Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2021, $2,888,219)
Project Abstract
CEBR Program FY 2021
Texas Department of Public Safety, Crime Laboratory Service
Forensic DNA Backlog and Database Sample Reduction: To reduce the number of forensic DNA cases awaiting analysis, the ten Texas Department of Public Safety casework laboratories will work as a team to engage its 170 Forensic DNA Scientists and DNA Technicians to work examining evidence, developing DNA profiles, and then entering those forensic profiles into the CODIS DNA database. DNA Casework and CODIS DNA Analysts will engage in overtime to complete backlogged offender samples and upload those to the offender database.
In this grant application, funds are being requested to continue the employment of fourteen grant funded FTEs. Ten of those FTEs are Forensic Biology/DNA Analysts and four of the FTEs are for Laboratory Technicians. The goal will be to complete the analysis of evidence on 1,800 backlogged forensic biology/DNA cases during the project period for the 14 grant funded personnel.
Backlog reduction funding is also being requested to outsource backlogged DNA cases to an outsource vendor. The goal is to outsource 1,797 DNA cases for analysis to an outsource vendor.
In conjunction with this work, DNA scientists will attend continuing education by attending DNA training workshops to retain their proficiency, enhance their skills and improve efficiency.