As a result of the Inforce Assessment Missions in Iraq 2003-4, the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office agreed to fund the training of an Iraqi team, consisting of archaeologists, anthropologists, pathologists, radiographers, scene of crime officers and project managers to be trained in the UK. After selecting 35 candidates, Inforce implemented a six month course, individually tailored around the different professions involved. The programme was divided into a theoretical and practical elements and was set to M-level standards. Each participant was assessed in each unit.
Both the theoretical and practical elements were delivered using in-house expertise as well as partners such as the Association of Forensic Radiographers, the Association of Anatomical Pathology Technologists and Bournemouth University.
The practical part consisted of two excavations of simulated mass graves and two temporary mortuary operations, running parallel. All the candidates successfully completed the course, attesting to their hard work and dedication and the quality of teaching vehicles and staff.
Based on the successful delivery of this first programme, the FCO asked Inforce to deliver two further programmes. First, 39 criminal investigators were trained in the legal and forensic aspects of mass atrocity investigations. The Defence Institute of International Legal Studies (DIILS) covered the investigative part of the training and Inforce provided a combination of theoretical and practical units to enable the Iraqi criminal investigators to gain an overview of all scientific and legal aspects of forensic mass atrocity investigations.
Further to this Inforce was asked to train trainers. Consequently the most appropriate 12 of the 34 who had excelled in the first programme were invited back to be trained to ensure continuing capacity building in Iraq. Those 12 were trained in teaching and learning techniques for one intensive month and had two month of skill enhancement and placements, which took place in the UK, Bosnia and South Africa.
All three programmes have made a considerable contribution to building forensic capacity in Iraq, which will in turn help towards developing sound judicial process and sound governance.
As a result of the Inforce Assessment Missions in Iraq 2003-4, the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office agreed to fund the training of an Iraqi team, consisting of archaeologists, anthropologists, pathologists, radiographers, scene of crime officers and project managers to be trained in the UK. After selecting 35 candidates, Inforce implemented a six month course, individually tailored around the different professions involved. The programme was divided into a theoretical and practical elements and was set to M-level standards. Each participant was assessed in each unit.
Both the theoretical and practical elements were delivered using in-house expertise as well as partners such as the Association of Forensic Radiographers, the Association of Anatomical Pathology Technologists and Bournemouth University.
Based on the successful delivery of this first programme, the FCO asked Inforce to deliver two further programmes. First, 39 criminal investigators were trained in the legal and forensic aspects of mass atrocity investigations. The Defence Institute of International Legal Studies (DIILS) covered the investigative part of the training and Inforce provided a combination of theoretical and practical units to enable the Iraqi criminal investigators to gain an overview of all scientific and legal aspects of forensic mass atrocity investigations.
Further to this Inforce was asked to train trainers. Consequently the most appropriate 12 of the 34 who had excelled in the first programme were invited back to be trained to ensure continuing capacity building in Iraq. Those 12 were trained in teaching and learning techniques for one intensive month and had two month of skill enhancement and placements, which took place in the UK, Bosnia and South Africa.