Enhancing DNA Capacity and Reducing the Backlog at the GBI Division of Forensic Sciences

The GBI Division of Forensic Sciences is responsible for conducting DNA analysis for cases submitted by all state and local law enforcement in the State of Georgia.  The major problem faced by the laboratory is insufficient state funding to support a staffing level necessary to address new casework analysis requests within 30 days of case submission.     

The goal of this project is to maintain current casework analysis staffing levels within the Forensic Biology discipline.  This award will be used to fund salary and benefits for additional casework analysts and technicians hired using prior year Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction grant.  Training has been completed for some and in various stages of progress for others.  These positions are expected to be retained through grant funding unless a state funded position in Forensic Biology becomes available.  This award will also be used to fund outsource analysis of evidence from approximately 560 backlogged requests for analysis.  The evidence will be outsourced to a private laboratory with an existing contract agreement selected utilizing a competitive bidding process or a new laboratory will be found using the same competitive selection method.  

All grant funded personnel will transition onto this award when prior year DNA CEBR funding has been exhausted.  The number of grant funded personnel supported by the award could vary throughout the course of the award if grant funded personnel are able to transition into a state funded position or resign.

The expected outcomes of this project are the completion of at least 1320 cases in-house by fully trained grant funded analysts, the completion of approximately 560 outsourced cases, the completion of approximately 300 additional DNA and serological requests using overtime, support of mandatory continuing education of several analysts by funding registration and travel expenses.  This project will also address bottlenecks in data analysis with the purchase of additional instruments and specialized software for forensic DNA analysis.