The ballistics unit Judicial Branch’s Forensics Science Labs received the international accreditation with ISO 17020 norm and the re-accreditation of the biochemical, toxicology and analytic chemistry units with the ISO 17025 norms, making Costa Rica a regional model in this area.

“The strengthening of forensic capabilities improves the quality of evidence analysis, which in turn strengthens the judicial process, reads the press release by the United States Embassy in Costa Rica.

The U.S. Embassy Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (ISO 17025 and the U.S. Department of Justice supported the accreditation and re-accreditation process with approximately USD 600,000.

U.S. Ambassador Sharon Day said that the Forensics Labs are an example of best practices for the assistance programs of the U.S. judicial system.

Back in 2017 the Forensic Labs with the support from the US Embassy’s Bureau if International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) received other international accreditation: the ISO 17020 and 17025 specifications for forensics topics in toxicology, chemical analysis and biochemistry.