Pericia legal y forense en el laboratorio veterinario: Revisión

Abstract

Veterinary laboratories have technologies necessary for the processing of analyses, examinations and techniques in the scientific investigation of legal and forensic expertise. This paper aims to survey and critically evaluate areas of knowledge that can be used in forensic science in the veterinary laboratory. In veterinary forensic medicine, the issues of liability for negligence, incompetence, malpractice or imprudence, both in the administrative and in the civil or criminal spheres, increase every day. The assistance provided by forensic veterinary medicine is not limited to the knowledge in legal and forensic expertise applied to living or dead animals - it also extends to the field of laboratory analysis. The investigation of a crime scene is the meeting point between science and the law, and veterinary laboratories are fundamental to meet much of the analyses, examinations, and techniques. Among the main fields of laboratory activities are serodiagnostics, toxicology serodiagnosis, toxicology, biochemistry, microbiology, pathology, necropsy and others that have fundamental importance in the elaboration of expert evidence. In these laboratories, professionals can perform analyses that contribute to the study, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of animal health problems, environmental health and zoonoses applied to forensic practice. The quality assurance of the products and services of these laboratories, combined with quality management, minimizes errors, ensures credibility, biosecurity and reliability of results. The Veterinarian is designated as the Technical Manager (TM) to assume responsibility as manager of all activities inherent to the laboratories. In this context, the veterinary laboratories deserve singular attention in the field of the analyses, exams and techniques necessary for legal and forensic investigations, and elaboration of technical reports that assist justice.