Crime Scene Investigation Kabul: An Example of Failing to Understand Local Legal Structures and Traditions Before Attempting to Re-Establish the Rule of Law and Police Reform

Abstract

Crime dramas can be found worldwide. There has been an exploding popularity of Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) programmes where the crimes are solved through scientific methods by forensics. They have broad international appeal and have been replicated in other countries. Reuters news reported that in “Afghan Confidential: Detectives Train at CSI Kabul” that US Police Advisory Arm of ISAF was attempting to create just such a capability within the Afghan National Police Force. The military fails to understand is that the legal structure in Afghanistan is completely different from that of the UK and the US and that the role of the Police was also not only different, but severely limited. In fact, not only was the programme they were implementing beyond not only the competency of the Afghan Police, but beyond their remit as a Force. This article highlights the problematic nature of the programme they are implementing. It seeks to challenge the tendency of post conflict planners to not fully understand the context of the cultural, societal, political and in this particular case, the legal structures of the nations in which they are operating but simply revert to systems and processes which they know and are comfortable with.