Forensic Art: Implication for National Security within Communities in Nigeria

Abstract

National security is one of the most talked about subjects in our time. We all have at one time or another experienced some level of insecurity such as armed robbery, rape, banditry and kidnapping, domestic violence among others. This article discusses forensic art; the practice of using drawings or paintings (generating images) to either track down criminal elements in our communities or to identify their victims as an effective way for strengthening national security. This article is geared towards revealing a simple and innovative approach to curbing crime in underdeveloped societies. This method leverages on an artist’s ability to draw or paint the portrait of a described suspect to resemblance, in such a way, that the individual could be picked up for interrogation by law enforcement agents. This method is collaborative in nature and it has the capacity to empower citizens to fight crime in their local communities. Among the recommendations are the following: government should integrate or incorporate forensic artists into the security apparatus; this subject should be encouraged in most of our schools, because it has potential to develop our mental and visual perception necessary for creating the security-consciousness we need; government should uphold this practice because it holds promise in the area of job creation for its practitioners among others.