The Institute of Forensic Science and Legal Medicine (IFSLM) says the construction of Jamaica’s first Forensic Pathology Autopsy Suite on Orange Street in downtown Kingston, is expected to address the significant case backlog that presently exists.

Head of the IFSLM, Dr Judith Mowatt, disclosed that during each quarter of the last fiscal year, the Institute 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,” Mowat shared in a news release from the Ministry of National Security. The ministry said the autopsy suite is on schedule to open in 2023.

In the past four years, the ministry spent 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,” Mowatt stated.

The foundation has already 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,” Chang emphasised.

With the Firearms (Prohibition, Restriction and Regulation) Act 2022 to come into effect later this year, Mowatt noted that there will be tougher penalties for offences connected to gun-related crimes.

“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”, said Mowatt.

The autopsy suite is being constructed on approximately 3,600 sq. m of land located at 149 Orange Street in Kingston. At 1,550 sq. m., the building will be sufficiently sized with 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.