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PUERTO RICO FY 2022 PAUL COVERDELL FORENSIC SCIENCE IMPROVEMENT GRANT PROGRAM

Award Information

Award #
15PBJA-22-GG-02019-COVE
Funding Category
Formula
Location
Awardee County
PR
Congressional District
Status
Open
Funding First Awarded
2022
Total funding (to date)
$293,954

Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2022, $293,954)

The PRIFS is an ASCLD-LAB, ANAB, and NAME accredited forensic facility serving the citizens of Puerto Rico since 1985. As the only forensic laboratory in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, it counts with three operational divisions: a) Criminalistics, b) Pathology, and c) Forensic Investigations (CSI).  FY2021 Coverdell funding will be used to achieve one main OPIOID RELATED GOAL: Improve the timeliness of opioid related forensic reports in the Toxicology and Controlled Substances Sections.  NON-OPIOID RELATED GOALS are: 1). Improve the timeliness of forensic reports in the Firearms and Toolmarks, Controlled Substances, Toxicology, Pathology, and Crime Scene Investigations;  2). Improve the quality of forensic reports of all PRBFS Divisions by providing continuing education; 3) Improve the management of Coverdell funds and the financial management and systems of internal controls hiring one accountant and overtime.  4) Address and improve timeliness and quality of forensic sciences reports and statistical data collection through acquisition of computer hardware.  Through the proposed effort, steps are made towards the capacity enhancement of opioid and non-opioid related cases and improvement of the quality of analysis and timeliness of forensic reports.

Date Created: September 27, 2022