be carried out expeditiously to allow for the speedy analysis of DNA and ballistics evidence retrieved from the victims. The new autopsy suite would facilitate this, enabling the Institute to provide irrefutable scientific evidence to investigators and the Courts,” Dr Mowatt added.

The Autopsy Suite is being constructed on approximately 3,600 square metres of land located at 149 Orange Street in Kingston.

The building will have four dissecting bays designed to accommodate a significant number of cases without compromising the health and safety of workers and will allow for multiple post-mortems to be conducted simultaneously.