THE EFFICACY OF FORENSIC TECHNIQUES IN PROVIDING ADMISSIBLE EVIDENCE IN HOMICIDE INVESTIGATIONS IN KISUMU COUNTY; KENYA
Abstract
This study assessed the efficacy of forensic procedures in delivering acceptable evidence in homicide investigations in Kisumu County, Kenya. The study was anchored on Locard's Principle theory and The Actor Network Theory. The objectives of this study were: to assess the effectiveness of DNA sampling procedures in providing admissible evidence in homicide investigations within Kisumu County; to examine the use of toxicology in providing admissible evidence in homicide investigations within Kisumu County; to establish the efficacy of Fingerprinting in providing admissible evidence in homicide investigations within Kisumu County; and to investigate the forensic challenges. The study was carried out using an ex-post facto research design. The targeted population was the DCI officers and court prosecutors working in Kisumu County. The study used a census method to choose all 110 DCI officers in Kisumu County to participate. Prosecutors in Kisumu County, Kenya, were chosen via purposive selection. Questionnaires were the main method of data collection. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics specifically linear regression aided by Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. To describe the research findings, descriptive statistics in the form of measures of central tendency (frequency, mean, median, mode, and percentages) and measures of dispersion (range and standard deviations) was employed. The efficacy of forensic techniques on evidence admissibility was examined using inferential statistics, specifically Linear regression at 5% significance levels. Regression analyses uncover strong positive relationships between key variables, mainly, DNA Sampling Procedures, Use of Toxicology, Fingerprinting Efficacy, on Admissible Evidence forensic investigations. Multiple linear regression analysis predicts that these factors collectively account for 61.3 % a significant portion of the variability in Evidence Quality affirming their strength in providing admissible evidence for homicide cases. Specifically, DNA Sampling Procedures (B = 0.304), the Use of Toxicology (B = 0.299), and Fingerprinting Efficacy (B = 0.354) all demonstrate positive coefficients, indicating that improvements in these aspects lead to higher quality admissible evidence. On the other hand, Forensic Challenges (B = 0.374) carries a positive coefficient, suggesting that an increase in challenges faced during forensic practices corresponds to a decrease in the quality of admissible evidence. Equally, Forensic Challenges are shown to limiting in obtaining admissible evidence significantly. Based on the findings, the study recommends that the DCI Kisumu County work with the DCI headquarters and the NPS and the national government to address the challenges to ensure the DCI investigators using forensic service obtain admissible evidence for homicide cases.
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