FY 2021 Pennsylvania State Police DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction Program

This proposal will provide funding to enable the Pennsylvania State Police, Bureau of Forensic Services to reduce the number of backlog DNA cases. Funds are requested to replace and upgrade existing equipment as well as purchase supplies for the analysis of casework. Overtime and fringe benefits are sought for DNA personnel to process, analyze, and review backlog cases as well as for serology personnel to screen cases for DNA analysis. Funds for training opportunities to meet the continuing education requirement are also being requested. The Pennsylvania State Police, Forensic DNA Division provides DNA analysis for the entire commonwealth at no cost to law enforcement agencies. This includes 67 counties and over 900 police agencies. The Pennsylvania State Police, Bureau of Forensic Services is an ANAB-accredited laboratory system with six (6) regional crime laboratories and one (1) Forensic DNA Division. The six regional laboratories screen biological evidence and submit probative items to the DNA Division as well as provide other services such drug analysis, ballistics, documents, and AFIS. By increasing the capacity of the laboratory, the analysts will be able to analyze more samples and cases per month. This increase in the number of cases worked will result in the casework backlog being reduced. The Pennsylvania State Police Forensic DNA Division is dedicated to reducing its current average turnaround time in DNA analysis. The Forensic DNA Division is the state site for CODIS within the commonwealth which includes the DNA convicted offender databank. All eligible DNA profiles will be uploaded into NDIS. At the end of the grant period, the laboratory’s aim is to reduce the current and anticipated backlogs in DNA. The goal is to reduce the turnaround time in the Forensic DNA Division. The laboratory will set its productivity goal per forensic scientist to reduce turnaround time per case. It is hoped this grant will provide the ability to process more cases and decrease the days it takes for a case to be completed.